IT’S VERY hard to please somebody like Freddie Roach. But yesterday morning, the highly-discriminating trainer was grinning from ear-to-ear as he was packing his bags following the conclusion of Manny Pacquiao’s final hard training session in preparation for the July 2 clash with Mexican Oscar Larios at the Araneta Coliseum.
Roach could not find a fault in assessing Pacquiao’s five-round sparring session with Russian lightweight Rustam Nugaev and the bespectacled Hollywood cornerman was obviously more than satisfied with what the Filipino showcased before a limited number of people who endured the scorching heat inside the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines gym.
“I am very happy with his performance today. I couldn’t ask for a better day than today,” said Roach, who requested a small number of mediamen to refrain from filming and taking pictures of the sparring as well as the punchmitt routine.
“Manny was great in sparring and very happy. His timing was great and I am very happy with the right hook and the body shots were there where he wanted them. Whatever I asked for, he gave,” said Roach, relieved that Pacquiao has apparently got rid of the jet lag.
The only time the mediamen were able to take moving pictures and grab still photos was right after a few rounds of punch mitt sessions that saw Pacquiao striking the blue-colored leather mitts with full force.
It was actually during the third round of the sparring with Nugaev, a long-armed and skillfull puncher said to be more powerful than Larios, that Roach realized that Pacquiao was ready to be let loose.
Instead of his left hand doing the damage, Pacquiao landed a right cross to the jaw that had Nugaev walking like someone struck with a tranquilizer dart and Pacquiao did not hesitate to unload punches to the head and body that had Nugaev covering for safety on the ropes.
Pacquiao was also delighted that he had tremendously improved following his so-so performance the other day when he was coming off a late night trip to the moviehouse for the premiere of his film bio.
“Happy din ako sa iginalaw ko ngayon at kung happy si coach (Freddie), ayos na,” said Pacquiao.
“Ramdam ko na yung sharpness at bilis ko kasi kung gusto kong tumama ang suntok ko ay nagagawa ko at kung gusto kong magpasuntok ay OK lang,” said Pacquiao, who later lunched on seafood noodle soup, sirloin steak, oysters, mixed fruits and two bottles of distilled water at a nearby hotel following his two-hour training.
Pacquiao hinted that the punch that could finish off Larios might not be his reliable left straight, but the right hand which he and Roach have been developing the past year.
“Alam na kasi ng mga ibang boxer yung power ng kaliwa ko kaya dine-develop na namin ng husto yung right,” added Pacquiao, whose right hand had a telling impact when he stopped Erik Morales last January in Las Vegas.
