Pacquiao dialed in for Mayweather bout

Manny is already stateside training for the biggest fight of his illustrious career. Freddie is even saying that he's taken aback by the speed and power being displayed by Pacquiao so early in the training camp.

"We are on the same page," said Roach, who turned 55 on March 5, and was happy to get birthday best wishes from Miguel Cotto, among many other well-wishers. "I told Manny, ‘You've been watching tapes of Floyd!' And he tells me no...but the look on his face maybe tells me yes!"

Apparently Roach is typically the only one who does the film study, and then tries to impart the things he sees in the tape to Manny - but this time around Pacquiao might be doing some of his own homework, which isn't such a bad idea. In studying Mayweather tape, Freddie has keyed in on a pet move of Mayweather's (though he wouldn't specify which) and says that Pacquiao will be well prepared to not fall into the same trap that most others have.

"It's a good move, but come fight time, as we work on it, when he makes that move, Manny will be totally ready for it."

If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably the pull counter that Floyd favors. A discerning eye can often tell when he's looking for it because of the way he adjusts his stance to bait his opponents into throwing. Although it's perhaps most effective against orthodox fighters (as he can land his right hand over a retreating jab), it actually can work against southpaws as well - just by throwing the right straight down the pipe (through the gap in a southpaw's guard), as opposed to over the jab.

Freddie also mentioned that the gym will be locked down during Manny's sparring sessions in this camp. I find this to be subtly ironic because Roach has more than once criticized Mayweather for having closed sparring sessions, while saying that he's never had a problem with having open workouts or the filming of Pacquiao's work with sparring partners. Maybe he's a little worried about Haymon's secret agents infiltrating his camp. In any event, Roach plans on having Kenny Sims, Rashidi Ellis, Kosovar Edis Tatli, and a fourth undisclosed person who worked out of the Mayweather gym for this camp.

"I can't say. He's trained at Mayweather's gym. When they find out, he's afraid a little. I told the guy he can always work here!"

Expect the rumor mill of camp activities and progress to escalate exponentially leading up to the fight. They'll be some truth, a lot of exaggeration, and even some misdirection coming from both camps.