While Freddie Roach has a say in the choice of who Manny Pacquiao fights, Roach prefers Ricky Hatton of England as Pacquiao?s next foe should the Filipino star gets past David Diaz on June 28 in Las Vegas.
“Manny can fight him at 137 or 138 lbs,” Roach told the Bulletin yesterday.
But before Roach could start salivating over seeing Pacquiao collide with the ultra-aggressive Hatton, the 48-year-old cornerman insists Diaz could derail that idea.
“There?s this guy Diaz to take care of and I am not personally taking him lightly because he is a legit 135-pounder and he is a southpaw and Manny doesn?t enjoy fighting lefthanders like him,” said Roach, who arrived back in Los Angeles Monday night after a whirlwind visit to the country.
Aside from Hatton, Roach drools over seeing Pacquiao grant Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico a third fight, looks forward to work the corner of Pacquiao possibly against the winner of the proposed Joel Casamayor versus Juan Diaz lightweight scuffle and expresses amazement in talks that rising British lightweight Amir Khan has been mentioned as a possible Pacquiao foe.
“Amir Khan?” Roach asked his long-distance caller.
“They should give him a couple of more fights,” said Roach.
The 5-10 undefeated Khan, 17-0 with 13 knockouts, was the silver medalist in the 2004 Athens Olympics and is the reigning Commonwealth 135 lb titleholder.
Of Pakistani lineage, Khan “is a modest, personable young man with a big talent,” said The Observer, England?s premier newspaper.
Roach expects Pacquiao to report for training for the Diaz fight in the first week of May.
Diaz?s World Boxing Council lightweight crown will be on the line in a bout that takes place at the Mandalay Bay.
