'Heavier de la Hoya, better for us' - Roach

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach doesn't think a heavier Oscar de la Hoya will be a stronger de la Hoya. He expects, in fact, a sluggish Golden Boy. "I agree that the more weight he puts on, the happier I'll be. No doubt about that," Roach said on Saturday from the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. Roach has downplayed de la Hoya's advantage in size since The Dream Match was conceived three months ago, saying Manny Pacquiao's speed will compensate for the handicap in heft. In the weekend and nearing the wrap-up of Pacquiao's training, Roach even mocked de la Hoya's added poundage. "Food makes him sluggish and it indulges his senses, so a lot of weight gain is not a good thing for him." Roach, who has verbally shot at de la Hoya throughout the bout's promotional phase, said that he doesn't think the weight disparity between Pacquiao and de la Hoya come fight night on December 7 (December 6, US time) will be off the charts. Forecasts by boxing aficionados pegged the difference at the scales will be 15lbs, with de la Hoya blowing up to over 160lbs and Pacquiao hovering at around 150lbs maximum. "Oscar is pretty disciplined. He doesn't normally gain a lot of weight," Roach, who trained de la Hoya versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year, said. Roach is betting though, that de la Hoya's weight will reach a certain level that will make him lethargic for The Dream Match, pointing out the Golden Boy's weight decrease from his normal 160lbs down to 145lbs. "Sometimes, when you starve yourself, you have a tendency to over-eat," Roach said, "so I think he starved himself." Informed that de la Hoya's dietary ritual - composed mainly of kangaroo meat - has been strict, Roach appeared hardly interested. "The kangaroo meat is healthier than beef, tastes a little sweeter. But meat is the best thing in the world for a fighter to eat. Anyway, I don't care what he eats." - GMANews.TV