Freddie Roach: Congressman Manny Pacquiao will KO Floyd Mayweather -- Telegraph

By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk

Freddie Roach was with Amir Khan and a contingent of British media representatives just beside Central Park in New York when he learnt that Manny Pacquiao was close to being confirmed as Congressman for Sarangani Province, in the filipino elections, late on Monday night.

Through Monday, updated reports confirmed that Pacquiao was well ahead of his political rival, Roy Chongbian, a member of the ruling dynasty.

“Pacquiao won, and by landslide victory, I’m told,” said Roach. Was he concerned that Pacquiao could now be distracted ? “I don’t think so. It makes me excited because we are now going to have Congressman Pacquiao knock out Floyd Mayweather,” Roach told The Telegraph.

Roach is convinced that the fight will be made, while promoter Bob Arum is looking for a November 17 date. “I still think it needs to happen. It would be a shame if it didn’t happen. We need the best meeting the best in boxing. We will meet somewhere in the middle and I’m sure we are going to work it out,” he added.

Roach revealed that he had missed a call from The Philippines while conducting a round table interview with Amir Khan, ahead of the British fighter’s second WBA light-welterweight defence against Paulie Malignaggi at the Theater in Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

“I just got a call from The Philippines during the round table. I might have just missed a call from Manny there. I’m sure he’s elated. It’s his ambition to improve his country. I’m not concerned that he will lose his love of boxing. He won’t be distracted. He still knows what he does best. Without boxing, he wouldn’t be where he is today. He knows that. He’s a boxer first. He still has that hunger and hopefully it will now make his fire burn that little bit brighter.”

Meanwhile, promoter Bob Arum had travelled to The Philippines to see Pacquiao, insisting to Michael Marley that: “He [Manny] is different to me than Muhammad Ali was, than Marvin Hagler was, than how any of my other great fighters were.”

“Ali was a wonderful guy, for sure, but I would say Ali was more selfish, more about himself, where Manny is about helping the people, especially the poorest of people.”

“I am so glad the kid won because he deserved to win. He went into his own pocket for a lot of money and he did without thinking of his own financial gain. With all the thrills, all the great champions I have had, this was something really special.”

“I am so proud of this kid, I really am,” Arum said. “I came over thinking he would go down to defeat but he is smart, he learned from his first election and hired smart political people with a grassroots campaign aimed at the poor people who love and identify with his life story. The whole thing is just so wonderful.”

Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk