After being reunited with his long-time star pupil, Freddie Roach believes Manny Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KO’s) has all of the ingredients to produce a stoppage win when he faces four-weight World champion Adrien Broner (33-3-1, 24 KO’s) on January 19th in Las Vegas.
Roach, who was absent from Pacquiao’s previous fight against Lucas Matthysse – the first time he hadn’t cornered ‘Pac Man’ in over seventeen years – was re-added to the camp recently ahead of his bout with Broner, and the hall of fame trainer told BoxingScene that he is pleased to see the Filipino ring legend has rediscovered his famous killer instinct.
“He [Broner] has a good chin.” said the 58-year-old.
“But the game plan is to break him down, break the body down and he’ll go, sooner or later.”
Of his destructive performance against Matthysse in which he claimed the WBA ‘Regular’ welterweight crown, Roach praised Pacquiao’s mentality as he secured his first stoppage victory in more than eight years via seventh round TKO.
“He’s always had the power and so forth.” claimed Roach.
“It’s just part of it is in his head, where he didn’t have to hurt his opponents. But that went away in the last fight, and I hope that stays away.”
Roach would go on to reveal that Pacquiao, who is mooted for a potential money-spinning rematch with long-term rival Floyd Mayweather later on this year, was pleased with his performance against Matthysse when watching the fight back – and stated that in order to be successful against the controversial Ohioan Broner, he would have to take the same all-action approach into the ring.
“Manny watched his last fight.” Roach said,
“It was the best fight he’s had in a long time, the first knockout he’s had in years. I think of lot of what went on there can be channeled over to this fight. Broner doesn’t throw a lot of punches, but we have to be the busier and better fighter on the night.”