‘Only KO could end rivalry’

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach may be thinking out of the box as he maps out Manny Pacquiao’s battleplan against Juan Manuel Marquez on Dec. 8 in Las Vegas.

The five-time Trainer of the Year has been in Pacquiao’s corner in each of the Filipino’s three previous fights against the great Mexican counter-puncher.

While Pacquiao enjoys the upperhand with two wins and a draw, including four knockdowns to his favor, it may only appear as good or as one-sided on paper.

The fact is inside the ring, in each of the 36 rounds they’ve gone through, it’s been much closer and tougher. To this day, Marquez is convinced he won all three fights.

Roach wants a definitive end to one of boxing’s great rivalry, and only a knockout will provide the answer.

To do that, they have to do something they’ve never done before, perhaps a change of tactic.

“Throw everything out the window and just fight this guy,” Roach told The Examiner the other day in Las Vegas.

Roach was away in Sin City, manning the corner of junior middleweight Vanes Martirosyan against Erislandy Lara, when Pacquiao sparred nine rounds at the Wild Card Gym.

Pacquiao trained in Los Angeles while Roach was out a couple of days. Still, the trainer who’s been a little bit out of luck lately felt on top of the situation.

Since 2010, Roach has gone 0-4-1 on top of the ring, with two losses by Amir Khan and one each for Pacquiao and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and this draw for Martirosyan.

That’s not in his mind right now.

“He’s (Pacquiao) doing great,” Roach told The Examiner after Martirosyan fought Lara to a bloody nine-round technical draw.

“I’ve got great sparring so far. He (Pacquiao) boxed nine rounds today and he did exactly what I wanted him to do; they sent me the tape and it went well.”

Well, that’s something out of the box.