Pacquiao's training won't be a breeze, says Roach

Entering his training camp already sharp and fit doesn’t mean Manny Pacquiao’s November 14 title fight against Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico is going to be a breeze.

It won’t, according to trainer Freddie Roach.

“It’s going to be a tough fight for us," said Roach as he supervised Pacquiao’s training at the Shape Up boxing gym in Baguio City for the second straight day.

“He (Cotto) is a very strong fighter and puncher. We have to pay attention to that. That is my biggest worry."

Roach was amazed at Pacquiao’s condition when he finally got a hand training the Filipino ring icon Tuesday when he arrived in the summer hideaway 1,500 meters above sea level, along with conditioning coach Alex Ariza.

The 30-year old Pacquiao has won his last three fights in impressive fashion including compelling the great Oscar De La Hoya to retirement and sending former junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton into dreamland behind a devastating second round knockout middle of this year.

But excellent fighters De La Hoya and Hatton are, Roach stressed Cotto is a different kind of warrior.

“The thing is, he’s big, he’s strong and he’s young," said the 49-year old bespectacled trainer. “He’s a smart fighter."

Cotto is only 28-years old and has only lost once in his 35 fights (including 27 KOs), a stretch that included a unanimous decision against Sugar Shane Mosley and a technical knockout of Zab Juddah.

But the Puerto Rican has not been the same since losing to Mexican Antonio Margarito (11th round TKO) in a title bout for the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight belt.

Since that July 2008 setback, Cotto had been unimpressive in his fights against Michael Jennings (5th round TKO) and Joshua Clottey (split decision).

Having watched some of Cotto’s fight, Roach sees some weaknesses in his armory.

“He’s not strong to the body," Roach pointed out. “I think we have to break him down in the earlier rounds and work at the body a lot."

Hard as the fight may be, but Roach remains confident the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world today will still run away as the winner. “The way Manny is fighting right now, I think it’s a winnable fight for us." – GMANews.TV

Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/172967/pacquiaos-training-wont-be-a-breeze-says-roach