Roach, hinangaan ang hindi pag-atras ni Pacman kahit injured

ni Gerard Arce - @Sports | August 16, 2021

Sa tagal ng panahong hinasa at ine-ensayo ng batikan at legendary Hall of Famer coach at trainer na si Freddie Roach ang 8th division World champion na si Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, ipinagpasalamat nitong hindi pa minsan umatras sa laban at may naipagpalibang laban ang Filipino boxing icon.

Naunsiyami ang laban kay unified IBF/WBC welterweight titlist Errol “Truth” Spence Jr sa Agosto 21 para sa unification title bout dahil sa tinamong injury sa kaliwang mata, aminado ang 61-anyos na dati ring pro boxer na hindi talaga maiiwasan ang injury habang dumaraan sa matinding pagsasanay.

Kaya’t ganoon na lang ang malaking patunay sa magandang kondisyon at kasanayan ni Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39KOs) kahit sa edad nitong 42.

“Training camp injuries are part of the territory in boxing, though you hate to see a severe injury like the one Errol suffered happen,” wika ni Roach. “In the twenty years Manny and I have worked together, he has never had an injury that postponed or cancelled a fight. That is amazing and a testament to Manny’s skills and conditioning. I have had to deal with opponent changes before but never this close to a fight,” dagdag ng Dedham, Massachusetts-born trainer.

Mahigit isang linggo na lang bago makatapat si WBA Super-World 147-pound title holder Yordenis “54 Milagros” Ugas (26-4, 12KOs) ng Cuba sa Nevada, ay ilang sparring sessions na lang ang kailangang tutukan at nag-iingat na hindi masaktan. “It’s a fight, that’s for sure and the fact that Manny had the world title belt he earned by beating Keith Thurman given to Ugas without any warning or due process has given Manny a big incentive to really perform on August 21. I think he’s really pissed at this guy!” paglalahad ni Roach.

Idinagdag ni Roach na napanood na nila ang ilang mga laban nito, “I had Ugas winning his fight with Shawn Porter. Ugas goes for the kill right away. He likes to go for the home run when he throws his punches. He would rather win a fight by knockout than on points. There will be a lot of fireworks in this one.”