By Rick Reeno
Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay - Freddie Roach, who trains eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao, believes there is too much money at stake for rematch not to happen with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
After five years of anticipation, the two fighters finally met in the ring on May 2nd and Mayweather won a twelve round unanimous decision. Besides generating a crushing figure of 4.6 million pay-per-view buys, the event broke every financial record in the sport.
Shortly after that fight was over, the controversy began when it was revealed that Pacquiao entered the contest with an injured right shoulder.
Pacquiao claims to have suffered further injury, to the right shoulder, during the fourth round of the contest. He underwent surgery a few days later and is now expected to return in early 2016.
Roach had tried to stop the fight, and admits everyone around him was not even considering the idea of a postponement - including Pacquiao.
“I was the one who tried to not let the fight happen, but I got out-voted by Manny, [Pacquiao's manager Michael] Koncz, by everybody. They said if they don’t fight now, they might never fight. I didn’t want that to happen," Roach said.
Roach believes that if Pacquiao looks good in his next fight, a rematch with Mayweather could very well happen.
Mayweather retired in September after a decision win over Andre Berto and continues to stands firm that he'll never fight again. Pacquiao claims that his upcoming fight will also be his last.
If they do come together for a second fight, there won't be as much money as the first time around, but they will certainly make more against each other than against anyone else.
“Manny needs to fight, win, come out healthy and show the world his shoulder is 100%. “If he does, I think we can get Mayweather," Roach said. "I don’t see Floyd, and Manny, leaving all that money on the table. If Manny looks good, even if it’s $100 million for Mayweather instead of $300 million, that’s a lot of money. The way Mayweather spends money, and the way Manny is so generous with his, I would hate for either to go broke. This is a way for them to not go broke.”
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