MANILA, Philippines – With just a few days left before Manny Pacquiao’s rematch with Timothy Bradley, trainer Freddie Roach has his ward right where he wants him to be, conditioning-wise.
Roach believes they got all bases covered to score a victory over Bradley this Sunday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Everything is looking good for the Filipino icon, except for a few distractions.
Those distractions, according to Roach, come in the form of religious pastors who have began surrounding Pacquiao.
In an interview with Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, Roach said the pastors have been standing in the way of Pacquiao’s resting time.
His message to the individuals is clear: Let Pacquiao rest for now.
“I think the biggest problem right now is these pastors keep coming around at odd hours to have him (Pacquiao) pray. When he is sleeping, you have to leave him alone. I do,†Roach told Mannix.
“When he is sleeping, you have to leave him alone. I wait hours for the guy if he is sleeping. If he is sleeping, he must need it,†he added.
It’s no secret that Pacquiao has been a religious man from the beginning, but he has since reinforced his dedication to his faith by frequently hosting Bible studies and associating himself with a slew of pastors.
While Roach initially saw no problem with it, the trainer is bothered that the preachers are depriving his ward of some much-needed rest, especially now that the fight is just a few days away.
“I'm not happy with those guys so much, but that is his choice. I'm not going to go babysit,†Roach continued.