Friday, October 05, 2007 ‘I have to stop Pacquiao’
THREE days before fight night, Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera met for the first time since formally announcing their rematch last July as the two attended the final press conference for the “Will to Win” card promoted by both the Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Inc.
And while Pacquiao (44-3-2, 35KOs) consistently made no prediction of what will happen during the fight, Barrera (63-5, 42KOs), 33, showed he still hasn’t gotten over his 11th round TKO back in Nov. 2003.
Barrera announced during the one-on-one interview with the media covering the press conference, that this fight is all personal business for him.
“This is a personal fight for me. It’s very personal. I’m taking it personal. He beat me so I have to get my revenge,” Barrera said in a report posted at www.sportinglife.com
Barrera added that many of his countrymen had suffered under the wrath of Pacquiao and it is time to put a stop to the Filipino’s mighty hands.
“It’s been a thorn in my side because he’s beaten so many Mexicans and obviously I want to put a stop to that. I want to put a stop to that. I mean, he’s beaten not only me. Other Mexicans have suffered; they’ve been defeated by him (Pacquiao). So I want to put a stop to that,” he said.
Pacquiao had fought 10 times against Mexican warriors – three with Erik Morales and he stands 8-1-1, 6 KOs against them.
No chance
But despite the training and preparation that Barrera made, nobody seems to give him a chance to win this fight.
Aside from the age difference, one of the reasons is the immense improvement of Pacquiao since they first met.
The quickness, speed and power on Pacquiao’s hands have been developed tremendously by the constant pounding of Freddie Roach.
“He’s a much more mature fighter now and he’s much stronger at the weight now. He’s becoming more of a complete fighter. And the thing is Manny is still learning and we’re trying a few new things and I think you’re going to see the best Manny Pacquiao yet,” Roach said in a separate interview.
Roach credited the hard training camp they had at the RWS International gym here since it will come out as advantageous for Pacquiao.
“We had a great training camp. We brought the right sparring partners in for the fight. We had great sparring. Great camp. And the heat and humidity…was very, very hot and hard to work in the heat of course but it prepared us for the fight because it’s going to be a hot fight if you add in the lights and so forth for TV,” Roach said. (RCM)
