The first shot has been fired.
Freddie Roach, who has developed a knack through the years for getting inside the minds of Manny Pacquiao’s opponents, is at it once more.
Moments after it was made official that Pacquiao is meeting Floyd Mayweather on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the 54-year-old Roach drew first blood in belittling Mayweather’s chances with another peppery quote.
“Floyd should enjoy being the A-side while he can because on May 2, Manny is going to put him on his backside,” said Roach, who has been training Pacquiao since 2011.
It was also Roach, who heads the celebrated Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California, who came up with a snappy statement when asked about Oscar De La Hoya in 2008.
Pacquiao and De La Hoya were on a multi-city US tour to promote their Dec. 2008 faceoff when Roach stepped on the dais and presented a toy gun and spoke towards the direction of the Golden Boy.
Roach, who had trained De La Hoya previously, told the media assemblage that his former fighter was over-the-hill.
“He can’t pull the trigger anymore,” said Roach.
Before Pacquiao collided with Chris Algieri last year in Macau, Roach struck hard anew, saying Algieri would assume the role of “a runner.”
Roach was write on the dot as the previously-undefeated New Yorker ran all day long after being sent to the canvas six times.
In the coming days or weeks, expect Roach to come up with a few more digs at Mayweather.
It’ll be interesting to see how Mayweather would react the next time Roach fires another shot.