Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao Put Freddie Roach's Planned Retirement on Hold

Freddie Roach's Parkinson's disease, which was diagnosed 21 years ago, has taken its toll on the Hall of Fame trainer's health. Roach once considered retiring as soon as Manny Pacquiao hung up his gloves for good.

Recently, Roach said he got good news from his doctors, which has something to do with the result of a PET scan he had gone through last week.

Encouraged by the good news, Roach said he may not retire after all. He said he enjoys working with the youthful British boxing star Amir Khan, who is facing Marcos Maidana this Saturday.

He also has to remain active while Manny Pacquiao continues to fight until he reaches 35, which is barely three years ahead. The Filipino boxing superstar is turning 32 on Dec. 17.

On his Parkinson's, Roach said, "The symptoms creep up on me here and there, but I think boxing is what keeps me going.

"If you let it take over, it will. It's like anything in life. But the hand-eye coordination I need in training really helps me. I just had a PET scan last week and they say it's the most unusual reading they have ever had."

"They haven't told me why because they have to tell me in person; they can't do it over the phone. I asked them if I was going to die and they said, no, I'm not going to die."

"They didn't tell me if it was unusual in a good way or a bad way, but they didn't seem too concerned about it, so I think it's good actually."

Roach, who has trained 27 world champions in his coaching career, said he will continue what he is doing as it keeps him fit and active.

The four-time Trainer of the Year looks forward to winning more awards with Amir Khan, who is only 24 years old.

Khan, who tangles with Marcos Maidana on Saturday night said, "This is a big fight for me; my dream has always been to fight in Vegas. This is my time now. I want to build my name up and to do that I want to fight the best fighters here."

"I come into this fight as a puncher. People say Maidana is the biggest puncher, but I've had a great training camp and sometimes a change of scene makes you better."

Khan has done a lot of traveling during his training for his Saturday night clash with Maidana. The British boxing star spent some time with eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines, where he sparred with the pound-for-pound king days before the Pacquiao-Margarito fight in Arlington, Texas.

Not content with his skirmish with Manny Pacquiao in Baguio City, the British fighter went all the way with Pacquiao to Texas as part of the Filipino boxer's entourage.

Khan claims he has improved so much in the last two years that his sparring sessions with Pacquiao are "pretty even," but he insists he will never fight his friend for real.

Khan said, "It's just amazing to have Manny in the same ring and to share the ring with him. It's an honour because he's the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world and I think it's a great thing, you can't buy that. It's something that I've been very lucky to get because I'm in the same camp.

After the Khan-Maidana fight, Freddie Roach is reportedly traveling to the Philippines to grace Pacquiao's birthday on Dec. 17 and to confer with promoter Bob Arum, who is likewise traveling to the Philippines, on Pacquiao's next opponent.

Arum is bringing along fight offers from Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Andre Berto. Arum said Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is still on top of his list as Pacquiao's next opponent, but the undefeated boxer has not responded to his call.