So for example looking at Pacquiao in 1st Morales fight he was still a bit one dimensional, then look at Pacquiao in the 2nd Morales fight he improved significantly, even adding a right hook to his offence. And then from that point on went from strength to strength, I actually can't think of any other top class fighter, who improved so much during the middle portion of their career.
Part of the big improvement was illusory. Pac's quick-footed, rapid-fire style worked well against bigger, more basic fighters. Morales was clearly past it in the rematch.
PAC realyd on depth perception, just like Ali did, in and out of punching and non punching range, hard to hit. He already was a little great man at 122, the ledwaba fight was his proof of being great at those 'lower ' weights . Yes he was unconventional: a head hunter and a weird tysonesque head movement, but let's put it this way: without Manny there is no Freddie, without Freddie there is no Manny. This was the perfect marriage, the old savvy trainer questioning his gym existence and the next Mohammed Ali who would walk in and learn like a sponge!!! I remember PAC said after the Barrera fight (fistic fury type fight 1000 punches or more) confess he coulda went 20 rounds easily at that pace because he killed it in the gym everyday sparring all day everyday. And Freddie btw told him to just go for the ko upstairs "as it was too late to go to the body."
Yes. he's in the conversation,, Pac started at Fly and went up and cleaned house to 147 ,,, and took on everybody ducked no one ...who else ever did that ? NOBODY
The job Freddie Roach did with Manny Pacquiao …gets my vote for the most improvement I’ve seen a trainer make with a fighter….Emanuel Stewart with Lennox Lewis is a close second
They were looking for that right hook before the first Morales fight though, so between the first and second fight, that's the time it took to get that punch right. No, I don't think he showed the fastest improvement. I think the fastest improvement i've seen in any fighter is Naoya Inoue. That was crazy.