GONE IN 30 seconds? Why not, says trainer Freddie Roach. Roach might be thinking that it pays to be savage and brutal once in a while.
“If you can go out there and blast this guy in 30 seconds, then do it,” Pacquiao?s American trainer said a few hours before the two went to the gym for the last time, barely 48 hours before Pacquiao faces Oscar Larios of Mexico Sunday morning at the Araneta Coliseum.
Roach is wary of what a fighter of Larios? caliber could do that he won?t mind if Pacquiao takes out the Mexican in such swift and savage manner that it would appear they have a pressing appointment to catch afterwards.
“I know the fans wants to see a good fight but you know what, I?d rather see an exciting 30 seconds than a long-drawn fight. If Pacquiao starts carrying this fight, anything can happen. A headbutt, a cut. When you start doing stuff like that, things happen. Maybe you get caught with a lucky punch and you get knocked down. Larios is a little bit dangerous early,” said Roach.
“I told Manny that anything can happen in a fight and I told him don?t play with this caliber of fighter. Larios has done everything possible to beat you.”
Still, Roach believes Larios will try to box Pacquiao at a distance in an effort to test the Filipino?s stamina.
“My gut feeling is that Larios wants to go the late rounds and the only way he is going to the late rounds is if he doesn?t get too aggressive. But he is not a runner and he can?t run. He doesn?t have the type of movement,” said Roach.
“Maybe he will come right at us early and that?s going to be our advantage and I hope he does and he will force Manny to respond and when Manny responds, usually good things happen,” said Roach, his blue eyes sparkling as the early morning sunshine radiates inside his room at The Manila Hotel.
“But if Larios decides to box from a distance which Roach sees is going to happen, it might frustrate Manny but we have worked on how to cut the ring off. We have to go behind the jab and hit the body.”
This will be the tenth time that Roach would call the shots in Pacquiao?s corner since the Filipino southpaw stumbled into Roach?s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood five years ago with former business manager Rod Nazario.
Roach was not in Pacquiao?s corner when Pacquiao met Serikzhan Yeshmangbetov, the Kazakh stylist who floored the General Santos fighter in the third canto before being stopped in the fifth round at the Luneta in March 2003, and much earlier in October 2002, when Pacquiao needed less than a round to dispose of Thai Fabbrakob Rakkiatgym in Davao.
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NOTES
Manny Pacquiao?s pregnant wife Jinkee, sons Jimuel and Michael Stephen, and mother Dionisia, arrived yesterday from General Santos City. Pacman?s father Rosario, has been in town the past few days. But they?re all staying at their Para?aque house while Pacquiao stays at his suite at The Manila Hotel…After the official weighin this morning, a huge serving of bulalo (beef soup) and steamed rice will be served to Pacquiao. This has been his meal after weighing in,” said one of Pacquiao?s utility men. Tonight, just before he hits the sack, he will be served native chicken soup and rice again…Michael Buffer, famous for belting out “Let?s Get Ready To Rumble” before big fights mostly in the US, arrived in the country yesterday morning.
