By Manuel Perez: In an article at Abs-Cbn news, trainer Freddie Roach had this to say about Manny Pacquiao, say he’s “punching like a middleweight.” I’m wondering why Roach only said that Pacquiao is punching like a middleweight, and not like something bigger like a light heavyweight? This is funny. Mark my words, the next interview Roach will probably be comparing Pacquiao’s power to Wladimir Klitschko or Mike Tyson. I’m kind of curious.

If Pacquiao is supposedly punching so well, how come he’s having so many problems with his sparring partner Shawn Porter? I’ve heard rumors that Porter has been beating up on Pacquiao. Wouldn’t you think that Pacquiao would be able to destroy a light middleweight like Porter if Pacquiao were truly punching like a middleweight, as Roach says? I mean, having middleweight power should translate into Pacquiao being able to knock out a light middleweight, don’t you think?

Why is Roach sending for Omar Henry, another sparring partner all of a sudden? Is Porter being phased out now for some reason? I know in training camps when a sparring partner comes in and looks too good and beats up on the champion, they often send the sparring partner packing. I hope this isn’t the case for Porter. I actually think it would be a good thing for Pacquiao to spar with him all training camp long. I would dump the little guys that Roach brought along and focus entirely on sparring with Porter.

If Henry is better than Porter, than I would go with him as well. But if he’s being brought in so that Pacquiao can stop being beat upon, then I think Porter is the better option. You got to get Pacquiao ready for what he’s going to be facing on November 14th when he enters the ring with the powerful Miguel Cotto.

If you want Pacquiao to have any chance at all, he has to spar with the best fighters possible, not a bunch of little guys that are two divisions smaller than him like Urbano Antillon. Let’s face it, Pacquiao is probably way over his head in this fight because of Cotto’s superior power and size. Pacquiao is just a little fighter who has been put in soft his last two fights against an old Oscar De La Hoya and battle worn Ricky Hatton.

This fight is a whole different ballgame. Pacquiao will be facing the best fighter of his career, aside from his first fight against Erik Morales and his two fights against Juan Manuel Marquez, and Pacquiao probably won’t be ready for the experience.

That’s why you got to shock the Filipino by letting him get beaten up the entire camp by bigger sparring partners like Porter. This will toughen Pacquiao up and get him ready for Cotto. I think Roach should have asked light middleweight Alfredo Angulo to come to the Philippines as well, because he would be an even better sparring partner than Porter or Henry. Of course, Angulo would probably take Pacquiao’ head off from the shoulders if he landed, but it would still be a good growth experience for Pacquiao and get him ready for Cotto just the same.