News Digest

Pacquiao, Roach scheme on plan for Mayweather’s defense

Manny Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach have spent the past two months trying to solve the biggest puzzle in modern boxing. How does anybody hit Floyd Mayweather Jr., a fighter whose perfect career is built on being nearly impossible to touch? Pacquiao and Roach will reveal their answer in detail Saturday night in Las Vegas, when the fighters meet in the richest bout in boxing history. But clues to a strategy for breaking Mayweather’s impenetrable defense were evident in Pacquiao’s final workout at Roach’s Wild Card gym in Hollywood on Monday.

I think Mayweather will come right after us. I hope he does. We’re ready.

Trainer Freddie Roach

Pacquiao was a whirlwind of motion from the moment he stepped in the ring, throwing dozens of punches in combinations against Roach’s mitts and chest protector. While Roach took a much-deserved break, Pacquiao shadowboxed across the canvas, peppering the air with hundreds of rapid-fire punches long after his workout could have been over. Pacquiao has built his remarkable career on otherworldly quickness and old-fashioned volume punching, both outmaneuvering and outworking nearly all of his opponents over the past 10 years. He has never faced a fighter with Mayweather’s skills in defense and counterpunching, but Roach believes Mayweather has never dealt with an opponent as relentless as the southpaw Filipino congressman.

I’m not really looking for a knockout. We’re not looking only for a knockout, but for throwing a lot of punches, and also making sure that every round, we’re ahead on points.

Manny Pacquiao