LOS ANGELES – Timothy Bradley talking about him knocking Manny Pacquiao out with his left hook doesn’t scare Freddie Roach one bit.
“He can’t punch with either hand so I’m not worried about it. He can kick me if he wants to,†said Roach after another hectic day at his Wild Card Gym here.
Bradley made the comment the other day when he hosted a media workout at the nearby Fortune Gym, and it drew a cynical reaction from Pacquiao.
“Kawawa (Pitiful),†said Pacquiao.
Roach didn’t care less either when Bradley said it’s the left hook that will get the job done and enable him to keep his WBO welterweight crown.
“For Bradley to say that it surprises me because I thought he was a good guy and a gentleman like Manny is. He’s just trying to talk himself into the fight,†Roach said.
The American trainer was also told of Bradley’s sparring regimen that requires the latter to do 10-minute rounds with three different partners – non-stop.
Again, it wasn’t a surprise to Roach because he said Bradley isn’t the only guy doing it.
“I think (Floyd) Mayweather does that also,†said Roach.
“(Adrien) Broner goes like half hour straight with no rest. Strange, yeah. It might be good for conditioning but I really don’t care what Bradley is doing,†he added.
Then there’s a couple more things that Bradley does that doesn’t impress Roach, and it includes a vegan diet and muscles enhancement.
If you look at Bradley you’d think that he’s a Mr. Universe contestant.
“The vegan diet makes him weak. And I think the training stuff he does with the weights that makes him muscular slows him down. Then he boxes 10-minute rounds,†said Roach.
In contrast, the future Hall-of-Fame trainer said he’s happy with where Pacquiao is right now.
“Manny is ready and fired up. I like what I see,†said Roach.
Pacquiao sparred six rounds the other day and went 12 rounds with the mitts Friday. It was a closed-door session.
Even members of Manila’s print media weren’t allowed inside the gym. Miguel Cotto was also in the gym to train and had requested for more privacy.
But when everyone had left, Roach let the media in for an interview.
Roach said the last two days were the best in the training camp, and that Pacquiao is now on the final stage. It will include as many as six rounds of sparring Saturday and four on Monday.
“He’s full of energy and I’m very happy where he’s at right now. Last week I was a little worried that he had a sinus infection but now he’s ready to go,†he said.
Roach said if the fight ends in a knockout Pacquiao will be the one standing on his feet.
Pacquiao wants a knockout even if he wouldn’t say it publicly.
Only when there’s a lull in training that Roach hears Pacquiao say so.
“It’s when we’re in a corner and no one could hear us. That’s when he tells me what he’s going to do. I didn’t ask him. He told me.
“And I haven’t heard that from Manny for a long time.
He didn’t promise me but he tells me that when he (Bradley) opens up he’ll finish him,†Roach added.
Pacquiao will go for the knockout – with either hand.