Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: Pac-Man Driven by Floyd's Domestic Abuse, Says Roach
Freddie Roach has suggested Manny Pacquiao's preparation for the May 2 clash with Floyd Mayweather Jr. is galvanised out of hatred for the American's domestic abuse-littered past.
Roach, who is training Pacquiao for the Las Vegas bout, told Martin Rogers of USA Today Sports (h/t Edward Chaykovsky of Boxing Scene) that Manny feels a unique dislike for Mayweather.
"Manny is really against domestic violence," Roach said. "It is a big issue maybe in the Philippines for him and being a congressman he can control some of that stuff. That is a big plus for me that Manny does not like the guy, I think the killer instinct is going to come back a lot faster."
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Roach then admitted he needs to be careful what he can say, but he sees Mayweather in an extremely bad light. He will use this to fuel Pacquiao's quality when the two finally meet, per Chaykovsky:
"It is really hard to say these things in public but I know (Mayweather) is a bad guy. (I see the fight as) good against evil, yes.
I have even thought about bringing a couple of the metro cops from Vegas in to tell Manny how many times (Mayweather) has been arrested and how bad of a guy he is, but I decided I can't go that far. He already doesn't like him, I think we are okay. For the first time in my life with Manny Pacquiao, this is the first fighter he hasn't liked. I can tell.
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Mayweather previously admitted punching ex-girlfriend Josie Harris, threatening to make her "disappear" in front of her two children, according to Lucy Kinder of The Telegraph. He served three months in jail but escaped a potential 34-year sentence after avoiding trial via a plea deal.
Harris previously told Rogers she suffered physical abuse from the unbeaten fighter on "six occasions," saying she was a "battered woman" during their relationship. Roach suggests Pacquiao will use these incidents to try to inflict Mayweather's first defeat in a career which currently ranks among the greatest ever.
Shane Mosley, who has fought both men, believes Pacquiao's best chance of success is to come out swinging in the early rounds. He spoke to On The Ropes (h/t Sky Sports):
"I almost knocked [Mayweather] out straight out the gate. That would be a good tip for Pacquiao, he can’t give Mayweather a chance to get comfortable or to pick up on his rhythm. If he is going to win against Mayweather, it’s going to have to be in the first three or four rounds tops.
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Pacquiao will certainly need to work quickly if he's to stop Mayweather settling into his stride. The Filipino would be wise to launch a tirade of body shots to try to halt his foe's movement, especially as he hasn't knocked anyone out since Ricky Hatton in 2009. The longer the fight goes on, the more likely it is Mayweather will rack up the points needed to win.
Roach's decision to speak about Pac-Man's alleged motivations somehow makes the battle seem far more personal than standard trash-talking. The trainer has deliberately created negative headlines that are in keeping with the "good against evil" storyline he mentioned.
Bleacher Report's Stephen Nelson recently spoke to Roach, who believes Mayweather's first loss is looming:
A true dislike for Mayweather could significantly alter the fight from Pacquiao's point of view. It's important Pac-Man doesn't let emotion hinder his game plan when the bell rings, as overthinking could see him give up vital ground.
The pair will receive the opportunity to settle any scores once this contest gets underway, but until then, we can expect Roach to continue reminding everyone of his thoughts on Mayweather.
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