Margarito is a 'flawed' fighter — Roach -- Manila Bulletin

Manila Bulletin

LOS ANGELES — Freddie Roach has a recurring image of what will happen come fight night next week in Dallas when Manny Pacquiao meets the predictable Antonio Margarito.

Moments after presiding over Pacquiao’s seven-round sparring session Thursday at the Wild Card Boxing Club, Roach told a handful of reporters that all bases have been covered, coming short of saying all it takes for Pacquiao to win is show up at Cowboys Stadium.

“Margarito is going to be aggressive and come after us and try to get our respect and he’s going to walk into Manny’s power and he’s going to feel it and it’s going to change the course of the fight,” said Roach.

The moment Margarito tastes the fury of Pacquiao’s punches, Roach said the Mexican will begin to have second thoughts of coming forward.

“I don’t think he will be that aggressive (after being hit by Pacquiao). He is notoriously a slow starter they say, but I expect him to come out quick and try to get Pacquiao’s respect right away and he might run into one and don’t be surprised if this fight ends early.”

Roach said that Margarito remains a flawed fighter despite claims by his new training team that he has corrected some bad habits.

“I want Manny to show this guy that we mean business and get him off-balance because this guy’s footwork is terrible and it’ll show in the fight and we’re going to take full advantage of it.“

Roach even mocked Margarito, who “crosses his feet when he walks around the ring and doesn’t have the traditional footwork of a boxer.“

Pacquiao knows the gameplan by heart and that Margarito will get hit when he “gets off-balance,” said Roach.

Although Roach admits that Margarito is a “decent body-puncher, (Margarito) telegraphs his punches and Manny will work on the counter shot when he is wide-open.”

Roach guarantees that Pacquiao will have no problem disposing of Margarito.

“We will beat him to the punch every time because he is very easily read,” added Roach, who will be assisted in the corner work by training assistants Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri and conditioning coach Alex Ariza.

Source: mb.com.ph