By Miguel Rivera & Rene Umanzor
According to trainer Freddie Roach, he advised eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao to return in September, and says the Filipino star agreed with him. Pacquiao suffered a devastating one-punch knockout at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez in the sixth round of their fourth match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao was penciled in to return on April 20th against Brandon Rios. Because of the way he was knocked out, an April return has been ruled out and Roach was very vocal about having Pacquiao stay away from the ring until at least September.
"[April] is too soon after [a knockout like that]. We spoke about [his next fight]. I told him that I think he should come back around September and he agreed with me," Roach was quoted by 710 radio.
Top Rank wants to stage a fifth fight between Pacquiao and Marquez. The month of September, possibly at Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas, has been mentioned by Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum.
