[EXCLUSIVE] Freddie Roach: "Manny has got to Fight Mayweather!"

[Reason]

Manny Pacquiao is scared of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

[COVID-19]

Roach exclusive: Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather most important fight for 30 years and must happen
By Gareth A Davies
Boxing and MMA
January 23rd, 2010

Freddie Roach has spoken to Telegraph Sport in depth about his exasperation in dealings behind the scenes in getting the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight to come to fruition. Roach told me: “The bottom line is that we don’t really need him, Manny could have two more fights, in between go to the election in the Philippines, make another 20 million US dollars, and retire. We really don’t need Mayweather. There are easier fights out there for Manny.”

But in reality, Roach, and Pacquiao, insisted to me that they want this fight because the Filipino wants the ultimate test, which Mayweather would provide. “Look, this is a fight the world wants to see, I want to see, Manny wants to see, and it would be a real shame for boxing fans, and casual sports fans, all over the world, if it does not happen. I have been through this before – and I hope we come out the other end with a positive from both sides.”

Roach also revealed that Pacquiao and he had planned to train exclusively in LA for the Mayweather fight, originally slated for March 13, having decided to forego the portion of the training camp in The Philippines., held last time at Baguio City. “There are so many pressures on him when he trains there, because of the demands on him from all quarters. We had put together the idea of training exclusively here at the Wild Card.”

“Manny got the green light over his busted eardrum [sustained in his victory over Miguel Cotto last November], and we had planned an early January press conference and then we were going straight into training camp.”

Roach also told Telegraph Sport that the insinuations over PEDs levelled at Pacquiao were hurtful – and believes they were a systematic ploy from Mayweather and his adviser Leonard Ellerbe: “It’s kind of a shame in today’s society that people are always looking for a negative. Why can’t Paulie Malignaggi and Floyd Mayweather just say Manny’s a good fighter, because that’s all he is…he’s a good fighter. He’s the most honest guy I’ve known, he doesn’t like taking anything. He has never taken drugs. I know him really well. I’ve been with him and around him since 2001. I have problems getting him to take vitamins, and he doesn’t like needles. I know it’s out there, and people are saying ‘why wouldn’t he take a blood test, and they think we’re hiding something. He does not react well to having blood taken. He’s weak for three days, afterwards. Some people pass out after blood being taken. Maybe it’s not physical, but it bothers him mentally. We can’t have that five days or three days out from the fight. [With calls for random blood tests from Mayweather right up to the day before the fight]. I don’t want to send my fighter in there feeling weak mentally or physically, so we would not agree to that.”

“Ellerbe says he wants a level playing fields. Ok, we’ll tie one of Manny’s hands behind his back,” joked Roach, now preparing Pacquiao to face Ghanaian Joshua Clottey instead on March 13, in Arlington, Texas, at the NFL home of the Cowboys.

“I think that was their ploy all along, to get under our skin. Who is Mayweather ? He’s just the opponent, not the champion. If this fight doesn’t happen, these two guys will be known as the fighters who avoided each other, and did not make it happen. In my view, it has to happen for the sake of boxing. It simply has to happen.”

Roach making excuses Manny again, no surprises there.

[Ace Boogie]

iT AIINT FLOYD AND IT AINT MANNY THE #1 REASON THIS AINT HAPPENING IS BOB ARUM, NUFF SAID

[MindBat]

Manny Pacquiao is scared of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

You think? Manny's fans had to call out Floyd on live TV when Manny couldn't answer the simple question Max posed to him.

[Reason]

You think? Manny's fans had to call out Floyd on live TV when Manny couldn't answer the simple question Max posed to him.

Because Shane Mosley and that Crackhead B-Hop attacked him,
Oh well The Sugar Man is gonna pay for that anyway
Then when Pacquiao grows a pair he'll get his ass taxed too

[Reason]

You think? Manny's fans had to call out Floyd on live TV when Manny couldn't answer the simple question Max posed to him.

Also Floyd has called out Manny numerous times, Manny just says "talk to my promoter."
What a *****

[MindBat]

Also Floyd has called out Manny numerous times, Manny just says "talk to my promoter."
What a *****

Same with Cotto. I think they're told by Arum not to call anyone out at the end of their fights. But when your own fans have to call out another fighter
on your behalf when you won't give a satisfying reply, that just tells you what the answer is. But he wouldn't say it.

[$partacus]

look at the polls all over this site ! pac is an all time great. top 10 of all time and where is floyd ?

Where's the poll with people voting Pac top 10 ATG? He's no way top 10.

edit: i just remembered that Pac fans voted Pac #2 ATG ahead of Ali, so there probably is a poll with him voted a top 10. It just proves that most Pac fans are not fans of the sport itself.

[SkillspayBills]

Just makes the fight EVEN BIGGER after their next respective bouts. The 24/7 should be 5-6 episodes instead of four. Now that I think about it it gets pretty repetitive after 2 eps so maybe not.

[Reason]

Same with Cotto. I think they're told by Arum not to call anyone out at the end of their fights. But when your own fans have to call out another fighter
on your behalf when you won't give a satisfying reply, that just tells you what the answer is. But he wouldn't say it.

He couldnt say anything you idiot because Kellerman wouldnt let him speak and Mosley was shouting at him like a ******