By Chris Williams: Like usual, trainer Freddie Roach is picking Manny Pacquiao to win by a 1st round knockout this Saturday night against challenger Juan Manuel Marquez. This is now almost a tradition with Roach, him starting out high by initially choosing Pacquiao to win by a late stoppage and then working his way down to a 1st round KO. He’s done this over and over again, and he’s had rotten luck, as Pacquiao is no longer knocking guys out and looking slower and slower on his feet.

Pacquiao told GMA News “Don’t be surprised if this fight goes one round. I know that’s a bold statement. I think he [Marquez will try to exchange with Manny, come after Manny, because he has hurt Manny a couple of times in the past. But if he does that, he’ll end up on the floor. I think he will come out and exchange with us [Pacquiao]. I told Manny to be ready for a fast start, because this guy will try and get you out that early. But I really, really hope that happens because I think that would be in our favour.”

Of course Marquez will start off fast because he doesn’t want to fall behind early or let Pacquiao get a rhythm going. Marquez isn’t going to let Pacquiao just have his way and make Roach happy. He’s too smart for that. He’s going to go after Pacquiao, hit him hard, and look to take him out early. He’s already hurt Pacquiao badly in the first two fights, and now that Marquez is bigger and stronger, he’ll look to finish the job this time.

I bet it really burns Roach up that Marquez got the better of Pacquiao in their first two fights despite Roach’s best training advice. It really didn’t matter what Roach told Pacquiao to do in the first two Marquez-Pacquiao fights, Marquez was always two steps ahead of Pacquiao.