Pacquiao a Relentless Dynamo

November 16, 2008 · Posted in Philippine Sports

According to famous journalist Nick Giongco, Oscar De La Hoya just can’t seem to get over the can’t-pull-the-trigger remark made by former trainer Freddie Roach.

“If he (Roach) thinks he knows me, he’s got another thing coming. Say that I am over the hill, come Dec. 6th, we’ll see what happens,” De La Hoya said in a segment of the HBO special feature on the De La Hoya-Manny Pacquiao welterweight war at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

De La Hoya was reacting to a statement made by Roach that after spending eight weeks with the Golden Boy last year in preparation for a bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Roach is aware not only the strong points but also the weaknesses of the 35-year-old Los Angeles native.

“I truly feel that he can’t pull the trigger,” said Roach, who predicted that the 29-year-old Pacquiao will win by knockout within nine rounds.
Told about Roach’s forecast, De La Hoya, deep in training in the mountains of Big Bear, California, said he will close out the show in five rounds and leave Pacquiao in a pile of mess.

Still, De La Hoya declines to engage in trash-talk with his one-time corner man, who he describes, a very nice guy although Roach himself feels the impression of animosity between the two is mutual.

Meanwhile, after a lackluster sparring session last Thursday, Pacquiao was back into his old fiery self at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.

“Speaking of Pacquiao, the Filipino fireball is back into his usual training form,” reported noted orthodontist Ed dela Vega, who customizes Pacquiao’s mouthpiece. “Unlike early this week when he was a bit off during sparring, today (Saturday in the US), Pacquiao was a tireless dynamo… Pacquiao sparred a total of 10 rounds with his three regular sparring partners.”

This week, Pacquiao will go 12 full rounds in one sparring day but is expected to slow down going into the Thanksgiving holiday.
Pacquiao will leave for Las Vegas on Dec. 1 on board a 30-seater decorated bus, according to Top Rank big boss Bob Arum.