By Lem Satterfield
Five-time Trainer of the Year, Freddie Roach, set the record straight with BoxingScene.com concerning whether or not eight-division king and WBO welterweight titlist, Manny Pacquiao, would ever face WBA junior welterweight champion, Amir Khan.
Roach recently worked his seventh straight bout in the corner of Khan (25-1, 17 knockouts), who vanquished Irish boxer, Paul McCloskey (22-1, 12 KOs) when Saturday sixth-round, unanimous technical decision went to the score cards due to McCloskey's cut that was caused by an accidental clash of heads.
Khan was without recently fired strength trainer, Alex Ariza, against McCloskey, a factor that Roach said did not truly affect Khan's overall performance. Roach is presently preparing Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) for the May 7 defense of his WBO belt against Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs).
BoxingScene.com: How have you been?
Freddie Roach: I'm good. Trying to get over a little of the jet lag, but I'm not too bad. I'm good. I was just over England for five days after being in the Philippines with Manny Pacquiao. Now I've been back in America since Monday, so I've been back here for about two days.
BoxingScene.com: Your thoughts on the British press quoting you concerning a potential bout between Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao?
FR: I said that in very jovial, joking manner, and everyone laughed. I laughed. Everybody knew I was joking. You know, 147 pounds is a weight class that I think that Amir Khan could fight. But he would fight the Floyd Mayweathers or a guy like a Victor Ortiz, who just beat Andre Berto. But when I said that Amir would fight Manny Pacquiao, it was a joke, and Amir laughed also.
They knew that I was joking. I mean, if Amir went to 147, Manny Pacquiao is the biggest one there. So, you know, I sort of threw him into the mix. But they will never fight each other. They are such good friends, you know, that that fight would never happen. It just won't happen.
BoxingScene.com: But if it did happen, you have gone on record as saying that you would not choose to work Amir Khan's corner over Manny Pacquiao's corner, correct?
FR: Yes.