Manny hurting Freddie with stronger punches

FILE: Manny Pacquiao works the mitts with trainer Freddie Roach inside the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California on Saturday afternoon. PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA

HOLLYWOOD—The pounding he’s been getting from Manny Pacquiao is taking its toll on Freddie Roach’s frail body.

The seven-time trainer of the year’s left shoulder is aching all over, and so is his elbow, after four rounds of doing the mitts with Pacquiao on Monday afternoon at his Wild Card Gym here.

Despite the throbbing pain emanating from his battered, reddish palms, Roach isn’t complaining.

Fact is, the more intense the pain Pacquiao inflicts on him, the happier he gets.

“His punches are more powerful than before,” said Roach, who is confident Pacquiao will shine again.

“The better he performs, the bigger his chances of fighting bigger names next year.”

It means they are getting closer to their wish of ending Pacquiao’s seven-year knockout drought.

Pacquiao is gunning for Jessie Vargas’ World Boxing Organization welterweight crown on Nov. 5 and Roach is optimistic that his prized ward would finally tally KO No. 39.