Time on Manny’s side, says wary Roach

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach is going to push Manny Pacquiao hard until the day he climbs the ring to face undefeated Jeff Horn in Brisbane on July 2.

“We need progress but the thing is we still have time. It is improving and it’s getting better,” said Roach, closing out the first week of supervising Pacquiao’s training.

Roach was far from being satisfied when Pacquiao sparred at the Elorde Gym in Pasay City last Tuesday but saw some improvement last Thursday.

Sparring resumes today, and Roach is expecting a little more.

“I’m going to push him every f****** day,” said Roach, who in the past couple of fights had to cut down on Pacquiao’s training regimen.

But he explained that Pacquiao has been out of the ring since November, and therefore may have to work harder at least in the next three or four weeks.

“It’s not going to come overnight but I expect him to get better each time,” said Roach, who arrived in the country last Sunday with strength coach Justin Fortune.

Roach knows Pacquiao better than anybody else inside the ring.

“I’ve never seen Manny take it easy against anyone my entire life and I don’t expect him to do it here either,” he said.

To prepare himself for the fight, Roach said he’s watched tapes of Horn’s last three fights, which all took place last year and never went the distance.

“I watched his last three fights and he won them all by knockout,” said Roach of the fights against American Randall Bailey, German Rico Mueller and South African Ali Funeka.

“Jeff Horn is a pretty good puncher and his favorite punch like all Australians is the right hook,” said Roach.