Roach: Manny will stop Bradley in 9

MANILA, Philippines – Freddie Roach has predicted that Manny Pacquiao will knock Timothy Bradley out in their third meeting on April 9 (April 10 in Manila).

In a report by boxingscene.com’s Victor Salazar, Roach insisted that Pacquiao will always be a better fighter than Bradley.

At the same time, Roach downplayed Bradley’s supposed resurgence under new trainer Teddy Atlas.

“It does change a little bit with a new trainer in camp. I got the better fighter, so I’m not worried about it. Manny isn’t a hard guy to get up for fights. He knows he has to be at his best to win this fight. Once he’s in the gym, he gives me 100 percent,” the bespectacled trainer said.

Bradley and Pacquiao split their first two fights, with the former narrowly winning in 2012 and the latter getting even two years later.

On both occasions, Pacquiao hurt Bradley but failed to take him out for good.

This time though, Roach said Pacquiao will finally end his six-year knockout drought, stressing that his ward wants to impress in his final fight.

“Manny wants to go out with a bang and knock Tim out so I predict a knockout in nine,” said Roach.

Pacquiao earlier said he has fully recovered from a shoulder injury he sustained last year while training for Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Roach, for his part, confirmed that Pacquiao is in good form heading to their training camp here in the Philippines next month.

“He (Pacquiao)’s 100 percent. The doctor gave him the green light. He’s 100 percent ready to start. I have a title fight in Montreal and we’ll go to the Philippines on Feb. 2 (to start training camp),” Roach added.