Roach: “I Give Juan [Marquez] a Chance but a Small Chance” – to beat Mayweather

By Eric Thomas: Freddie Roach isn’t very high on the chances of Juan Manuel Marquez against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on September 19th. Indeed, it looks as if Roach, the trainer for Manny Pacquiao, isn’t giving Marquez much of any chance to beat Mayweather. This is what Roach has to say about Marquez’s chances against Mayweather:

“I give Juan a chance but a small chance. I don’t really see Marquez winning. I did hear that Floyd got his a$$ kicked in the gym the other day (against Lamont Peterson). Do I believe that story? No, not really but its fun to hear about it,” according to Michael Marley from Examiner.com.

Obviously, Roach isn’t the only one that isn’t giving Marquez much if any chance to beat Mayweather. Most of the boxing writers that I’ve read predictions from see Mayweather winning the fight without too many problems. Roach, however, isn’t quite sure whether Mayweather will be able to take this fight or not.

One of Roach’s concerns about Mayweather, besides Floyd’s long two year lay off from boxing, is that Mayweather has had two rotator cuff surgeries on one of his shoulders. “That could affect Floyd. I don’t know which shoulder it is but he is always rolling those shoulders,” Roach said.

Surgery as serious as a rotator cuff operation is very serious, because it often leaves the shoulder area much weaker than it previously was before the surgery. Not only is the shoulder weaker, but the range of motion if often reduced as well. In real terms, what this means for a boxer like Mayweather is that he’s unable to throw punches with that arm with as much speed or power than before.

The fact that Mayweather has had two surgeries on this shoulder, whichever one that was affected, is even more worrisome. The shoulder must really be a lot weaker than it was. Mayweather, no doubt, doesn’t want to comment on this and give away his secrets to the media and to Marquez.

However, this is something that can’t be a good thing for Mayweather. Jeff Lacy suffered a shoulder injury in his fight with Vitali Tsypko in 2006, which later on require rotator cuff surgery. After the procedure, Lacy’s left hook, which was by far Jeff’s most lethal weapon in his offensive arsenal, was never close to being the same.

Lacy’s once lethal power was all but gone in his left shoulder and his range of motion seems less. Now, Mayweather isn’t a big power puncher, but he does rely on power at times to take out his opponents. His surgically repaired shoulder will likely have a big effect on his hand speed for whichever arm was affected.

Vitali Klitschko tore his rotator cuff in his left shoulder in a bout with Chris Byrd in April 2000. However, the after effects on Vitali was negligible because it involved his left shoulder and he was never a particularly fast puncher or a big puncher with his left arm. However, it likely didn’t improve Vitali’s speed or power in that arm; you could say that much about it.

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