As Manny Pacquiao confirmed his WBO welterweight title defence against Joshua Clottey, his trainer Freddie Roach continued to accuse Floyd Mayweather Jr of ducking his Filipino charge.
The 31-year-old Pacquiao was scheduled to face Mayweather on March 13, but negotiations broke down over a disagreement on drug testing.
With the absence of a fight to determine the pound-for-pound champion, Pacquiao will now face Joshua Clottey in Dallas on March 13, but legendary trainer Roach still hopes a fight with Mayweather will go ahead further down the line.
“I want to see it,” Roach told ESPN following an extravagant press conference at Cowboys Stadium.
“I want to see Manny kick [Mayweather’s backside], you’ve got to believe me.
“The thing is, he won’t give us that opportunity,” added Roach who also trains Britain’s WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan.
Roach said Mayweather, who is now being linked with a fight against WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley on the same date as Pacquiao-Clottey in Las Vegas, had a track record of avoiding the best fighters in his division.
“He ducked [Antonio] Margarito when he was number one, he ducked Shane Mosley and now he’s ducking Manny,” he said. “He picks and chooses his opponents, let’s face it.”
Pacquiao and Clottey had been introduced to the media on Tuesday at Cowboys Stadium, wearing Dallas Cowboys shirts and flanked by the team’s famous cheerleaders.
“I have never been in a stadium like this,” said Clottey, whose last fight was a split decision defeat to Cotto at Madison Square Garden last June.
“I like Manny, he’s my favourite fighter. It’s going to be a great fight.”
Pacquiao returned the compliment, adding: “He’s a good fighter, he’s a top fighter and he’s bigger than me.
“I have to prepare hard for this fight and train hard and focus.”
