Boxing trainer Freddie Roach says Manny Pacquiao is in the final phase of training for the match with Keith Thurman and is fired up by his opponent’s
trash talk, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported.
Pacquiao arrived in Los Angeles last weekend to work with Roach at his Wild Card gym.
Thurman has said he will send the Filipino eight-division world champion into retirement at Las Vegas’s MGM Grand next month.
But Thurman’s words just fired up Pacquiao’s training camp. “My response to him is we’ll see. He is giving me more motivation and determination to work hard and prove that it’s not true. I’m happy that he’s saying that … It gives me inspiration to focus and do the best that I can in the ring ” Pacquiao said.
Roach told AFP that Pacquiao was “upset” by Thurman’s comments. “Manny’s motivated for all his fights and this time, this guy’s talking a little trash,” Roach said.
“So that helps. Manny has got a bit upset. He wants to win this one a little bit more than usual.”
For the first time in several fights, Roach is wearing protective padding around his torso during his mitt sessions.
“I didn’t want Manny to go easy on his opponents,” Roach said.
“It does make a difference. I want him going full blast on the mitts.”
Roach took note that “for a while he would tell me that he just needs to beat his opponents and not knock them out. But he doesn’t say that any more. He’s getting more aggressive.”
“He was more aggressive in his last fight than I’ve seen him in years. I hope that continues into this fight. Because when Manny’s aggressive he’s a much better fighter,” Roach added.
