Manny Pacquiao an underdog? Freddie Roach is fine with that

He’s defeated some of the biggest names in boxing over the course of his 25-year career, collecting world title belts in eight-different weight divisions, but on July 20 at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, NV, Manny Pacquiao will enter the ring an underdog against WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman.

Pacquiao, and trainer Freddie Roach, are confident they’ll prove the oddsmakers wrong.

“Beautiful,” said Pacquiao in an article posted on www.boxingscene.com.“That’s what I want [to be the underdog]”

Roach is planning on wagering some money on the fight’s outcome.

“I haven’t made a bet in a long time, but the oddsmakers have brought me back. I’m going to make a huge score betting on Manny in this fight,” said Roach.”

Motivation won’t be a problem for Pacquiao.

“Manny loves beating undefeated fighters, especially the younger ones,” Roach said of his 40-year-old fighter. “Heck, at this stage of the game, everyone Manny faces is younger.

“But that makes it fun for Manny. And when Manny is having fun, his opponents had better watch out.”

The undefeated Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) is training in Florida. The man nicknamed, “One-Time” knows he’ll have to be sharper against Pacquiao then he was when he faced Josesito Lopez, who he edged by decision last January.

“He’s coming off a winning streak,” Thurman told Dennis Taylor and me on The Ringside Boxing Show a few days ago. “He’s been looking great. Anyone who follows his Instagram says his hand speed is tremendous.”

Roach is thrilled with Pacquiao’s condition.

“I was very pleased with Manny’s first day at Wild Card,” said Roach. Buboy and Justin [Fortune] have him in great condition for the rigors of this part of training camp. We were scheduled for six rounds of sparring and Manny insisted on going eight with two sparing partners.”

Roach foresees a super fight July 20 in Sin City.

“This is a great matchup,” Roach said. “Thurman (30) has youth and size. I’m sure he will come into the ring with one hundred sixty pounds behind his big right hand. Manny will be under one hundred fifty.

“But we will have speed and movement. Winning this fight will come down to taking chances. Manny proved in his last two fights, against Matthysse and Broner, that he has his killer instinct back. Thurman better be prepared to shoot the works,” added Roach.

Manny Pacquiao and Keith Thurman will battle in a welterweight world title attraction that headlines a PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event,Saturday, July 20, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.