2014 Boxing News: As Cold War Ends, Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Fight on Horizon, According to Freddie Roach
Legendary Boxing trainer Freddie Roach really believed Floyd Mayweather will eventually accept to take on his prized-fighter Manny Pacquiao in September, if everything falls in place. Though no one really considers the trainer's comment seriously, the showdown of the century might really happen soon as Oscar De La Hoya expresses his desire to end the "cold war" in boxing.
Roach, who guided Pacquiao to become only the first boxer to win world championship in eight different weight divisions, really believed that Pacquiao vs. Mayweather slugfest boxing fans are craving for will finally take place.
"I think we're closer and closer to a Mayweather fight," Roach said in an interview with Michael Woods of The Sweet Science via Yahoo Sports. "It's only rumors now, but I think the rumors will come true. I don't think either Manny or Mayweather has anywhere else to go."
Trash Talking Continues
In the wake of Pacquiao's comment about Mayweather's tendency to run away from other high-profile fighters like him, the Grand Rapids native responded quickly, explaining his point why he doesn't want to meet the former pound-for-pound champion inside the ring.
Mayweather said Pacquiao only wanting him now because he's already declining and currently dealing tax problems both in the Philippines and the United States.
"I offered Manny Pacquiao the fight before. We didn't see eye to eye on terms, as far as with random blood and urine testing," said Mayweather. "Years later, we come back and I try and make the fight happen again. I offer him $40 million. He said he wanted 50-50. So we didn't make the fight happen.
"Manny Pacquiao all of a sudden, he loses to Timothy Bradley, he loses to Marquez. He has tax problems now. So, two losses and tax problems later, now he all of a sudden want to say, 'You know what? I'd do anything to make the fight happen,' when he's really saying, 'Floyd, can you help me solve my tax problems, get me out of debt?,'" said Mayweather.
The Bottom Line
No matter how Mayweather tried to fend off Pacquiao, there will come a day when he would have to look at Pacquiao's resume and his capacity to give him more millions than anybody in the sport. And Roach, a veteran in this business, senses that. He knows that Mayweather will soon run out of worthy, big-drawer opponent as Golden Boy Promotion's pool of welterweight talents runs dry.
For more Boxing News 2014, read more at IBT Sports.
