Suddenly eager to avoid the feuding Mayweather family, Oscar De La Hoya has chosen Freddie Roach as his trainer for a May 5 super welterweight title fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Floyd Mayweather Sr., who has trained De La Hoya since late 2000, turned down an offer to be in the boxer’s corner against his estranged son.
De La Hoya confirmed Tuesday that he offered Mayweather Sr. a $500,000 guarantee and $500,000 if he wins. Mayweather Sr. called it insulting, and demanded $2 million.
Tickets for the fight at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas sold out in three hours last weekend. De La Hoya is expected to make a guarantee in excess of $20 million and will share in the pay-per-view profits.
But he said Mayweather Sr.’s price “had no impact whatsoever” on his decision to dump him.
“I really didn’t feel he was going to be as passionate as I’m going to be,” De La Hoya said in a conference call from Puerto Rico, where he has begun conditioning work.
“How is he going to feel when we’re in the middle of training camp and some of his family members call him and say, `Don’t do it.’ I don’t want no distractions. This is the fight of my life.”
And De La Hoya said he didn’t feel comfortable getting in the middle of the feuding father and son, who rarely speak. Mayweather Jr. uses his uncle, Roger Mayweather, as his trainer, but Mayweather Sr. has said he would work for his son if he asked.
“If he goes and trains his son, I’d actually be happy for his son,” De La Hoya said. “At least I did some good for the family. You hate to see a father and son apart for so many years.”
De La Hoya said he has a call into Mayweather Sr. to explain his decision.
“I didn’t feel comfortable training against his son,” he said. “Ultimately, what matters here is me winning this fight. Freddie Roach was the guy I felt who was going to take me to that victory.”
Roach is a 46-year-old former boxer who once trained Mike Tyson and whose star pupil is Manny Pacquiao, the WBC international super featherweight champion who gave Roach his blessing.
In late February, Roach will relocate to Puerto Rico to train De La Hoya, while leaving Pacquiao and his other boxers in the care of an assistant.
“This is a huge opportunity for me,” Roach said. “You’re going to see the best Oscar De La Hoya in your life fighting Floyd Mayweather.”
De La Hoya declined to disclose his financial arrangement with Roach.
Previously, De La Hoya had said he wouldn’t fight without Mayweather Sr. in his corner.
“He does have the tools necessary to show me how to beat his son,” he said.
But De La Hoya was quick to point out Roach’s selling points.
“He’s a great strategist and he knows how to dissect the opponent. That’s what I need in my career,” he said. “I need that sense of secureness. Freddie is a secure trainer when he’s in the corner.”
De La Hoya knows the outspoken Mayweather Sr., who brags that he’s the greatest trainer in the world, likely won’t be able to keep quiet in coming months.
“We have such an understanding together. When Floyd makes some negative comments, he really doesn’t mean them,” he said. “He’s a good guy.”
Will De La Hoya eventually reunite with the elder Mayweather?
“I don’t even know if I’m going to fight again after this,” he said. “It all depends on how I feel.”
