By Rick Reeno
Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach is very open about the fact that Manny Pacquiao's future in boxing is potentially at risk if he loses on Saturday night to WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (31-0, 12KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
In June of 2012, Bradley won a controversial twelve round split decision over Pacquiao at the same Las Vegas venue.
If Bradley wins again - without any shred of controversy regarding the final outcome - Roach will sit down with Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38KOs) and likely advise him to retire.
"If that happens [that Bradley gets a clear win], we'll have that discussion..yes. Me and Manny are pretty close. He's asked me 'when I'll all done will you tell me?' And I said 'of course I will.' We do have that kind of agreement there," Roach said.
But Roach is obviously not expecting a loss. He believes Pacquaio will be vicious, because Bradley's verbal jabs have mentally rattled the Filipino star.
"Manny expressed to me 'do you believe what he said [that I no longer have it].' He came to me and he's never done that before. He told me what [Bradley] said in the [HBO] Face Off. I think it was a little bit disrespectful. Manny feels that way too and I think he will pay him back for that," Roach said.
