Roach encouraging Khan to fight Pacquiao is not worthy of belief

This story circulating which purports that Coach Freddie Roach is pushing the winner of the Amir Khan-Timothy Bradley fight to take on Manny Pacquiao is a sick joke.

First of all, the veteran Roach would not say it unless he was obviously trying to inflate the value of a Bradley-Khan fight. Since that fight has not even been signed yet, there’s no reason for Roach to hype it.

Second, does anyone in his right mind think Roach would do or say anything which might even possibly disturb his prized pupil Pacman’s final preparations for the May 7 test against Sugar Shane Mosley?

I made repeated efforts to track Coach Roach by phone Monday but did not raise him. In his absence, I spoke with respected p.r. maven, Fred Sterburg.

“Freddie is usually careful with his words,” Sternburg said. “We have a Media Day at the Wild Card so I will see Freddie and Manny then but I don’t see Freddie saying that.

“Maybe it just got misinterpreted, maybe Freddie was just saying that Khan is a top level fighter, a guy who can fight anybody now. Why would Freddie choose sides with two of his own fighters? Besides, Manny has said he’s friends with Amir and is not interested in fighting his friend. Stranger things have happened but I don’t see this…” Advertisement

This story is as flimsy as a house made of short straws.

Third, Khan has gone on record as saying several times that he would not contemplate fighting Pacquiao because of their friendship and because he would not to make Coach Freddie choose between them.

How do you choose one son over another, anyway?

This is not analogous to the Jimmy Ellis-Muhammad Ali situation in any way, shape or form.

I covered that “intramural” bout at the Houston Astrodome and Ali trainer Angelo Dundee temporarily left Ali’s corner to work against “The Greatest” only because he was Ellis’ manager.

The fight was all about getting a good payday for both Ellis and Dundee.

Khan will make plenty of more money without fighting Pacman.

Sometimes, in boxing, we do say never say never but I think Khan-Pacquiao is a nonstarter.

If you want a fourth and final reason, given the continuing friction and litigation between Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum and Khan promoter Golden Boy I think that about wraps it up.

Did I mention how obnoxious and insulting this story is?

It is just not worthy of belief.

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