Roach guarantees Pacquiao win

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach wants to see a knockout when Manny Pacquiao, who hasn’t score one since 2009, stakes his WBO welterweight crown against Australia’s Jeff Horn on July 2.

“Manny hasn’t had a knockout for quite a while and I think we’re due for one,” Roach told Brisbane tabloid newspaper The Courier-Mail way ahead of the fight.

Pacquiao, at 38 trying to stretch his years inside the ring, has not scored a knockout since he forced Miguel Cotto into submission on Nov. 14, 2009 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

His next fight will take place at the massive Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. It will be Pacquiao’s first fight in 2017, and kicks off what’s being labeled as his farewell tour.

As many as 55,000 fans are expected to witness the biggest fight in Australian boxing history. 

“I want Horn to be extra ready for this. In Manny’s last fight (over American Jessie Vargas last November) I saw a lot of the old Manny in the way he hurt his opponent and went after him,” said Roach

“Upsets are part of life. That’s very true but this is a world title fight and we will not be leaving Australia without that belt, believe me,” he added.

Horn, a 29-year-old London Olympian and undefeated in 16 fights as a pro, is far less experienced when compared to Pacquiao, who has a ring record of 59-6-2 with 38 knockouts.

Pacquiao is the only boxer to win world titles in eight different weight classes. But at his age, and his tedious job as a senator, he can’t take anything for granted, including the relatively unknown Horn.

“Manny knows that Horn can punch hard. If you take any opponent lightly you’re asking for trouble,” said Roach, who plans to train Pacquiao in Manila for six weeks then a couple more in Brisbane.

A knockout win for Pacquiao, according to Roach, will delight fight fans around the world.

“I’m anxious for him to score a knockout and move on to bigger and better things. Jeff Horn had better be ready because we’re coming for him. Manny loves to entertain and he loves to show people he’s the best fighter in the world,” said Roach.

Horn has not tasted defeat as a professional. He has 11 knockouts to his credit but came on the verge of being knocked out himself against aging American Randall Bailey in April last year.

Bailey, who was 41 at the time of the fight that took place in Brisbane, was knocked down in the second round but landed an overhand right in the third that wobbled and nearly floored the native fighter.

Filipino referee Danrex Tapdasan credited the knockdown to Bailey, who eventually gave up the fight after seven rounds, and allowed Horn to keep his WBO Oriental and IBF Inter-Continental welterweight titles.