Freddie Roach: Pacquiao to win by knockout vs Bradley

MANILA – “I want Manny to win by a knockout and that’s what we will be preparing for. How to win by KO.”
Thus said award-winning American trainer Freddie Roach of his ward, the world boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, as they gird for a serious training in Baguio City by April 16 for his fight against undefeated American Timothy Bradley on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Roach told journalists Nick Giongco and Eddie Alinea that he believes that Pacquiao has not lost his ability to score knockouts despite his failure to knock down Mexico’s Antonio Margarito, American Shane Mosley and Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez in his last three fights which he nevertheless won.

Don’t be misled and watch out for the return of Pacquiao of old: mean, merciless and menacing, it was stressed. 
Roach said that he swears that Pacquiao took pity on Margarito and  Mosley, preventing the Filipino pound-for-pound king from knocking them down like Oscar De la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.
This developed as Marquez has come out in the open challenging Pacquiao in another match to settle once and for all who is better – Pacquiao or Marquez. In case this happens, it will be their fourth brawl, their three outings being close fights.
Roach is now in Baguio City to set up the first phase of the Pacquiao’s training camp in that city.
Pacquiao earlier said that the fight against Bradley was not a preparation for a possible fight against American Floyd Mayweather Jr. as his handlers declared that the dream fight maybe out of the loop anymore.
Pacquiao also is training his sight on retirement after the Bradley fight and possibly one more fight. The Filipino hero is also preparing to shift from congressman to governor of Sarangani province in the 2013 elections.
Pacquiao has started warming up through roadwork in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna and in General Santos City where he has houses.
It was gathered that the Pacquiaos may move to their P500-million mansion in Forbes Park in Makati City after his fight against Bradley.
The fighting congressman said he will be ready against Bradley, who has a 28-0 scorecard, even as Bradley promised a tough fight, adding that he now knows the Filipino champion in and out.
Roach said that Pacquiao has assured he will definitely be in Baguio for his training on Sunday, April 15. 
“He told me he’s been running daily for the past two weeks in his efforts to remove excess baggage in his body and he will continue doing so in General Santos this week,”  Roach told sports journalist Eddie G. Alinea.
“I told him to just go on doing what he will be comfortable with. It’s still early anyway and we have plenty of time to prepare. The schedule is to start really on April 16 so we’re on time,” Roach said.
“But when we start, I also told him it will be hard work … hard work … and hard work,” he stressed. 
“We’ve learned our lesson in our last fight and we will not be that too complacent this time around,” Roach said referring to the Filipino icon’s unimpressive majority decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez last May in Las Vegas. 
Pacquiao is putting his 140-pound title on the block against  Bradley.
Roach, Amir Khan, the former World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation junior-welterweight kingpin, are already in Baguio City for Pacquiao’s training.
Roach told Eddie Alinea in an earlier interview that he was wary about Bradley’s toughness, cleverness and his penchant for using his elbows and heads, adding they will be preparing for that. 
“ Yes, we’ll be ready for him. For whatever he’s capable of doing and that’s what we’ll be concentrating on,” he vowed. 
“I want Manny to win by a knockout and that’s what we will be preparing for. How to win by KO,” he said. 
Roach disclosed he has a trio of young sparring partners resembling Bradley’s style and he will be bringing one of them, Russian Rusian Provodnikov, to Baguio as Pacquiao’s initial mates with the two others joining the team in Los Angeles. 
Provodnikov, who owns an impressive 21-0 record with 14 knockouts, is to arrive in Manila April 24 from his hometown in Beryozovo in extremely cold Siberia. 
Asked if Pacquiao’s turning to be a preacher might lessen his killer’s instinct, Roach retorted: “I don’t think so. 
Manny is a pro and he knows how to deal with his being a preacher and a boxer. Besides, he’s with God, so what’s there to fear for.” 
The trainer said he doesn’t see any problem getting Pacquiao into shape notwithstanding the four months of inactivity since his last fight. 
“Manny, I’m sure, will be hungry to train, so his long inactivity won’t pose as a problem,” he said. 
He added he also sees very minor distractions unlike those in the previous training camp. 
“That four-month outside of the ring is a blessing in disguise because he had a good rest.” 
“Well, now that he is a self-proclaimed changed man, I see no more of the distractions that mark our previous preparations,” he said. 
“Except basketball, of course, because outside of boxing, that’s his world.”