Exclusive Interview at Wild Card Gym, HOLLYWOOD, California – In what could have been a closed-door negotiations between the camps of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, non-negotiating parties close
to both outposts trade whistling blows and barbs, though seemingly at low intensity level. Less than what is intriguing is Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s celebrated trainer, who seems retreating from believing that a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight will happen before the close of this year. Worse, Roach never backs down his less than hostile but penetrating tirades.
In an exclusive interview with Associated Content – Yahoo at 10:45 this morning, Roach says “I am no longer sure if the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight will ever happen”.
“I do not know what’s going on now in the negotiations,” Roach says in his usual soft voice over the counter at the front desk of his small but famous gym. “But, whoever they will choose, I’ll just do my job as a trainer.”
Roach hints to this writer of the false quotes being made by some writers, using his name with controversial issues to drive more traffic to their websites.
“I rather not comment anymore about the Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations,” he adds.”There are a lot of false statements in the internet and they are using me to get more hits.”
On the other hand, as reported by my fellow Examiner, Michael Marley, early last month, Michael Koncz, Pacman’s top adviser, says he will keep his mouth shut so that Pacquiao-Mayweather mega bout gets made, not unmade.
“Freddie Roach, Top rank officials and Mayweather reps must do the same,” Konz adds in an article written by Marley during an exclusive interview which transpired at the residence of Pacquiao in Mindanao, Philippines, thanks to the infamous Examiner.
In a lighter vein contrary to what Dan Rafael of ESPN wrote in recent weeks that Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiation is a “done deal”, Arum remains struggling over the financial issue of the negotiation, according to unconfirmed reports from the core negotiators, Arum and Schaefer, as disclosed to the public in the past weeks in the internet by an unknown news agent.
Media abuzz in the internet about 14 days window for drug testing and also the issue on 52-48 profit-sharing percentage in favor of Mayweather over Pacquiao, which the latter is not likely to agree, according to Roach.
Meanwhile, Roach readies himself for his flight tomorrow to New York City to claim the most coveted “Trainer of
the Year” which he won fourth time around from the Boxing Writers Association of America. The said award is
named after his mentor, Eddie Futch. Roach says he will meet Pacquiao in New York, whereby the latter has just arrived last night from the Philippines to claim the “Fighter of the Decade Award” from the same prestigious organization to be held this Friday, June 4, at Roosevelt Hotel of the same city.
Published: Nevada Examiner Newspaper
