Manny has horror moves for Aussie
Driver proves a top rider in any weather
IT’S The Rocky Horror move that Manny Pacquiao believes is key to beating Australia’s Rocky, Jeff Horn — a jump to the left, and then a step to the right.
Pacquiao confirmed yesterday that he was hoping a KO win would propel him towards a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr after the pair generated nearly a billion dollars from their 2015 fight which Mayweather won on points.
He told me yesterday that he’s not nervous at all about Sunday’s superfight at Suncorp Stadium and that he is sleeping soundly with every intention of still being world welterweight champion when he flies home after the fight.
Trainer Freddie Roach says he expects a short, exciting fight with an aggressive, charging Horn knocked out early in a thriller.
Pacquiao has been practising his devastating “Rocky Horror’’ countermove all his life since he started fighting on the streets of Manila as a runaway teenager. And he’s sharpening it this week at the Lang Park PCYC in readiness for the bout at Suncorp Stadium.
“My preparation has been very good,’’ Pacquiao said.
“Jeff Horn is a schoolteacher but I am a teacher in the boxing ring.’’
At 38, southpaw Pacquiao remains one of the fastest fighters in the world with both feet and hands, and that speed allows the World Boxing Organisation welterweight champion to batter opponents from unorthodox angles.
Being a left-hander (southpaw) also makes him more difficult for orthodox fighters (right-handed) such as Horn. ALL-WEATHER brilliance proved the secret to success for Matt Driver in the return of the Far North’s premier cycling tour and it will only get bigger and better.
Fans who took in the triumphant return of the Tour of the Tableland were left wanting more after exciting racing on Saturday and Sunday and they will be in luck with organisers to spread the word regional Queensland for next year’s event.
Racing started in drizzle with a timed criterium at Edge Hill on Saturday morning when Linc Carolan announced his presence in A-grade to win the first sprint finish, but it proved too much energy spent as Cairns Cycling Club vicepresident
Pacquiao then exaggerates the difficulty with his slippery moves. He’s most dangerous when he’s attacking from the side and he is constantly rehearsing the shock punches.
His most dangerous technique will be to slip underneath Horn’s left jab, then from a crouch position take a little jump to Horn’s left, then a little step to the right and try to nail Horn with a right hook and the booming straight left cross that has been the big knockout weapon throughout his career. Damien Ingram prevailed at the end of Stage 1.
Spectators had to get the jumpers out on Sunday when the same conditions greeted
“I know what Manny has,’’ Horn said.
“But I don’t spend a lot of time watching fights or the moves he makes.
My trainer, Glenn Rushton, has spent thousands of hours watching him, studying every little thing he does.
“Glenn forms the plan for me and tells me what to do and I follow the plan.
“It’s the way we’ve always worked.
“It’s been successful so far and I know it will work on Sunday.’’ riders on the Tableland.
The show of the 64km Stage 2 kermesse went on around Malanda despite the rain and Driver, who was sixth coming into the stage, streaked away with Thomas Benton to hold a substantial lead on the third of eight laps.
The chasing pack could not make any inroads, leaving Driver to win the sprint finish showdown against Benton, both more than three minutes ahead of the rest.
It was Driver’s to lose going into the Atherton criterium Stage 3, but he kept his head despite several attacks and enjoyed a popular win.
Race director Ingram said it was a great success and plans were in place to build on it with more stages next year.
“It was dampened a little bit by the weather but it didn’t affect the competitors, who all had a crack,” he said.
“We’re looking at having a regional licence for our cycling members that we extend to other clubs in regional Queensland.
“We had a few riders come up from Townsville and we expected to be able to attract people from clubs in Mackay and Rockhampton next year.”
Ingram said female participation in the race was promising and represented a rapidly increasing trend within Cairns Cycling Club.
He said a few riders would welcome an excuse to rest with the Tour de France set to keep cycling fans up late over the next month before the club plans on taking to other regions for more events.