By Chris LaBate
Trainer Freddie Roach believes that Floyd Mayweather Jr. could be preparing for an expected fight against Manny Pacquiao. Earlier this week Mayweather announced a planned return on September 17 against WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz. In the opinion of Roach, Mayweather picked Ortiz because he believes his southpaw style would help him get ready for a showdown with Pacquiao.
"Of course, that's the first thing I thought," Roach told the AP. "Some lefties have given him trouble. Judah gave him problems but he couldn't keep up the pace. Fighters like Victor Ortiz and Manny Pacquiao can maintain their pace."
Golden Boy Promotions CEO, Ricard Schaefer, disagrees with Roach and others who believe that Mayweather picked Ortiz to prepare for Pacquiao.
"If you want to prepare for Manny, of all people, you would not fight against Victor Ortiz," said Schaefer. "It would be [a bad decision] to choose someone so difficult, so physical, so strong, and so young as Victor, in order to prepare for a fight with Pacquiao."