By Mark Vester
Trainer Freddie Roach is confident that Manny Pacquiao will batter and bruise Antonio Margarito until the tough Mexican mentally quits in the same manner as Joshua Clottey, Miguel Cotto and Oscar De La Hoya. The fight happens tonight at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The weight difference has caused concern, as Pacquiao weighed in at 144.6 and Margarito was the contract weight of 150. Roach is not concerned with Pacquiao's unexpected low weight.
"I think we will overwhelm him with the punches (Manny) will land on him with the fast hands and combinations," says Roach to USA Today. "In eight or nine rounds I think we will break him down. Margarito throws a lot of punches and he makes too many mistakes to beat us. He has bad habits and we are going to take advantage of all of them."
Roach doesn't see any way that Margarito will be able to last the distance. The hall-of-fame trainer expects a punishing night and an eight divisional title for Pacquiao. The vacant WBC 154-pound title is on the line.
"We will knock this guy out," Roach said. "We're confident he will not last. The amount of punches he's going to take in this fight is going to be enormous. The volume of punches, he won't be able to handle. He will quit."
