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Monday, December 5, 2011

Roach Wants Pacquiao To Fight Mayweather Then Retire


THe five-time Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach, the ideal career scenario for his best fighter, pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, will be to fight and defeat WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., then retire.

"I'd like to get Mayweather next, beat him and call it a day," Roach said in an interview with BoxingScene. "That'll be the icing on the cake."


Roach said in a previous interview with ESPN that Pacquiao has not shown any signs of decline and can fight 10 more times. This time, he hopes that Pacquiao will only need to step in the ring two more times: first against Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) and finally, against the undefeated Mayweather. 

"It's the fight I want," Roach said. "I want to see that fight as badly as all of you. He's a challenge and I love challenges."

Negotiations for a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout have twice fallen apart, after disagreements on both sides regarding the issue of Olympic style random blood and urine testing. Recently, however, Mayweather announced through his adviser that he plans to make a return to the ring on May 5, 2012, and wants to put on "the biggest fight ever." Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather's adviser, hinted that they may be pursuing a mega-fight with Pacquiao, which would be the most lucrative bout in boxing.

Roach adds that he will not make the final decision for Pacquiao. "That's my own thoughts, not Manny's," he said. Pacquiao has repeatedly said that he does not feel the need to fight Mayweather. "If that fight happens, well, it's good because that's what the fans want. If the fight doesn't happen, I'm also happy because I'm already satisfied with what I have done in boxing," he said.

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