Roach: I’m ready for any eventuality

LAS VEGAS – Boxing trainer Freddie Roach isn’t holding his breath for Manny Pacquiao to announce his un-retirement. He’d like for Pacquiao to continue fighting particularly after the only man ever to win world titles in eight divisions dominated Timothy Bradley over 12 rounds at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here Saturday night.

But Roach has too much respect for Pacquiao to even try to convince him out of hanging up his gloves. His message to Pacquiao is if ever the Filipino decides to come back, he’ll be waiting at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles with punch mitts and body shield at the ready.

Roach said Pacquiao had an injury-free training camp for Bradley and it showed in the way he masterfully controlled the action last Saturday. Some rust was apparent in the early going, noticed Roach, but that was understandable considering Pacquiao’s 11-month layoff from the Floyd Mayweather fight last May.

Unlike in the Mayweather bout where Pacquiao labored with a shoulder injury, he was aggressive and constricted the space separating him from Bradley. Pacquiao let his hands go and finished the fight throwing 137 more punches with 23 more connections. He made Bradley look like a bumbling novice. Roach had to be pleased with Pacquiao’s hand and footspeed. Bradley couldn’t match his quickness, power and guile. If Bradley thought he could outmaneuver Pacquiao with Teddy Atlas in his corner, the Desert Storm was badly mistaken. Roach was the grandmaster in the chess match and Atlas, the upstart.

At the end of four rounds, two of the three judges had it even, 38-all. Dave Moretti and Steve Weisfeld awarded both fighters two rounds each. Burt Clements saw it 39-37 for Pacquiao. The tide took an irreversible turn in the fifth where Pacquiao landed 18 power punches to Bradley’s nine. When the bell rang to end the fifth, Bradley banged his gloves together and shook his head as if to accept he couldn’t be the better man. There were furious exchanges in the round with Pacquiao repeatedly finding the mark with his left.

As Pacquiao seized the momentum, Bradley’s confidence plunged. Atlas was exasperated because Bradley couldn’t execute their fightplan which was to dictate the pace by boxing from a distance and circling away from Pacquiao’s power shots. Bradley’s goal was to throw Pacquiao off-balance. Instead, it was Bradley who lost equilibrium twice, falling to the canvas in the seventh and ninth rounds. By the end of the 10th, Pacquiao was way ahead in the three judges’ identical scorecards, 97-91. To win, Bradley needed a knockout in the last two stanzas. But in the final round, it was Bradley who was nearly knocked out and saved by the bell. He was also in dire straits in the 12th round of his fights against Ruslan Provodnikov and Jessie Vargas. He managed to end those fights barely on his feet.

“It was good to see the old Manny Pacquiao,” said Roach. “He was looking for the knockout. He hasn’t slowed down a bit. No signs of wear and tear. When I see Manny aggressive, that’s the best Manny Pacquiao. I saw him smile quite a bit. It wasn’t a complete comeback but it was a good first step.”

Roach would’ve liked Pacquiao to score a knockout, something he hasn’t done since halting Miguel Cotto in 2009. He had predicted a ninth round stoppage and for a while, it looked like it would happen. A left hit Bradley on the button and he toppled down into a somersault in the ninth. The previous knockdown was caused by a short right hook to the head in the seventh.

In the dressing room after the fight, Pacquiao said he was wise to Bradley’s tricks. He said Bradley tried to goad him into taking the initiative so he could counterpunch like Juan Manuel Marquez did. Pacquiao didn’t bite. He’s too smart and experienced to be lured into a trap. Instead, he waited for Bradley to attack. Bradley’s defense opened up when he popped his double left jabs and Pacquiao repeatedly raked him with 1-2-3 combinations upstairs, downstairs and upstairs again.

Although Pacquiao and Mayweather have announced their retirement, USA Today’s Bob Velin said, “smart money says it’s likely neither fighter will say retired.” Las Vegas Review Journal’s Ed Graney said, “If his was goodbye, and I’m not sure anyone from here to General Santos City believes it, thank goodness it’s how we can remember Manny Pacquiao the fighter.” Another Las Vegas Review Journal writer Steve Carp described Pacquiao’s performance against Bradley as “excellent” and said, “if he weren’t running for office, there’s no question Pacquiao would still be active in boxing, looking at a return in the fall (September or October).”

As for Pacquiao, he’s retired for the moment. “My family wants me to retire and I will spend more time with them and focus on serving the people,” he said. But Pacquiao also said that if the fans want him to come back, he’ll think about it, leaving the door open for a return. Roach said if Pacquiao is allowed to fight in the Rio Olympics and decides to compete, he’ll be in his corner. They’ve been father and son, best friends and brothers in arms since 2001. Whether in or out of the ring, Pacquiao and Roach enjoy a special relationship.