MANILA, Philippines—Freddie Roach sees his prized ward Manny Pacquiao knocking out his taller Mexican foe Antonio Margarito in less than eight rounds when they collide on Nov. 13 at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“Size will be a problem, but I have no worries,” Roach said Tuesday at the PSA Forum yesterday at the Shakey’s UN Avenue in Manila.
“It will be inside seven to eight rounds,” the multi-awarded trainer responded when asked of his prediction in the duel that will be fought at a catch weight of 150 pounds.
Roach believes the fight against Margarito, known for his gung-ho style, will fall into the hands of Pacquiao, despite the Sarangani congressman’s five-inch handicap in height.
“We expect him to come forward and we need to make adjustments,” said Roach, pointing out that the fight plan for the Margarito duel will be a combination of what Pacquiao used in the knockout wins over Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto.
“The conditioning part is the same, but we’ll change our strategy (from the Clottey fight),” Roach continued. “We’ll use more lateral movements, find our angles because Margarito is slow.”
Roach said Pacquiao will be ready for Margarito’s shrewd tactics.
“It’s a fact,” Roach responded when asked if Margarito fights dirty. “We’ll try to find a way to keep Manny away from the elbows and head butts.”
Roach graced the forum supported by Accel, Outlast Battery and Pagcor with American fighter Glen Tapia and
Mexican boxer Michael Medina, who have been tapped as sparring partners for the seven-division champion.
The 20-year-old Tapia, who hails from New Jersey, is a 5-foot-10 light middleweight unbeaten in seven fights, while
Medina (24-2-2) has split his last two fights, including a loss to John Duddy in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey clash last March.
Two more sparring partners—Armenian Vanes Martirosyan and Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.—are arriving next week to join the Pacquiao training camp in Baguio City.
By the time of the fight, Roach said Pacquiao should have logged 150 rounds of sparring.
“His speed is not there yet. Manny is just 50 percent ready, but we still have seven and a half weeks to get him ready,” said Roach, who, along with the rest of Team Pacquiao, will leave Baguio tomorrow night after a session in Congress.
Roach also bared that Miguel Diaz will be Pacquiao’s cutman for the Margarito bout.
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