LOS ANGELES – Manny Pacquiao will keep Floyd Mayweather guessing all night long on May 2 in Las Vegas, assured Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach on Wednesday.
Moments after Pacquiao sped off for a TV appearance in Hollywood, Roach opened the doors of the Wild Card Boxing Club to the Manila media, his face a picture of confidence and his voice oozing with positive energy.
Less than 10 days to go before Pacquiao attempts to put a stain on Mayweather’s immaculate 47-0 record, Roach guaranteed his interviewers that the Filipino star continues to do things that only bolsters the belief that Mayweather’s time is up.
“From day one, he is still on fire,” Roach said after going eight rounds with the mitts.
“To tell you honestly, I have never seen Manny Pacquiao this good.”
So good that Roach feels, Mayweather, even with all his talent, will end up spending more time thinking what to do than executing his strategy to the letter.
“Floyd won’t know if Mannys’ feinting or about to do something else…Manny’s movement, inside and out…he’s (Mayweather) never seen anything like it.”
Besides, Roach believes that Mayweather, 38, is not as good as people tend to put him on a pedestal.
“He’s good but he’s not great,” said Roach, adding that he considers Mayweather as similar to Roy Jones Jr. although when Jones was in his peak, “he was a lot better fighter than Mayweather.”
Pacquiao, 36, is the betting underdog, but not the type who fits the role of a sacrificial lamb.
Pacquiao’s lowly billing against Mayweather is a tricky one and a misnomer as money continues to pour in in favor of the eight-division titleholder who is fighting for the 25th time on US soil.
Armed with a 57-5-2 slate with 38 KOs, Pacquiao is likewise gunning to put an end to a string of decision wins stretching back to late-2009.
But with Mayweather expected to climb the ring a lot heavier than him, Roach thinks outpointing him is more of a likely scenario that will play out at the MGM Grand.
But regardless of how the fight ends, Roach sees Pacquiao scoring a rousing victory.
“We’ll keep him guessing,” said Roach.
And during those moments when Mayweather is trying to determine what Pacquiao is going to do next the punch that he wont see coming will land.