Freddie Roach has been on fine form ahead of his fighter Manny Pacquiao's November 13th showdown with Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBC light middleweight title, and predicted that his charge would finish the much taller Mexican within 8 rounds.
Given the size difference between the 5,6 Pacquiao and the 5,11 Margarito, that's an ambitious prediction to make, especially given Margarito's well earned reputation for absorbing punishment. Not to mention that Margarito will be trying to come in as big as he possibly can on top of that, and could well be stepping into the ring somewhere closer to super middleweight rather than junior middleweight if he cuts weight the right way.
Roach's prediction was made sitting face to face with Margarito and his trainer Robert Garcia, during HBO's face off with Max Kellermen, and seemed to get under Margarito's skin, who replied with:
"What does he see he crippled or something?"
Roach without missing a beat simply replied: "I saw your last two fights"
To which there was really nothing Margarito could say in return. His last fight was a somewhat lackluster decision against the clearly over-matched Roberto Garcia, and before this he was famously battered over nine rounds by Shane Mosley, being stopped for the first time in his career.
Margarito's trainer Robert Garcia, speaking to John Martinez of BoxScoreNews, predictably differed in his prediction for the fight, instead opting for an 11th round stoppage in Margarito's favor. He also added:
"This isn't going to just be a win for Margarito, this is going to be a f**king beatdown we put on him. A bigtime beating is what we got for Manny Pacquiao."
Which seems to differ from Garcia's talk of trying to outbox Pacquiao only a few months ago. So what kind of approach Margarito will be taking will have to remain to be seen for the time being, but most picking him to win have done so expecting to see the Margarito of old rather than him keeping Pacquiao on the end of his jab.
Some of Roach's predictions are undoubtedly made in order to rile up his fighter's opponent, which works more often that you might expect. This time though, the bookmakers are agreeing with him, and most odds sites have Pacquiao winning by knockout as the most likely outcome.
Margarito wasn't the only one on the receiving end of Freddie Roach's wit this week though, he also had some choice words for his stable's increasingly beleaguered rival Floyd Mayweather.
Speaking to DaTruthBoxing prior to his trip to the Philippines to train Manny Pacquiao, Roach was asked about what has probably become a familiar topic over the last couple of years, his star pupil fighting Floyd Mayweather. His response was:
"Mayweather's busy beating up girls"
When asked about the possibility of a fight occurring in the future, Roach said:
"Who knows with him, he's so sporadic, he's here, he's there, he's negotiating, he's not negotiating"
A response from Floyd himself is probably not on the cards on this occasion due to his current legal predicament, but should Floyd Sr get wind of Roach's remarks, an at least amusing response will undoubtedly be forthcoming.
Jim Pallis, Pittsburgh: "Can't wait to hear Pappa Mayweather's repsonse to Roach"
Earnie Fleishmann, Philly: "Roach can run circles around most trainers, even when he's just trying to annoy his guy's opponent"
Source: Examiner.com
