By Edward Chaykovsky
Marvin Somodio, an assistant trainer to Hall-of-Fame coach Freddie Roach, is helping prepare WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao for the upcoming fight with WBC/WBA champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 2nd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
There are often occasions where Somodio has to work the corner as head trainer when Roach has a scheduling conflict with multiple fighters seeing action on the same day. If Pacquiao is in the same shape that he was for last year's six knockdown win over Chris Algieri, Somodio feels the Filipino boxer is capable of scoring a knockout win.
"First of all, Mayweather has problem with southpaws," Somodio told Quinito Henson of The Philippine Star. "He had difficulty with left-handers like Zab Judah and DeMarcus Corley, and they're not even in Manny's class. Mayweather likes to fight with his back against the ropes, and then he'll spin out. He'll throw a left jab or a right lead and then a left uppercut. Manny will be ready to counter."
"He (Mayweather) will stand up and fight. That's how Manny likes it. Mayweather doesn't like to lose rounds, and he keeps that in mind. So if his opponents get a lead, he'll try to fight back right away so he doesn't lose the round. It's the way he is. If Manny's in the same condition he was when he fought Algieri, he'll knock out Mayweather."
