Roach tiwala kay Pacquiao na mapapabagsak si Mosley

MANILA, Philippines - Inaasahan ni trainer Freddie Roach na si Filipino world eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao ang kauna-unahang boksi­nge­rong magpapabagsak kay three-division titlist Sugar Shane Mosley.

“I knew that Shane is a very durable fighter and that he’s never been stopped before in his life,” sabi kahapon ni Roach. “But I’m really urging and en­couraging Manny to fight at even faster pace and push this guy. That’s be­cause I want Manny to make a statement.”

Nakabalik na ang four-time Trainer of the Year sa kanyang Wild Card Boxing Club sa Hollywood, California para ipagpatuloy ang pagsasanay ng 32-anyos na si Pacquiao.

Nakatakdang ipagtang­gol ni Pacquiao, may 52-3-2 win-loss-draw ring re­cord kasama ang 38 KOs, ang kanyang suot na World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title kontra kay Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs) sa Mayo 7 sa MGM Grand sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sa kanyang pagbabalik sa Wild Card, nakita ni Roach na nasa 151 pounds na si Pacquiao.

“We opened the gym weighing at about 146, so we get a little weight on him for the bigger sparring partners,” wika ni Roach kay Pacquiao. “He’s doing quite well. So Manny’s right on track, and he’s in great shape.”

Samantala binigyan naman ng isang dating world heavyweight champion si Pacquiao na mag-ingat sa kan­yang laban kay Mosley.

Sa isang panayam, si­nabi ni James “Buster” Doug­las, pinabagsak si Mike Tyson sa 10th-round noong 1990, na sa kabila ng pagiging 39-anyos ni Mosley ay taglay pa rin nito ang bilis at lakas laban sa 32-anyos na si Pacquiao.   

“Mosley is a crafty vete­ran and he is going to come to fight and I look for that to be an exciting fight. I think it’s going to go deep into the rounds, too,” sabi ng 51-anyos na si Douglas kay Mosley.

Tinalo ni Douglas si Ty­son via tenth-round KO para sa World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA) at International Boxing Fede­ration (IBF) heavyweight crowns noong Pebrero 11, 1990 sa Tokyo, Japan.

Nauna nang sinabi ni Naazim Richardson, trainer ni Mosley, na si Mosley ang magiging Douglas at si Tyson si Pacquiao sa ka­nilang laban sa Mayo 7 sa MGM Grand sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

Nakikita naman ni Doug­las (38-6-1, 25 KOs) na matatapos ang Pac­quiao-Mosley sa pamamagitan ng knockout.