Counterpuncher din si Dela Hoya - Roach

Si Mexican chief trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain ang siyang humubog sa magkapatid na Juan Manuel at Rafael Marquez bilang mga bigating counterpunchers.

Sinabi ni American trainer Freddie Roach na inaasahan niyang magiging isang counterpuncher rin ang 35-anyos na si Dela Hoya sa kanilang non-title welterweight fight ng 29-anyos na si Manny Pacquiao sa Disyembre 6 sa MGM Grand Arena sa Las Vegas, Nevada. 

“I think Oscar is going to come out and try to outbox us. With Nacho Beristain in his corner, I think he’ll try to be a counterpuncher like Juan Manuel Marquez,” ani Roach kay Dela Hoya. “He’ll try that but when that stops working he’ll be lost.”

Si Beristain ang naging cornerman ni Juan Manuel nang mauwi sa draw ang kanyang laban kay Pacquiao kanilang featherweight fight noong Mayo ng 2004 at nang mahubaran ni “Pacman” ng World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight crown noong Marso 15 nitong taon.  Kinuha ni Dela Hoya si Beristain, iginiya sa world boxing titles sina Mexican fighters Ricardo Lopez, Daniel Zaragoza at Humberto Gonzalez, bilang trainer nang lumipat si Roger Mayweather, Sr. kay world light welterweight Ricky Hatton ng Great Britain. 

“The thing is, Oscar has his good and bad days. He isn’t sharp everyday. Pacquiao is sharp everyday. He’s consistent,” wika ni Roach. “Oscar struggled to work through it at times because of his age. Thing is, when we get older, we get slower. It’s a natural fact and he can’t do anything about it.” 

Sinabi ni Roach na hindi tatagal si Dela Hoya kay Pacquiao sa loob ng nine rounds.

Nauna nang ipinangako ni Beristain na muling bababa si Pacquiao, ang kasalukuyang WBC lightweight champion, sa 135-pound limit matapos siyang gulpihin ni Dela Hoya sa welterweight division.     

“After what will happen on December 6, Manny Pacquiao will be more than willing to move down to 135 or 130 because he is going to get a tremendous beating,” ani Beristain. (Russell Cadayona)