Thursday, May 6, 2010

Roach on Pacquiao-Mayweather: “It’s going to happen”


Boxing fans who have been salivating for megafight matchup between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. will finally be able to stop their clamoring.

"Yeah, it's going to happen," said Pacquiao coach Freddie Roach in an interview at Sports Radio 790 The Zone, an ESPN affiliate radio station. He also confirmed "they are willing to meet halfway and will definitely make the blood test after the fight."


Roach has yet to announce when the fight is going to happen. "I just talked to Bob Arum and he is flying to the Philippines the soonest possible time to make Manny the offer and we are trying to make this work as best as we can."

The megafight between the two boxers who both claimed to be the Best "Pound For Pound" Boxer was supposed to take place last March 13.

However, negotiations failed because Mayweather's camp insisted that Pacquiao undergo pre-fight drug and blood testing outside of the Las Vegas boxing commission's schedule. Pacquiao's camp refused to have Mayweather arbitrarily dictate the testing dates.

Instead of a Pacquaio-Mayweather matchup the Pacman fought Ghanian boxer Joshua Clottey on March 13, and Mayweather went on to fight – and defeat – Shane Mosley on May 1.


In a response quoted at ESPN.com, Pacquiao said: "I do not want anyone having an unfair advantage where someone may get hurt. I am willing to do my part to help this sport out." The boxer is currently in the final days of his congressional campaign.


Roach believes Pacquiao would definitely finish off Mayweather. "If Pacquiao catches [Mayweather], he will finish him," said Roach, who assured that he will come up with a perfect game plan.


But the coach is not underestimating Mayweather. "One thing about Mayweather," Roach said a GMAnews.tv report, "he is very good at what he does. He's very clever. He sees well."

By Izah Morales, Yahoo! Southeast Asia Thursday May 6, 2010 12:13 pm PHT

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Pacquiao a one-dimensional amateur - Floyd Jr.


By: bac Cordero (The Philippine Star)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr.: “I think Pacquiao gave the fans a boring fight..."

HOLLYWOOD – Floyd Mayweather Jr. was probably sitting comfortably in his Las Vegas mansion watching Manny Pacquiao battle – or, to put it better, batter – Joshua Clottey for 12 rounds last Saturday in Dallas.

Mayweather liked what he saw in the sense that Pacquiao, according to the ex-pound-for-pound champion, was exposed on that cold night as being a “one-dimensional fighter” who he also described as “an amateur.”

In an article that just came out of cagereport.com, Mayweather, hot on a comeback trail and out to regain the lofty title he once held, mentioned things that might soon force Pacquiao to fight him under any condition.

“Personally, I think Pacquiao got exposed in that fight for being one-dimensional,” he said.

“You can have all (the) offense ability in the world but with no defense you’re not going to last long against a good counter puncher such as myself. Look at the way Clottey was getting through, each time he threw something it landed.”

He may be right that Clottey, despite spending most of the time covering up, did land some beautiful punches that caught Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach by surprise, and that the Ghanaian would have done better if only he threw more punches.

Mayweather said despite the low volume of punches Pacquiao took from Clottey, the 31-year-old Filipino welterweight champion walked out of the Cowboys Stadium bearing signs of a tough fight, with some swelling and welts under his right eye.

“Then at the end Pacquiao was all busted up. When’s the last time you’ve seen my face all messed up like that? That’s the difference between an amateur and a true pound-for-pound boxer,” he said.

“I think Pacquiao gave the fans a boring fight. He was punching his arms for all 12 rounds. At least when you watch Floyd Mayweather you know you’ll be seeing non-stop action for 30 minutes straight and that’s what you’ll see on May 1st,” the undefeated fighter said.

Mayweather said the 51,000 fans who came to watch “The Event” in Dallas will see the difference when he gets to face World Boxing Association welterweight champion Shane Mosley on May 1 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

He said the people will have to judge for themselves.

“The attendance numbers ain’t nothing compared to what I have drawn in the past or what I would have drawn if that was me in the ring that night, everybody knows that. Half those seats were empty in the back and people say Pacquiao is a draw?”

Mayweather, despite a long layoff which he ended with a knockout win over Juan Manuel Marquez last September, now considers himself as the biggest draw, and will again prove that once he gets into the ring with Pacquiao.

The fight almost happened but disagreements over the conduct of drug testing derailed the fight that the whole world wants to see. Sooner or later tough, it should happen simply because it’s too big to be ignored and shelved.

“Let’s not forget who generated a revenue of $2.5 million in one fight alone. The only reason why he’s popular is because he’s an ethnic minority and from the Philippines so it’s something special. If he was from Africa he would be just another boxer,” he said.

Mayweather also justified his demand for Olympic-style drug-testing.

“The thing is I am just looking out for the good of the sport, everyone should compete on a fair level but he (Pacquiao) doesn’t want that. I’m not going to say what he is or isn’t on but lets just say that HGH is one hell of a drug. All roads lead to Floyd Mayweather, we all know that,” he said.

“If he wants to fight me, he doesn’t have to look far. Just look for the biggest mansion in Vegas and that’s me. The matter of the fact is I put the offer on the table. Once I get Mosley out of the way then we’ll see what Pacquiao has to say. Until then I don’t want to hear about him.”

When everything has been said and done, Mayweather has no choice but to beat Mosley - if he can. And then he can call out Pacquiao’s name.

And the fight might just take place.