MANILA, Philippines – Five-time Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach said eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao will make the decision regarding his future after the Christmas holidays.
“(Pacquiao) said, ‘I want to enjoy my family, and then we’ll come back and we’ll take a look at things, and then we’ll make a decision after the holidays,'” Roach said in an interview with RingTV.com.
The trainer said Pacquiao wants “the biggest fight out there,” but did not speculate as to his prized ward’s decision.
“We really have no reason to make a decision in a rush. That’s where he stands,” he said.
Roach said, though, that it will make more sense for Pacquiao to fight the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. than to seek a fourth match against Juan Manuel Marquez.
Pacquiao escaped with a majority decision victory over Marquez last November 12, but his performance was less than stellar and many boxing analysts believe Marquez was the rightful winner of the bout.
“Financially, I think that you’re going to get about $30 million with the one guy, Marquez. You’re going to get $100 million with the other guy, Mayweather. So why wouldn’t you take the $100 million?” Roach said.
“You could fight Marquez any time. I mean, he’s always there. So, the thing is that I don’t think that’s a very hard decision,” he added.
Roach said that Mayweather may be more willing to fight Pacquiao now that the latter had “a bad night” against Marquez.
“If that’s the case, then that’s okay with me,” he said.
