When Manny Pacquiao walks up to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. he will know that no man has left the ring victorious before him. Every boxer has failed against the American, but not every other boxer has had Freddie Roach as Coach. Roach and Pacquiao have gone reclusive at the Wild Card Gym to get the most out of their training period before the big fight on May 2.
Roach believes by the time he is done with Pacquiao he would have created a fighter capable of handling the best of Mayweather.
Roach told BoxingScene, “I know what his favourite punch is and I will like it when he uses it against Manny Pacquiao because Manny; I think the southpaw stance will help him,” He further added, “I think he’ll take advantage of it but it’s gotta be precise, it’s gotta be timing. It’s gotta be almost perfect. I mean, you have no room for error with this fight.”
What Roach is referring to is most probably Mayweather’s ‘check-hook’, a right-handed shot. In order to formulate a strategy, Roach has studied every nook and cranny of Mayweather’s old fights starting from Oscar De La Hoya.
He said, “I’m studying from De La Hoya to now. I have been doing the more recent stuff lately and I have seen some things, some mistakes, some habits that he has developed recently. He is not the same as when he fought Oscar that time but the similarities are there.”
Roach is of the impression that Mayweather has gotten weak over the years and is not the same invincible guy he once was.
“I think he’s slowed down quite a bit. I think he has to take breaks. He can’t move fluidly for 12 rounds like he used to. His legs are a problem,” Roach added.
