NEW YORK ? Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, in town Wednesday for the screening of his new HBO series, On Freddie Roach, says he wants to see his fighter, Manny Pacquiao, fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. as much as anyone.
“We’ve been chasing this guy for two years,” Roach told USA TODAY. “I hope the Mayweather fight happens as much as the fans do.
“Bob Arum is in the Philippines now discussing the options. I’m not sure how deep we are in negotiations with other fighters.” MORE: Money to Pacman: ‘I’m calling you out, let’s fight’
Those “other” fighters include Juan Manuel Marquez, Lamont Peterson, Timothy Bradley and Miguel Cotto. Marquez and Pacquiao have fought three times and Cotto has fought Pacquiao once.
Roach also feels time may be running out for a May 5 fight, which is what Mayweather wants, since he has the MGM Grand Garden Arena reserved for that date.
Mayweather had a 90-day jail sentence, originally scheduled to begin Jan. 6, pushed back to June 1 so he could fight on May 5, which happens to be the Mexican independence celebration of Cinco de Mayo.
“I just don’t know about the time period,” said Roach, who will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 9. There are a lot of negotiations here. Purse size, glove size, ring size.
“I don’t know if there is enough time to promote it correctly.”
Roach, whose HBO series premieres on Jan. 20, is also not sure Pacquiao could be ready to fight by May 5th. “It’s rushing a little bit,” the five-time Trainer of the Year said.
Roach has no doubts that Pacquiao would beat Mayweather, but says, “I am very confident we’re going to have to fight a great fight. I know that.”
He says people who believe Pacquiao is slipping because of his close decision victory against Marquez in November, are not looking at the big picture.
“A lot of people are looking at the last fight,” Roach said. “But that’s the only bad fight he’s had in 10 years.”
