Pacquiao triumph for the ages

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS—Freddie Roach may have been unimpressed with Antonio Margarito’s skills, but the four-time Trainer of the Year praised the heart of the Mexican three-time champion. “We have a great fight tonight,” said Roach. “Pacquiao put up a great performance and Margarito showed a lot of heart. He was very resillient.”

He noted that Margarito continued to fight even though he was clearly being outclassed by Pacquiao.
Roach had always insisted that Margarito would be an easy foe for his prized ward. The boxing Hall-of-Famer predicted that Margarito wouldn’t go past eight rounds, even saying that the fight could end right in the first round. Margarito proved Roach wrong. Roach also hinted that Margarito might have survived because Pacquiao was “very compassionate.” Pacquiao, his right hand swollen from the heavy pounding, was touched when he saw the Mexican’s eyes nearly shut and blood dripped from his cuts. But Roach said Pacquiao delivered a masterful performance for the ages. He was so impressed by Pacquiao’s performance that he said the ring superstar could beat any other fighter of his era. He declined to compare Pacquiao to the sport’s greatest heroes, though. “It’s hard to compare fighters who never met each other,” said Roach. Photo by Associated Press