Pacquiao’s punching power still surprises Roach

MANILA, Philippines – They’ve been training together for more than a decade already, but Manny Pacquiao still never fails to amaze his longtime trainer Freddie Roach.

This time, it is Pacquiao’s punching power that has again caught the attention of Roach, who just arrived in the country to supervise the Filipino icon’s training for his November 5 fight against Jessie Vargas.

Speaking to reporters late Tuesday at the Elorde Boxing Gym near SM Mall of Asia where Pacquiao holds his workouts, Roach said that his eyes lit up when he saw his ward get to work.

“I like what I see. He’s very inspired and aggressive. But what really surprised me was his punching power. I can feel it,” the multi-awarded cornerman said in a report by Aquiles Zonio of PhilBoxing.com.

Roach flew into the country with American light welterweight Jose Carlos Ramirez, who will serve as one of Pacquiao’s sparring partners.

Ramirez, for his part, shrugged off the effects of a long flight from Los Angeles to Manila and immediately went to work with Pacquiao.

“I’m still suffering from a jetlag. But that was not an excuse. I came here to help Manny Pacquiao prepare for his fight against Vargas,” Ramirez, a former Olympian who represented the US in the 2012 London Olympics, said in the same report.

Pacquiao will fight for the WBO welterweight title currently held by Vargas, who at 27 years old is 10 years Pacquiao’s junior.

Roach, however, said age hasn’t slowed down Pacquiao, who impressed in his last fight against Timothy Bradley last April.

“He’s (Pacquiao) getting older but he’s coming back to the game even stronger than before. And I like it,” said Roach.