Coach Freddie Roach, the trainer of eight-division titleholder Manny Pacquiao, lashed back at American boxer Timothy Bradley for saying that his ward no longer has the killer instinct.

"For Bradley to say 'Manny doesn't have the hunger anymore' ... that tells me that Bradley is still suffering from the concussion Provodnikov laid on him," Boxing Scene quoted Roach.

Roach added, quoted by the Los Angeles Times, "Manny's not the kind of guy who gets too [ticked] off, but that really made him not like Bradley ... He disrespected Manny. Instead of saying the first fight was close ... to say, 'You've lost that killer instinct and I'm going to beat you ...'"

The Hall of Fame trainer said that Manny actually started the week training at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles a little slow due to jet lag, but he finished off strongly on Saturday. Roach described Pacquiao's sparring session as brilliant, his footwork effortless, hand speed blazing and power good "as it's ever been."

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Returning to Pacquiao's first match with n June 5, 2012, Roach said that it was so easy for Manny that he became complacent after six rounds, only to be surprised by the judges declaring the bout in favour of Bradley.

He said that for the April 12 rematch, their mantra is "Close the show and No Mercy. "And when it is over it is going to be as world champion," Roach said.

The much-awaited battle for the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) welterweight title will be held at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 12.

Pacquiao's last knock out was seven fights ago when he defeated Miguel Cotto in November 2009.