By Keith Idec
Whatever happens Friday night, Freddie Roach at least is satisfied with how Alberto Machado prepared for his immediate rematch against Andrew Cancio.
Roach can’t say the same thing about their fight February 9, in which Cancio scored a huge upset. Machado spent just four weeks training for that fight at Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.
“We had a full training camp this time,” Roach told BoxingScen.com. “We have no excuses. We’ve gotta beat this guy. We know it’s not an easy fight. The guy’s a good body puncher. He proved that in the last fight, and he did very well. And again, we had a full training camp this time. Last time, it was kind of a short one and he cheated himself a little bit on that one. His weight is good this time and everything. Everything is right where it’s supposed to be, and I like him a lot in the fight.”
Puerto Rico’s Machado (21-1, 17 KOs) knocked down Cancio in the first round of their fight four months ago at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. A resilient Cancio overcame that knockdown, hurt Machado during the third round and dropped the strong southpaw three times during the fourth round, all with body shots.
The 30-year-old Cancio (20-4-2, 15 KOs), of Blythe, California, won the WBA world super featherweight title in his third bout back from a brief retirement.
“It was a wakeup call for him,” Roach said of Machado. “He was getting a little bit lazy and taking things for granted. So, I think he knows that. He’s very disappointed that he’s not champion anymore and in the way he lost. Again, it’s a very tough fight. He’s fighting a good puncher, but he can punch, too. We know this will be a 100-percent action fight. This could be like one of those ‘Fights of the Year’ if both guys stay up.”
Losing his WBA world 130-pound championship has made Machado hungry again. That showed, according to Roach, during the 28-year-old Machado’s recently completed training camp.
“Last time, the body shots killed my guy, Machado,” Roach said. “And we worked a lot on that, also, taking the body shots better. Last time, I think he took the fight for granted and he paid for it.”
DAZN will stream the Cancio-Machado rematch as a main event Friday night from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
