Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach said that he is expecting a knockout victory for Manny Pacquiao in his upcoming showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 2 at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Roach said in an interview with the South China Morning Post on Monday that he believes Pacquiao could knock Mayweather out in the late rounds of the bout, but will also be ready to stand toe-to-toe for 12 rounds. But in order to do so, the veteran trainer said Pacquiao, who holds a 57-5-2 record with 38 knockouts, has to control the match.
"Manny is fresher and stronger," Roach said of Pacquiao. "I studied him [Mayweather] quite a bit. He's a good fighter, don't get me wrong, but he's a bit boring. We have to dictate the pace of the fight. We have to throw more punches. He's very defensive."
Roach, who is currently in China to prepare Zou Shiming for his IBF flyweight title showdown with Amnat Ruenrong, added that preparing their fight plan is very critical, knowing that Mayweather is best known for his ability to make adjustment on the fly.
The 54-year-old trainer said, though, that he already has an idea on how to slow Mayweather down in the upcoming fight. He said that he has been watching fights of Mayweather over the past several years because he was really hoping that his prized fighter will get a shot against the unbeaten champion.
"I have had a plan for five years for this guy," Roach said of formulating strategy for the Mayweather bout. "It has changed a bit because both fighters have changed. But most of it is still intact and I know exactly what I want Manny to do. When I go home to training camp, we'll start working on it."
Pacquiao, who will put his World Boxing Organization welterweight title on the line against Mayweather, has already started training at Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles one-week ahead of schedule. Roach said that they are taking training camp seriously and his gym will actually impose strict rules in the coming weeks.
"The whole Wild Card Gym will be shut down and we will work out Manny's best strategy and nobody will watch it," Roach said of closing the gym to the public. "The cameras are only allowed after sparring and after mitts because the game plan is very important in this fight."
