Freddie Roach, the famous trainer of pound-for-pound boxing king Manny Pacquiao, wouldn’t be surprised if members of the Philippine women’s boxing team would win an Olympic gold in the London Games.

“These girls can really fight,” said Roach in Friday’s SCOOP sa Kamayan Forum on Padre Faura. “They are very talented, they have techniques and they fight like professionals.”

Roach, who leaves for the United States along with the Pacquiao entourage this Sunday, saw the women’s pugs up close during their training in Baguio the past five weeks.

Among those who caught his fancy was world championship silver medalist Annie Albania.

“She’s very cocky, confident and aggressive. She reminds me of a guy I trained in the amateurs in the past,” said Roach, who was also accompanied by the women’s boxing squad which is scheduled to leave for the Asian Indoor Games on October 30 to November 8 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Roach is impressed to see a lot of talented female boxers in the country and is glad that they can now have the chance to fight in prestigious matches since the International Olympic Committee approved the inclusion of women’s boxing in the 2012 London Games.

“It’s good to see good female boxers here in the Philippines. I actually think that the girls are better than the boys,” added Roach, referring to the RP men’s boxing team.

But Roach also has kind words for the male fighters, saying: “Some of them have good tactics.”

Five female fighters leave for Hanoi for the Indoor Games on October 28 with team coaches Boy Catolico and Roel Velasco. It would be the first international exposure of the team in preparation for the Laos Southeast Asian Games in December.

Led by Albania (51kgs), the team is composed of Josie Gabuco (46kgs), Alice Kate Aparri (48kgs), Nesthy Petecio (54kgs), and Mitchel Martinez (60kgs).

Aside from the Baguio training, the team has also sparred with Australian male boxers who joined the training sessions last month.