LOS ANGELES--Mula sa nauna niyang prediksyon na hanggang six rounds lamang si Juan Manuel Marquez, gusto naman ngayon ni trainer Freddie Roach na tapusin ni Manny Pacquiaoi ang laban sa first round.
“We already talked about it,” sabi ni Roach matapos ang isang two-hour workout nila ni Pacquiao sa Wild Card Gym.
“And I told him, ‘You know what, if you hurt him (Juan Manuel Marquez) in the first round, don’t, don’t, don’t let up on him,’” wika ni Roach.
Sinabi pa ni Roach na nagawa na ito ni Pacquiao nang tatlong beses pabagsakin si Marquez sa first round sa kanilang unang laban noong 2004 at isang beses sa kanilang rematch noong 2008.
Ngumiti lamang si Pacquiao nang banggitin ni Roach ang gusto niyang makita.
“It’s not going to be like the last two fights (with Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley) where he gets too compassionate,” ani Roach.
Nawala ang bilib ng mga boxing fans kay Pacquiao nang mabigong mapabagsak sina Margarito at Mosley sa nakaraan niyang dalawang laban.
“Don’t take it easy on him,” paalala ni Roach kay Pacquiao. “I think he’ll finish this one.”
Naniniwala si Marquez na siya ang tunay na nanalo sa kanilang dalawang pagtatagpo ni Pacquiao at nagsuot pa ng t-shirt sa kanyang pagbisita sa Pilipinas na may nmakasulat na “I beat Pacquiao twice!”
“I’ve never seen Manny as motivated for a fight. The whole camp he had that extra fire in him. And yet he would just smile at me,” sabi ni Roach.
“He’s the most motivated as I’ve ever seen. He really wants this one. That’s why he’s pushing himself a little harder. I’ve never seen him like this,” dagdag pa nito.