Freddie Roach wants big KO victory for Manny Pacquiao over David Diaz

HOLLYWOOD—His shirt drenched in sweat after another heavy workout with his prized ward, Freddie Roach minced no words in making the mission clear.

“I want a knockout,” the two-time Trainer of the Year said.

Stepping off a calibrated scale in a routine weight check Roach has incorporated into the training session, Manny Pacquiao declared himself fit to accomplish the task.

The Filipino icon faces World Boxing Council lightweight champion David Diaz on June 28 (June 29, Sunday in Manila) at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas and Roach doesn’t want the reigning WBC super featherweight titlist to merely scrape past a third straight opponent.

He wants Pacquiao to stand over a fallen Diaz at the end of the match.

“I feel (a knockout) will come in the later rounds,” Roach said. “We’ll eventually break (Diaz) down.”

Pacquiao’s last two bouts have left Roach wanting something more decisive. Marco Antonio Barrera survived 12 rounds against the Gen. Santos City brawler. And Pacquiao needed a close decision to strip Juan Manuel Marquez of his super featherweight belt.

This time around, Roach feels Pacquiao must stop Diaz to legitimize his status as the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.

And with Pacquiao needing a little less effort to make the weight this time around, Roach feels the powerful southpaw has the edge over Diaz in almost all aspects and should find little trouble controlling the tempo of the 12-round bout, to be aired by HBO pay-per-view.

Pacquiao tipped the scales at 139 after Saturday’s workout and that’s exactly the number both boxer and trainer want to see at this stage of their preparation.

“Tama lang ang 139, mahirap namang masyadong mababa agad (Being 139 is just right, it’s also hard to lose weight so quickly),” Pacquiao said.

“It was better than expected,” said Roach, who gave Pacquiao the go-signal to take a break on Sunday. “Four pounds with one week to go, we’re going to be all right.”

Asked what the Mexican-American Diaz could do to halt Pacquiao’s conquest of the 135 lb ranks and succeed in a bid to become the first Asian to win four titles in different weight divisions, Roach boldly replied: “Nothing.”

Roach said Pacquiao’s speed and power would overwhelm the “durable” Diaz.

“Manny’s speed may not be the same as when he’s 130, but definitely he will be much, much faster than Diaz,” Roach explained after watching Pacquiao spar for three rounds each against Julio Gamboa and Steve Quiñones.