MANILA, Philippines – Sa loob ng limang taon ay hinihiling ng mga boxing fans sa buong mundo ang pagtatakda ng laban nina Manny Pacquiao at Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Kaya naman nang pormal na ihayag ang Pacquiao-Mayweather super fight sa Mayo 2 ay may pressure na dadalhin ang American fighter.
Sinabi ni chief trainer Freddie Roach na ang nararamdamang pressure ni Mayweather ay kaugnay sa hangarin nitong mapanatiling malinis ang kanyang 47-0-0 win-loss-draw ring records, kasama rito ang 26 knockouts.
“So yes, we do feel more pressure than usual. But I think the real pressure is on Floyd,” wika ni Roach sa panayam ng USA Today. “That “0” means more to him than anything. It’s his identity. And the further along he goes with each fight, the heavier the pressure is on him.”
Ayon pa sa 55-anyos na Hall of Fame trainer, habang lumalapit ang mga araw ay lalong kinakabahan ang 38-anyos na si Mayweather sa kanilang upakan ng 36-anyos na si Pacquiao.
“It’s not unlike pitching a no-hitter. It’s a breeze the first few innings, but in the late innings? You have to really bear down and you aren’t as fresh and comfortable as you were earlier. Things creep into your mind,” ani Roach.
Kasalukuyang nasa Macau, China si Roach para giyahan si Chinese two-time Olympic gold medalist at challenger Zou Shiming para sa paghahamon nito kay IBF ‘World’ flyweight king Amnat Ruenrong ng Thailand.
Matapos ang naturang title fight ng Chinese superstar ay kaagad na magtutungo si Roach sa Wild Card Boxing Club sa Hollywood, California para tutukan ang pagsasanay ni Pacquiao.
Nasa maigting na paghahanda ngayon si Pacquiao kasama sina Filipino assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez at strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune. (RC)