By Chris Williams: For weeks now Freddie Roach, the trainer for WBO 147lb champion Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), has been bragging about him having designed the perfect fool-proof strategy for Pacquiao to defeat WBA/WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (47-0, 26 KOs), and not surprisingly many boxing fans have gotten caught up in what Roach has been saying.
Roach has single-handedly convinced a lot of the fans of the sport that Pacquiao has what it takes to go out and defeat Mayweather this Saturday on May 2nd. Roach’s arguments for Pacquiao’s success in this fight have been so convincing that many wise fans now believe that Pacquiao is better than Mayweather in every facet of the game.
You can make an argument that Roach is in the wrong line of business, because he would have done well as a used car salesman. He’s done a great job of selling Pacquiao to the public and convincing many of them that the 36-year-old Filipino star can not only KO Mayweather but also out-box him.
“Manny is definitely ready for this fight. We’ve had a great strategy. We’ve actually really worked on this fight together,” Roach said via ESPN.com. “Manny took me into his room many times to dissect tape on Mayweather and how he fights against certain people. This is the first time he has ever asked me to watch film with him. I liked what he showed me on the tape, and I think that we’re perfect for this fight.”
The great strategy that Roach has come up with is still a secret, but the rumors are that Roach plans on having Pacquiao use his normal in and out fighting style as he always has used in the past. If the rumors are true, then it’s kind of silly all the fuss that Roach has made about his so-called secret plans. He’s kicked out people from his Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles, California, during Pacquiao’s sparring sessions for fear that the people would tip off Mayweather’s camps and spill the beans of the great strategy. In contrast, Mayweather’s sparring sessions have been open to the public. Mayweather feels that he has nothing to hide. You can’t get anything from watching the sparring sessions because Mayweather adapts in fights and doesn’t need a set plan for a fight. He’s always adapting so no one can get anything from watching him spar other than to appreciate his talent.
“From the first day this fight was announced, I’ve seen a different attitude in Manny,” Roach said. “He has really taken his training to a new level. He is very motivated, and I love what I see every day.”
Roach has been really pleased that Pacquiao had taken the effort to watch tape on Mayweather, and Roach sees this as an indication that Pacquiao will win. Personally, it really doesn’t matter how much tape Pacquiao has watched of Mayweather. If he’s not as good as him, then he might as well have not watched any. A lot of fighters watch tape of their opponents beforehand and they still go out and get whipped badly. As such, watching tape is useless unless you have the talent to win the fight.
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