Manny Pacquiao will KO David Diaz in the 9th round - Freddie Roach

June 9, 2008

Freddie Roach doesn’t expect Manny Pacquiao to knock out David Diaz in the early rounds when the two meet for the American’s World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight crown on June 29.

“I don’t see the fight being over early,” said Roach yesterday from Los Angeles where he has been training Pacquiao.

“David’s a durable guy so I don’t think the fight’s going to end in the early rounds,” said the 48-year-old trainer.

Still, Roach is confident Pacquiao is going to emerge triumphant and that he should get the job done “later in the fight.”

“We’ll get to him by the ninth round, I think.”

Roach said he is happy with the way Pacquiao’s training has progressed even in the short time they have spent together.

Pacquiao, whose WBC super-feather crown won’t be at stake in the scheduled 12-rounder at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, showed up at the Wild Card Boxing Club on May 13 and was banging bodies with handpicked sparmates after 10 days.

Roach said that Pacquiao’s sparring session will reach its peak late this week or early next week when he goes 12 rounds. In his last few sparring sessions, Pacquiao has been doing 10 rounds against a bevy of punchers who either mimic or pretend they fight exactly like the 32-year-old Diaz.

By the time Pacquiao leaves for Las Vegas on June 23, he would have at least logged 120 rounds.

When Pacquiao worked out last Saturday, Roach said he weighed around 139 lbs.

“He’s right on track,” said Roach.

The lightweight limit is 135 lbs and Roach expects the 29-year-old Pacquiao to breeze through the official weigh-in on the eve of the battle.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao is going to motor to San Diego for a promotional gig on June 11 followed by an open workout in Los Angeles on June 14.

On June 23, Top Rank chief Bob Arum will host a luncheon press conference in Los Angeles before Pacquiao and Diaz head off to Sin City.

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