It’s in the bag, swears Roach

MACAU—Freddie Roach doesn’t see Chris Algieri lasting the distance when he fights Manny Pacquiao on Sunday.

“Manny will overwhelm him,” said Roach, convinced that Pacquiao has become more powerful and faster after their “very good training camp” in General Santos City.

“I know because [he] hits me everyday.”

The improvement came about because of a new formula Roach inserted in Pacquiao’s regimen—he made the Filipino superstar work a lot more with the heavy bags.

“When he does [hit the bag], the whole gym stops,” said Roach, referring to the sound created when Pacquiao bangs the huge bag.

According to Roach, he made the training adjustment to bolster Pacquiao’s power as he hasn’t stop an opponent in the last five years.

“He’s been punishing his opponents, but for one reason or another he can’t finish them off.”

Just to make sure that Pacquiao will be ready for any style Algieri will bring to the ring, Roach said he made two of Pacquiao’s sparring partners concentrate on aggression and the other two on fighting at a distance.

Roach also dismissed Algieri’s cockiness.

“He’s no Rocky,” said Roach, referring to the movie character Rocky Balboa, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, who dethroned the heavily favored Apollo Creed. Roy Luarca