Hold it, says Freddie Roach.
Roach advised the management team of Bobby Pacquiao not to push through with plans to go on with a fight with Mexico’s Humberto Soto scheduled August 12 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
”There’s not enough time (to prepare Bobby),” Wakee Salud, Bobby’s chief handler said, quoting Roach as saying.
Bobby had been booked to face Soto, nicknamed La Zorrita, underneath the world heavyweight title match between Hasim Rahman and Oleg Maskaev.
”We already have the videotaope and a copy of the official fight contract but Freddie said there’s not enough time for Bobby to reach top form in such short a time,” said Salud.
Bobby, younger brother of superstar Manny, is coming off a sensational fourth-round knockout win over former world champion Kevin Kelley at New York’s Madison Square Garden last June 10. Before mauling Kelley, Bobby had stopped Carlos Navarro in Fresno and outpointed Carlos ”Famoso” Hernandez of El Salvador in Las Vegas.
Soto, 27, a nine-year professional, parades a 39-5-2 win-loss-draw card with 23 knockouts.
Bobby is on a rebound ever since hooking up with Roach and now sports a 27-11-3 ledger with 12 wins inside the distance.
