By John F. McKenna (McJack)
Five time trainer of the year Freddie Roach disclosed in a New York Times interview that his star fighter WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (54-3-1, 38 KO’s) had a loss of focus in his November 12 fight with WBO/WBA lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (53-6-1, 39 KO’s). Roach was quoted in the interview saying:
“It was the first time in ten years we had a bad night. We had a great training camp but something was distracting him in that fight. I haven’t put my finger on it yet.”
Roach believes that Pacman has four or five fights left before he retires. Roach still thinks that one of those fights will be against undefeated WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0, 26 KO’s). The long anticipated Pacquiao – Mayweather fight would most likely be the biggest money fight in Pay Per View (PPV) history. To date the Mayweather – De La Hoya fight on May 5, 2007 holds the PPV record at 2.4 million PPV buys. If both Pacquiao and Mayweather remain undefeated, it is almost a certainty that if a fight between the pair takes place it would smash all prior PPV records.
Mayweather had been scheduled to begin a 90 day jail sentence for domestic abuse on January 5, but the date was delayed because the Mayweather camp had already reserved the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas for that date for an unspecified opponent. Mayweather’s attorneys used the argument that a Mayweather fight would result in an economic windfall for the Las Vegas area. The judge apparently bought the argument and granted Floyd a delay of the beginning of his jail sentence until June 1.
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum will be meeting with Pacquiao and his adviser Michael Koncz on Tuesday to map out the strategy as to who Manny will be fighting in 2012. The names of Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Timothy Bradley and Lamont Peterson have been mentioned as possible opponents for Pacquiao. It is thought by many however that Pacquiao will demand Mayweather as his next opponent.
Arum has repeatedly said that he will let Pacquiao decide who his next opponent will be, but as Manny’s long time promoter he has considerable leverage in the selection process. Uncle Bob used his power of persuasion in May 2010 to get both Pacquiao and Roach to accept an over the hill Shane Mosley as an opponent. It was clear that Manny would have preferred another opponent. Arum used the argument that Mosley’s name and huge fan base would bring in the $20 million dollars per fight that Pacquiao is now used to earning. Arum’s argument carried the day.
