Controversial boxing coach Freddie Roach confidently predicted that Manny Pacquiao can knock out Ricky Hatton in three rounds when the two boxers trade punches on May 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I told Manny that if it goes past three rounds, I’d be mad at him,” Roach said in an interview with Gabriel Montoya of MaxBoxing.com.

Roach said if Hatton tries outwitting Pacquiao with his "boxing skills," it's very likely that the British champion will get himself into trouble.

“If he tries to box Manny, he’ll get killed,” Roach warned Hatton, saying that the Briton’s trainer, Floyd Mayweather, Sr., cannot do much to help Hatton at this point.

“He’s going to try and make him a better boxer but obviously it’s hard to make change someone at this late stage of their career,” noted Roach.

He added, “I’ve been with Manny eight years and I’ve never tried to change him. Just improve on what we do. And so Ricky Hatton and Floyd are like black and white. Their styles are totally different. I think the best way for Ricky Hatton to fight this fight (is) to fight like he does.”

“I mean, he can tell him some poems,” said Roach as a suggestion to Mayweather, Sr. “That’s all [Mayweather, Sr.] he's good at that I know of.”

Meanwhile, Roach also said he is delighted with Pacquiao’s progress in his training sessions in Los Angeles, California.

“He’s sharp. He’s boxing really well. We’ve got the game plan all worked out and I’m really happy with where he is at,” he added.

Sparring sessions

Montoya also reported that Pacquiao underwent an intense sparring session with lightweight Urbano Antillon from Mexico.

Antillon was supposed to be Pacquiao’s sparring partner last week but was sick and had to take a rest. This is why Pacquiao spent four sparring round with world champion Jorge Linares.

“We figure that if Manny can look sharp against a sharp fighter like (Linares), he can look sharp against anyone in the world,” said Roach.

“Good work is good work. I don’t care what style it is. Linares makes Manny think and not many fighters can do that. Ricky Hatton is very basic. Linares is a thinker and it rises the level of (Pacquiao’s game),” he continued.

Roach remarked, “(Antillon) is more of a Ricky Hatton type of style than Linares.”

Antillon has sparred with Manny in the past, as well as with Kevin Kelley and Edwin Valero.

Montoya described Antillon is “no [mere] sparring partner. He is a man on the verge of getting a crack at the cream of the junior lightweight and lightweight division,” being the No.2 in the World Boxing Organization, and No.3 in the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council."

Pacquiao and Antillon are expected to have more sparring sessions in the coming weeks, MaxBoxing.com added.

Intense sparring action with Antillon

“The Pacman” and Antillon took the ring in six rounds of what Montoya called a “rare pleasure.”

The MaxBoxing.com writer said that the first round was close and even. “Antillon came back with a body attack as Manny backed off and lay against the ropes. Antillon got in some solid shots. A hard right and a left to the body thudded through the room. Pacquiao again spun out and popped the jab as the bell sounded,” Montoya wrote.

The second round, meantime, brought out what Montoya called a “new, aggressive tactic”-- “Pacquiao would spin Antillon, grabbing his hips and moving him into place as he dug shots to the body before snapping a left upstairs before his opponent could get set.”

Antillon retaliated by going forward and “shooting to Pacquiao’s ribs.” Pacquiao reportedly said “More,” so he took “brutal” body shots. “More,” Pacquiao repeated. The Filipino “managed a double hook with each hand to the head of Antillon who walked straight ahead into the punches but took them well.”

Round three opened with an uppercut from Antillon. Manny replied with numerous jabs. Montoya reported that Pacquiao started talking again after getting a body shot from Antillon. “I like the body shot,” Pacquiao said, as quoted in the MaxBoxing.com report. “Go! C’mon.”

The intensity built up in the fourth, where both boxers traded hooks and punches. Montoya noted another new Pacquiao move that was “similar to a Tito Trinidad’s shoulder move.”

Antillon and Pacquiao proceeded to the fifth round where a “left-right to the head and a left-right to the body lands for Antillon as Pacquaio is on the ropes.” But the Filipino fought on, opening "with a brutal assault of lefts rights and too many shots to count to the head and body.” The barrage sent Antillon to the ropes.

Pacquiao then said, “Go! I like the body! Go!” Antillon obeyed and fired body shots but Montoya noted that he seemed “a bit weary from the storm that just passed and eats a right hook to the end the round.”

The final round ensued and it had “phone booth action with both men taking and giving with equal measure.” They continued trading punches until the bell rang.

Montoya reported that “Antillon laughed and joked with Manny afterward, saying he was owed the standing offer of $1,000 for the ‘knockdown’ in the second round. Manny laughed good-naturedly.”