By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
Just after New Year, and up to the days before Manny Pacquiao used Joshua Clottey like a wooden heavy bag, in a prize fighting ring dwarfed in the vast cavernous city stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, Freddie Roach spoke to me more than once, impressing on me the fact that lightning-fisted Pacquiao would face Shane Mosley if he had to.
But in his heart of hearts, Roach knew that he could not back Mosley to beat Mayweather. This week he has delivered his counsel. Mayweather on points. The reason ? Styles. “Mosley likes guys coming at him, that’s why he looked so good against [Antonio] Margarito, but it is not the same story when he fights counter-punchers.”
“Manny wanted to face Margarito after he beat Oscar De La Hoya. Margarito suited Mosley down to his bootlaces. Mayweather won’t do that. Mayweather will bide his time, and he’ll be quicker than Mosley.”
“Mayweather is a brilliant boxer, but he’s not a crowd pleaser. It may not be a great fight.” Roach admits that he wants Mayweather to look at his peak – as he did in his last outing against Juan Manuel Marquez, although he was around 20lbs heavier – and believes the fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao, will be made.
Compromises, of course, will have to be reached. “Manny wants the fight. The drug testing issue is there, but we’ll come to an agreement. I’d like Manny to fight Mayweather next, if Mayweather wins, and then retire after that fight. It would be the greatest test for Manny, and he would have to fight the perfect fight. I think Manny has nowhere to go after that, and I’m just pleased he has lots of interests and businesses outside the sport.”
Deep down, several times when I have spoken to Roach about Mayweather-Pacquiao, there is the sense from him that it is almost a step too far for Pacquiao, given the natural differences in size, and yet he wants to stretch his charge of 9 years with every sinew to get the most from him. And Mayweather as opponent might just do that. I know behind the scenes that Pacquiao is genuinely angry with the Mayweathers and how they have couched certain claims against him. Angry enough to want to turn that energy spiteful in a ring.
However, if Mayweather-Pacquiao doesn’t happen, Roach can foresee two more fights for Pacquiao, potentially involving Juan Manuel Marquez, or Antonio Margarito. For the next two weeks, however, Pacquiao has other things on his mind: like being elected as the congressional representative in Sarangani Province, Mindanao, the birthplace of his wife Jinkee, and the residence of his in-laws.
In the next two weeks, over the space of ten days between May 1 and May 10 the paths of Pacquiao and Mayweather may become inextricably linked, or forever frozen and divided. For millions of sports fan around the world, the hope is that the two masterful ring exponents will meet in a ring in the US, and herald the fight of this generation.
Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment