Sports Radio Interviews

Freddie Roach: “The Mayweather fight has to happen first before we retire for sure.”

This weekend Manny Pacquiao will step back into the boxing ring for the first time since his destruction of Miguel Cotto.  However, this was the date that was supposed to pit the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport of boxing against each other.   The talks broke down between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao needed to find himself a new opponent for the first ever fight at the new Cowboys Stadium.  His opponent is Joshua Clottey.  Although Clottey is coming off a loss in his last fight against Miguel Cotto, Clottey is one of the best welterweights in boxing and really the only opponent left for Pacquaio to defeat that is not named Mayweather.

Freddie Roach joined ESPN Radio in Dallas with Galloway and Company to talk about how different it’s going to be to fight in a football stadium, why they decided to pick Joshua Clottey to fight after the Mayweather talks fell through, and addresses the rumors about the possibility of Manny Pacquiao retiring after this fight.

On getting ready to fight in a football stadium:

“It is a little bit different.  We’re used to the Vegas-type atmosphere, but this is going to be a great change.  It’ll probably be the biggest crowd we’ve ever fought in front of.”

On why they decided to pick Joshua Clottey as opposed to somebody else:

“Well, we had to pick somebody credible of course because of the disappointment that we lost that Mayweather fight.  This guy is number one in the world, a lot of people thought he beat Cotto, and he is the most dangerous guy out there.  The thing is for Manny Pacquiao right now we need challenges.  If we don’t have a challenge in front of us, it’s not worth it.  The thing is Manny wants to beat the best and fight the best and that’s what we’re doing.”

On whether Pacquiao has had a lackluster camp because he wasn’t preparing for Mayweather:

“No.  Pacquiao doesn’t take anyone lightly.  Condition-wise, work ethic-wise it’s the exact same as anyone in the world…as if we were fighting Mayweather or anyone else.  He doesn’t take anyone lightly.  The only thing that changed was the game plan a little bit, the strategy for the fight and the sparring partners were a big change of course.  It’s a different game plan basically but motivation-wise it’s not a problem.”

On whether or not the next fight will be against Mayweather if both guys win:

“We have to.  Where else are we gonna go?  We can fight (Edwin) Valero, we can fight (Juan Manuel) Marquez again, but all those fights mean nothing to the public.  Everyone wants to see Mayweather-Pacquiao.  That fight has to happen and I can’t see it not happening.  Too much money involved, too much at stake, and boxing needs that fight.”

On whether or not he thinks Mayweather is afraid to get his first loss:

“I think he’s afraid of getting that first loss.  I don’t think he’s quite the fighter that he once was.  He was a good fighter at one time, but you look at the (Ricky) Hatton fight where he struggled for six rounds before the knockout.  Then he struggled with Oscar (De La Hoya) throughout the fight and Manny demolished both guys.  I don’t think he’s quite the fighter that he used to be at 135 or 140.  At 47 and 54, he’s not as effective and not as fast of course.  I think I have the right style to beat him but it’s a very difficult task though because he is very smart at what he does.”

On the talk of Pacquiao possibly retiring after this fight:

“Only if Mayweather doesn’t come to the table.  The thing is that’s the fight that we want.  Get Mayweather in the ring and I want Manny to finish on top and that would be it.  But the thing is the Mayweather fight has to happen first before we retire for sure.”

Listen to Freddie Roach on ESPN Dallas here

Tags: Boxing, ESPN Dallas, Freddie Roach, Galloway and Company, Joshua Clottey, Manny Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao vs Joshua Clottey