HOLLYWOOD -- Freddie Roach’s hands shook with excitement as he talked about a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“It will be the biggest pay-per-view event of all time,” said the man who just steered Manny Pacquiao to a historic 12th round technical knockout of Miguel Cotto last Saturday at the MGM Grand.
Roach said a fight with Mayweather, which may or may not happen, will break all existing records if it does, and will be watched by more people even if it wouldn’t be as exciting as Pacquiao’s previous fights.
The three-time American trainer of the year smiled when told that Mayweather, who came out of a long retirement to beat Juan Marquez last September, said Pacquiao remains a “one-dimensional” fighter.
“One dimensional? Well let’s fight and see,” said Roach.
“If that’s the case, all he does is run. He’s one dimensional, too -- run, run, run. Then we’ll attack, attack, attack and that will make it a big fight,” said Roach who just saw Pacquiao off the door of his gym.
Pacquiao dropped by at the Wild Card Gym late in the afternoon as part of a tradition. He always visits the gym on the Monday after a fight, get a few words with his chief trainer, and greet his loyal supporters.
The pound-for-pound champion did not stay long this time as he needed to go to a nearby hospital to have x-rays on his swollen right hand. However, he said he felt better now than the day after the fight.
He heard about Mayweather’s comment that he’s a one-dimensional fighter.
“Ako? Eh, yun ang style ko eh (But that’s my style). In and out, in and out,” he said.
Roach said a fight with Mayweather would be difficult to make because of all the money involved, adding that if the flamboyant American would agree to a 60/40 split, in Pacquiao’s favor, then it could happen.
“We need to negotiate for the money and the weight, but I want the fight at 145 lb. Mayweather still doesn’t have that huge audience so I would go for 60-40 for Manny,” said Roach.
Roach added that if it’s Mayweather, March 13, being penciled by Top Rank as the date for Pacquiao’s next fight, may not be a good date.
“If it’s Mayweather, we need time to get ready for that fight. We have to come out with a real different style. It’s a whole different ballgame,” he said, adding that there wouldn’t be a need for a tune-up fight if that’s the case.
“If we get Mayweather, why risk losing that (tune-up) fight. I’d say he rest for a while, enjoy the holidays, run for elections, and the Congressman Manny Pacquiao will kick Mayweather’s ass,” said Roach.
Roach said while last Saturday’s fight looked one-sided to some, it should definitely be more exciting than a Pacquiao-Mayweather.
“Cotto came to fight and Mayweather comes to run. He makes a boring fight, but a lot of people will buy tickets to see him lose. So it would be a huge fight. I agree, but it would be less exciting than other Manny Pacquiao fights.
“It could be like when Cotto started running in the end, and Manny said, “Do you want to run or do you want to fight?’” - By Abac Cordero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)
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