By John F. McKenna (McJack): Five time trainer of the year Freddie Roach who trains WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s) thinks that WBO/WBA lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KO’s) is gambling with his rapid muscle and weight build up for Saturday night’s showdown. Pacquiao and Marquez will face off at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas in the 3rd fight of their Trilogy. The fight will be a Pay Per View event aired on HBO.

Roach believes Marquez’s rapid addition of muscle and weight means one thing. He will take Pacquaio head on from the opening bell. Freddie reasons that Marquez will trade speed for power and attempt to out muscle Manny.

In the Philippine Daily Inquirer Roach was quoted as saying:

“Don’t be surprised if this fight ends in one round. I know that’s a bold statement. He is so much bigger now and went on a weight program in such a short time. And there’s only one way to use that effectively and that’s to fight Manny Pacquiao.

“I think he will come out early and exchange with us. He will try to exchange with Manny, try to come after Manny. I told Manny to be ready for a fast start because he (Marquez) will try to get him early. And if he does that he’ll wind up on the floor.”

Roach went on the say that there could be no other explanation for Marquez’s rapid build up in weight and muscle than that he plans to go after Pacquiao and make the fight a war from the opening bell. Roach further said that if Marquez does what he thinks he will he will play into Pacquiao’s strength resulting in an early KO for Manny. The added weight Roach believes will make it more difficult for “El Dinamita” to counter punch, which has been his trademark.

Roach has taken great care for Manny not to over train in the lead up to his fight with Marquez. It is suspected that the leg cramping Pacquiao experienced in his bout with Shane Mosley last May was the result of Manny over doing it in training. In the final days before the fight with Marquez “Pacman” will be curtailed to doing only roadwork.