Boxing trainer and hall of famer, Freddie Roach is looking forward to seeing the return of his number 1 fighter, Manny Pacquiao. Roach has taken Pacquiao to world titles in 8 divisions and most recently guided Pacquiao to a dominate victory over rival Timothy Bradley, a fight that saw the 37 year old Pacquiao look as good as ever.
In part 2 of my ?On The Ropes? with Freddie Roach, I discuss the probable return of Manny Pacquiao and what options he sees out there for his fighter. Roach also talks about Pacquiao?s previous bout against Bradley and if he wants to see a Mayweather Trilogy. Additionally Freddie speaks on his stable of fighters and their upcoming fights. Here is what Freddie Roach had to say.
Jenna J: Manny Pacquiao is coming off of an impressive win over Timothy Bradley in April. How did you feel about his performance?
Freddie Roach: I thought it was one of his best performances in a long time. I saw a little bit of the old Manny, he came back very well, he had a little bit of that killer instinct back and I really liked that fight. Now I?m hearing rumors about another fight but nothing definite yet.
Manny hasn?t called me yet, so there?s nothing that I have to worry about at this point, but if he does decide to fight again, he will call me and we?ll go over the opponent and who it may be. There?s a lot of rumors out there, but Manny still has a lot of fight left in him and the way that he trained for the last fight and the way he fought the last fight, I know he has at least two really good fights left in him.
Jenna J: Do you still see a chance of the Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch ever happening?
Freddie Roach: That?s probably the only reason that we?re staying in the game, because we do want a rematch with Mayweather and we would like to get that. Mayweather has been to my gym a couple of times and I saw him at a restaurant in LA one time and he took pictures with my friends, he was very polite and very nice.
Mayweather told me he hasn?t trained a day since he retired and I said, ?Hey, I thought you were a gym rat, you?re always in the gym,? and he said, ?I haven?t worked out a day since I retired.? I told him, ?There?s still some big fights out there for you.? I didn?t ask him about Manny at all but I don?t know the real reason why he?s coming by to visit. He doesn?t want me to be his trainer I don?t think, but I thought maybe it was for him and Manny to get together one more time.
I know Manny wants the rematch really bad, Manny thought he won the first fight and if you look at it with no commentating, you watch and see him landing more punches. I still was a little disappointed in Manny?s performance but now he?s one hundred percent and I think at one hundred percent, he will destroy him.
Jenna J: Freddie, if you had to bet, do you think just Pacquiao comes back or both of them?
Freddie Roach: To be honest, I think they both come back because of the money issues. Manny is too generous and he gives his money away and Mayweather seems to spend a lot of money ? he just bought a house in LA. I think the money issue could help both of them, so Manny can build more hospitals, schools and churches.
Manny is a really good guy and when you can bet a million dollars on basketball games, to me that?s maybe a little bit reckless but Mayweather seems to be able to do that. If you can bet a million dollars, you better be able to lose it because you don?t always win. There?s a lot of money on the table still, and I still think the fight does really well. If we get Mayweather after our next fight, it?s like a dream come true.
Jenna J: Can you let fans know about some of the young fighters you?re currently working with?
Freddie Roach: Frankie Gomez is just getting back in the gym, he just had a very good win in his last fight, he?s going to be something to deal with in the 140lb division, when I get him to 140lb.
I do have some really good young prospects, I just took over the featherweight champion of the world from Argentina, he?s a really strong kid. His next fight may be in Texas or Las Vegas against Abner Mares. I don?t have a date on that fight but the kid is very strong, great puncher, huge featherweight. He has a little trouble making weight but as long as he stays on his diet, it?s no problem.
