Trainer sees Margarito win in late round

MANILA, Philippines - Antonio Margarito’s chief trainer said he sees Manny Pacquio going down on Nov. 13 in Texas.

The knockout, if it comes based on his prediction, will come late.

“I don’t normally make predictions, but for this fight I believe that Margarito will knock out Manny Pacquiao by the 11th round,” said Robert Garcia from their training headquarters in Oxnard, California.

A former fighter himself, Garcia told www.8countnews.com that they’ve done everything possible in training, and by fight time, the Mexican camp will be rewarded with a victory over the sport’s top draw.

“He’s very ready. We have worked hard and on Nov. 13th, Manny Pacquiao will have his hands full,” he added.

Margarito will certainly have his hands full as well, not with illegal handwraps, but because he’ll be up against the boxer who normally goes beyond the speed limit inside the ring.

But there’ve been questions on how Pacquiao’s training camp had gone for this fight, some serious questions regarding the focus which the 31-year-old congressman has put into this one.

Pacquiao, however, loves proving people wrong, and over the past few days at the Wild Card Gym he’d shown the same old fire in his eyes whenever he trains.

That same old fire should be there as well when he climbs the ring at the Cowboys Stadium, before an expected crowd of 60,000 to 70,000, and shoots for a record eighth world title in eight different weight classes.

Margarito, at six feet, is close to five inches taller than Pacquiao. He also has a reach advantage of seven inches, but not the speed that the Filipino pound-for-pound champion has.

Pacquiao declared himself ready to fight a couple of days ago, and said he has no problem with his weight. Reports said he was at 148 this week, well inside the catchweight of 151 lb.

The fight will be for the vacant WBC super-welterweight division, or junior middleweight as some would call it.

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, wants Pacquiao to weigh in no heavier than 150, and said he wouldn’t mind if Margarito weighs heavier than before.

Roach said Margarito will be down and out inside seven or eight rounds.

A report came out of Oxnard that Margarito looked heavier than he’s supposed to, and one guessed the “Tijuana Tornado” to be around 158 lb. with just two weeks left.

If true, or at least close to be true, then Margarito will definitely have his hands full even before he climbs the ring.