Roach bold forecast: Larios out in six

Manny Pacquiao in six rounds.

This was the bold forecast issued by American trainer Freddie Roach yesterday regarding his ward’s chances against Mexico’s Oscar Larios on July 2 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Pacquiao had barely slept or rested after a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles when he staged a light two-hour workout at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex starting at noon.

"It will end in just six rounds," said Roach inside the hunid Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines gym where past Philippine champions, pro or amateur, have gone training.

Pacquiao was more subtle with his pre-fight forecast.

"Six rounds? That’s too long. I don’t want to make any prediction but I’ll do my best because Larios is a former champ and a worthy opponent," he said in Filipino.

"The match will not go the full distance," reiterated Roach, the celebrated American trainer who also told a small group of mediamen of Pacquiao’s schedule for the days leading to the fight.

Pacquiao, who’ll be staying at the Manila Hotel, will be out of his room at 5 a.m. for a 45-minute jog along Roxas Boulevard or the track oval of the history sports complex.

By 6 a.m., he’ll be doing his abdominal exercises inside his suite. Then rests very briefly before taking breakfast. He goes back to bed and gets up in time for his 11 a.m. call at the gym.

"That’ll be it. We’ll have a full workout tomorrow, then Friday and probably Monday. Then we’ll taper off.

We’ll wrap up training maybe three days before the fight," said Roach.

By that time, Pacquiao would have logged close to a hundred rounds of sparring from the time he started training at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

Normally while training for a fight, Pacquiao does close to a thousand sit-ups a day, split in the morning and afternoon. He does it probably like no other boxer.

"Even Bobby (his younger brother who also boxes), I keep telling him to toughen up his abs," said Pacquiao, now just a pound or two heavier than the 130-lb limit.

"There’s no problem with my weight. I’m sure I’ll be underweight during weigh-in," said the Filipino boxer, adding that he barely slept during the LA-to-Manila plane ride.

Pacquiao arrived in Manila at 4 a.m. with a dozen members of his team. He was whisked by bodyguards to his waiting Dodge Ram 1500 van and was brought straight to Manila Hotel.

He flew in under cover of darkness, accompanied by Roach, assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez, manager Shelly Finkel, lawyer Nick Khan, American enforcer Rob Peters and some friends from LA.

Pacquiao arrived wearing dark shades, his favorite pin-striped shirt, blue jeans and leather shoes. He had his Ipod earphones on, smiling and waving to his fans as he boarded the huge white van.

"I’m a bit tired because of the trip so I only did a light workout ," said Pacquiao, who felt perfectly fine working out at the local gym.

The Filipino boxing icon hardly noticed a change in weather.

"It’s beautiful. It’s nice and hot. Fighters like to sweat it out so it’s no problem. No problem at all," said Roach.

Starting today, Pacquaio will train behind closed doors.