By Edward Chaykovsky
Trainer Freddie Roach is expecting his boxer, Manny Pacquiao, to demolish Brandon Rios on Saturday night in Macau, China. Roach spoke to Pacquiao about Wednesday incident at a gym that both camps share. There was a confrontation between Roach and Team Rios, which included a verbal battle with Robert Garcia and getting kicked by strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza. Roach told Pacquiao that members of the Rios camp were mocked his speech, which is affected by Parkinson’s disease.
“(Pacquiao) said to me ‘are those the guys that made fun of you?’ and I said yes, and he said ‘that’s all I need to know’ and he walked away. He told me he’s going to take care of this guy quickly. What (Ariza) doesn’t realize is that Manny hits me ten times harder every day. It was like a girl kicking me,” Roach said to Khaleej Times.
“Pacquiao is hungry after the year off, he’s anxious to get in the ring and he’s anxious to show the world he’s still an elite fighter. The best way to do that is to knock Brandon Rios out, we both know that, and I have stressed that to him. Initially I didn’t think the fight would go six rounds, and after the way he’s worked out, I don’t think it will go four.”
