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Friday, November 13, 2009

No Excuses, Says Roach

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After the IRS imposed exile to Baguio, followed by the malaise of Manila, trainer Freddie Roach was satisfied with where his charge, Manny Pacquiao, was- physically and mentally- as they headed down the home stretch of their training camp at their familiar haunts of the Wild Card Boxing Club, last week. This Saturday night, they face WBO welterweight champion, Miguel Cotto, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, in the years most anticipated event.

"Manny told me,’I’m back’," said Roach, last Thursday afternoon, one of their last days in Hollywood before they took off for Las Vegas."He’s back, no problem, at all. Focus is there, the conditioning was never a problem. We worked everyday. Baguio, Manila, wherever we were. We never missed a day of working out and running and so forth. So we got back here, his running has been really great, boxing’s been really good. He sparred eight rounds the other day, looked really good, 100-percent."

On this afternoon, Pacquiao went through six rounds of sparring( three each with Urbano Antillon and Ray Beltran) before finishing off his days work with an energetic session on the heavy-bag and a few rounds on the double-end bag, jumping rope and then shadow-boxing. His workout took approximately three hours and it was marked by Filipino’s trademark energy and enthusiasm. For all that surrounds ’Planet Pacquiao’, nobody works harder in the gym then he does.

"My training camp for this fight is good," said ’the Pac Man’ after his days work."We’re doing great and we work hard for this fight." He added," I feel strong, I feel strong enough for a 12-round fight."

Their last week in Hollywood was hectic, as it included an appearance on ’the Jimmy Kimmel Show’ and a media day at the Wild Card. But Roach says that these obligations do not overload his fighter.

" Jimmy Kimmel, we filmed that at like 5:30 in the afternoon. So it wasn’t really late day. It loosened him up a little bit because he likes the singing part of it. Media day, is actually like a day off because we don’t really show that much, just give you guys a taste of what we’re up to because the whole workout would be impossible with as many people that came to the gym," said the well-regarded trainer."Yesterday, we ran him really hard in the morning on the track and then we just went four rounds on the mitts, a couple on the speed-bag and on the rope, stuff like that. The mitt day before was 16 rounds, straight."

Pacquiao said of his appearance on the late night ABC talk show,"It was very fun. I was very happy for that show. It was funny, I sing one song."

There is always the lingering question of whether Pacquiao is distracted or not. It’s become a permanent storyline of any fight he participates in. But Roach, says with a grin,"Y’know what? We like drama. We have enough in our lifetime that we must like it. Otherwise, we would change things. We’ve always had problems, there’s always something going in Camp Pacquiao."

The large focus of this camp has been the on-going animosity between strength-and-conditioning coach, Alex Ariza, and adviser Mike Koncz, who had a well-documented physical altercation while in the Philippines. Roach laughs this off as being a non-issue. The trainer has been through it all with Pacquiao. From when he was getting fleeced by Murad Muhammad or the multitude of fans that swarmed the gym on a daily basis before the first match-up with Erik Morales.

Those were real distractions that hindered his focus. The extra-curricular stuff he’s now involved in? To him, it’s a necessary diversion.

"He enjoys it, he thrives on it," Roach stated."He thrives off it, it’s a challenge. People say he can’t do it. It’s just like after the fight, he’s in concert at the Mandalay Bay."

Win, lose or draw on Saturday night, there will be no alibi’s from them.

" No excuses for this fight," said Pacquiao."I’m ready to fight and I will do my best."

Roach echoes those thoughts," No excuses, 100-percent. No excuses."

COTTO

So what are Pacquiao’s thoughts on his upcoming foe?

"Everyone knows he’s bigger than me, he’s stronger. I know he hits hard but I’m very confident in myself and my speed, my power."

But Roach wonders if Cotto is irrevocably damaged following his loss to Antonio Margarito last year.

"To be quite honest, studying his tapes, he was a very good fighter early in his career but he’s not the same guy after the beating he took with Margarito. I don’t think he has his confidence back, his defense seemed to be poor in the Clottey fight and he was very slow," he opined."I think everyone reacts differently on the first knockout loss, some people never get over it, some people get over it quickly. They say, ’Well, Manny should be the one shot because he got KO’d twice.’ But yeah, that was 20 years ago. We’re obviously gotten over that. So he’s one of those guys who can get over it.

"Can Cotto get over his KO loss? I don’t think so. He hasn’t shown it, yet."

BUZZ

Judging by the reaction the two fighters received on Tuesday afternoon at the MGM Grand, there’s no doubt that ’Firepower’ is building a lot of momentum. I’m told it was the biggest reception ever for a promotion.

One way you can gauge just how well an event will do is to see just how many fans show up to the weigh-in( which takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena at 3:00 on Friday afternoon, with the main event fighters getting on the scale at 3:10). I expect to see a raucous crowd there.

Just a hunch, but I think this fight will exceed one million pay-per-view buys, and perhaps even rival what the Pacquiao-De La Hoya fight did last year( which did right around 1.4 million.)

Source: maxboxing.com

12 comments:

  1. Cotto is going to beat so bad pacman he is going to cancel to sing. the only thing he is able to do is stay at the hospital.

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  2. Cotto has been broken down before....this will be his final frustration.
    Could be his last one.......

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  3. this fight is just for formality as cotto never did have what it takes to get back on his old self- what a pity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  4. Hey Cotto Fanatics!!!! Your daddy's feet is still nailed to the canvas and STILL moves like ASIMO the robot from honda. With that, cotto's face will be RAMPAGED by punches that made him clueless and dumb what the hell hit him.

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  5. promise me that you wont take your life away after the fight "jacob sepulveda"? you dont deserve what the world offer now!!!! look at yourself now!!!!!!!! your delusional!!!!!!go get yourself a psychiatrist before the fight starts!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  6. now jacob sepulveda!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    eat your words little boy!!!!!!!!!!i told you so!!!!!!!!!! your delusional!!!!!!!!!!!go find the fat perez=promoboy!!!!!!!!

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  7. Easy fight for Pacman.

    Talking w/ Cotto's punching speed:
    Cotto is too SLOOOW for Pacman. I expected that Cotto will be slow
    but when i watch the fight. Cotto is much MORE SLOW than i expected.
    Cotto's had come against speedy opponents before and beat them.
    But Pacman is different.
    Pacman has the speed and ACCURACY w/ his punches. not just punches but LOTS of punches.
    If Pacman had the speed and accuracy then he can deliver effectively his firepower.
    Or trade punches.
    "you give me 1 power punch then i trade with 3 power punches"
    then whose the winner?
    it may not be a knockdown but still earning points.
    Win by knockdown or by decision is just the same. Its still a win!

    As everyone says,
    Cotto throws his knockout punch this Sunday
    This punch will expected to land on Tuesday.
    That too slow!
    Coz compare to Pacman, he throws his knockout punch today and it will expected to land on the same day.
    One point in a fight about mid and late rounds Pacman urges Cotto to trade punches.
    Like "Common bring it on" Common lets trade punches!
    as Cotto start moving away from Pacman around the ring. (back bicycle)
    I can read Cotto's face saying:
    No NO NO, Im losing the trade of punches! I can't take it any more! I need to survive till 12 rounds"

    Talking w/ Cotto's power:
    I notice Pacman at one point of a time just dare to take punches from Cotto,
    Pacman is not insane!
    because he knows that he can take those or trade to Cotto's punches.

    Talking about Cotto's chin:
    BEFORE the fight i predict this fight will be winning by decision. No knockdowns.
    As both sides can take strong punches and a had a thin chance of a knockdown.

    DURING the fight I never Expect this and i hate to say, but Cotto's has been knocked down by Manny!
    A legitimate knockdown (not a slip!) that make Cotto's hit his gloves in the canvass.
    Where's the durable chin now?

    During Cotto's knockdown:
    I can see at Cotto's face saying,
    "this is not a joke! He's got the EFFECTIVE combination and SPEEED to deliver his firepower,
    Manny is too slippery for me. I CAN't hit him with better shots. How can i deliver my own firepower?"
    The last question is the Big question fo Cotto!

    Talking w/ Cotto's jabs:
    I found Cotto's jabs more strong, efficient and stingy. but it's not that effective against a moving
    target like Pacman. It would hit Manny, and yes it stunned Pacman, several times during the fight.
    but jabs cannot knockdown a boxer like Pacman. Be REAL!
    Cotto's needs not just jabs and combinations to deliver his power
    but jab and GOOD EFFECTIVE combination.
    This is a trainers job..

    Cotto's Trainer:
    Manny has a good trainer than Cotto.
    Roach has more experience in teaching Manny what is the most EFFECTIVE combination.
    Like selecting the right weapon in the fight. Cotto's trainer doesnt have.
    Somebody still dont know that boxing is also a mind game and teamwork.
    Chances of winning starts at the training camp and finishes in the ring! its a team effort.

    Manny training camp has the right people to unleash his strenght against his opponents.
    Cotto had two trainers. you may 2, 5, 10 trainers. but are they the right ones?
    Experience had serve at it's BEST!

    PACMAN has:
    SPEED - Before The fight Cotto still underestimate this advantages of Pacman.
    Cotto believes that he beat speedy opponents before.

    But he forget to consider that together with speed theres something else after the word:

    SPEED w/ ACCURACY

    SPEED w/ STAMINA to SUSTAIN

    SPEED w/ ADJUSTMENT (type of opponent)

    SPEED w/ POWER

    and it KILLS!
    you may had the firepower but sluggishnes and imprecise where to hit your target is not effective boxing.
    you can take and TOLERATE those accurate and power punches
    You can stand on power punches.
    you have a durable chin for power punches.
    but this is not the way of winning a round in boxing.
    Others may say that its also effective in tiring your opponents.
    BUT PACMAN is a promising 12 rounder boxer!

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  8. Everyone always questioning the power of Pacman.

    As the fight ends you can see it on Cotto's bloody face.
    more convincing when he knock the big COTTO.

    much embarrassing for COTTO's fans

    Cotto's had the power. yes he had it.
    But he doesn't know how to land it on Pacmans face!

    This was speed all about. Now i hope you all understand..

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  9. I just want to say this....
    I FUCKEN TOLD YOU SO, SEPULVEDA!!!!

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  10. To Manuel Perez, & SEPULVEDA!!!

    why are you so mad with pacquiao?? you mexican?
    i think you are!!!!!!

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  11. What has been said against OUR HERO, MANNY PACQUIAO,were all lies. I agree with all those guys who commented in favor with POUND for POUND 'the one and only' BOXER and the KING of the RINGS, MANNY PACMAN, is really the BEST FIGHTER EVER...

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  12. You SEPULVEDA, start pulling up your hair..swallow your pride... you don't have anything to say but SHIT. Eat't men. I'm wondering if you still have tail to show up? doncha?

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