Freddie Roach reveals biggest fear for Pacquiao-Mayweather fight

Manny Pacquiao's long-time trainer Freddie Roach has expressed confidence that his best student has the skills to be the first man to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr.

 

His faith in his ward is so great that the Hall of Fame trainer revealed his greatest concern about the megafight.

 

"My biggest fear is that Mayweather doesn’t stand and fight. That he tries to run and tries to survive," Roach told Sports Illustrated. "He can try, but against Manny he can’t run all night.”

 

Roach declined to detail their game plan against Mayweather, who remains undefeated after 47 fights in his professional career because of his boxing smarts and defensive style.

 

“For the first time in my life I think I’ll keep it kind of private,” the trainer said, even going as far as hiring extra security to limit audiences in workouts. “I don’t want Mayweather to know what we are up to."

 

Roach had disclosed their battle strategy for Pacquiao's previous fights, the most notable of which are the right hook as the foil for Ricky Hatton and speed against Miguel Cotto.

 

Pacquiao won by stoppage against both fighters, but those were his last knockout victories in the past six years.

 

The 55-year-old trainer, however, believes that Mayweather has slowed down enough for Pacman to catch him when they clash on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

 

"I think Manny’s power will overwhelm him," Roach said. "He has never been against someone with the speed of Pacquiao. Seeing it is one thing, dealing with it is another thing.” —Marisse Panaligan/JST, GMA News