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Pacquiao’s ring return expected in June


With the occasional heavy blows Manny Pacquiao received from Antonio Margarito, chances are the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter won’t be entering the ring for quite a while. And that could mean six months or more according to his trainer Freddie Roach. Roach is suggesting that the Filipino boxing icon give himself time to rest and recuperate from the bit of physical punishment he got in his latest fight against the 5-foot-11 Mexican. “I told him to take six months off. He needs a nice, long rest, get his eyes off this," said Roach on Monday (Tuesday in Manila) when he was back in the confines of the Wild Card gym just two days after Pacquiao’s dominating and historic win against Margarito at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. “Relax, enjoy your family, enjoy your politics, whatever you do," Roach added. Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s close adviser, said the now eight-division world champion would definitely take it easy first before thinking about his next move. “We will take a few days off. And then when we get back to the Philippines, I’ll talk to Manny, then I’ll fly back and discuss Manny’s wishes with (Bob) Arum and see what we can do," he said. Initially, a possible March or April return was being eyed for Pacquiao’s first fight for 2011, but given the circumstances that surrounded his match with Margarito, it is likely that the Filipino southpaw’s comeback would be moved to a later date. “The fight was harder than we expected, and like Manny said, Margarito was the hardest opponent he ever fought, and you guys have seen him how he’s a little bruised up and his hands are swollen. So we’ll just have to wait and see. But it’s not gonna be at the end of the year, certainly. I would assume the first half of next year," added Konz. A six month layoff would push Pacquiao’s comeback to June, which is just fine with Roach. “That was a hard physical fight. I mean he’s bruised everywhere. He’s been hit everywhere," said Roach of his ward. “He got one good body shot. We got a perfect picture of it and you can see Manny, he almost went down. He sank," Roach recalled of that moment in the sixth round when Margarito had Pacquiao pinned at the ropes and almost felled with a mean body shot. “But then he went under and out, he tapped his gloves and came back. That’s Manny Pacquiao." Then again, Roach is also taking his hat off to the towering Mexican from Tijuana. The world’s best boxing trainer said the tough Mexican hombre deserves some credit for surviving the onslaught of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter and making a fight out of their 12-round title match for the World Boxing Council’s (WBC) super welterweight belt. For Roach, Margarito stood out for his courage inside the ring. “I would tell him he’s the bravest man I’ve ever met," was his reply when asked what he would have told the Tijuana, Mexico native had he pushed through with his earlier plan to visit Margarito inside his dressing room after the fight. “As far as Margarito is concerned, he earned my respect with the heart that he has." The 50-year-old trainer said he couldn’t help but be amazed with Margarito’s warrior attitude, with Pacquiao throwing a total of 1,069 punches, 411 of them power blows. “I really have a hard time wondering what kept him up. He really has a lot of heart. I got to give him that," said Roach. But inasmuch as he admires Margarito for his courage, Roach still reserves his strongest compliment for his best ever boxer. “Congressman Manny Pacquiao, I’m proud of you. You fought a hell of a fight," he said. – KY, JVP, GMANews.TV

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