by Robert Morales
Manny Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, has expressed concern that Pacquiao is going too hard in camp, according to the boxer's trainer Freddie Roach. The Filipino superstar is training at Roach's Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, as he prepares for his November 12th trilogy fight with Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title is on the line, with a catch-weight of 144-pounds in place.
"When Manny hits the speed bag I put the picture of him (Marquez) wearing that t-shirt [that Marquez used to taunt him], just to remind Manny," Roach said. "I said to Manny, `You don't like this guy, do you?' He just smiled at me and walked away. He will not answer me."
They say actions speak louder than words, and Roach buys that in this instance.
"He's really extra motivated in this fight," Roach said. "He's been a little harder on his sparring partners than usual. He (Arum) said, `Freddie, you gotta slow him down a little bit."' "He's been on fire. Usually in sparring he'll give me about 50 percent because he's saving it for the fight. But now he's giving me about 70 percent because he's been rough on his sparring partners, until he hurts them and then he backs off."
