By Edward Chaykovsky
Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach is confident the legs of WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao will be the difference when he steps inside the ring with WBC/WBA king Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their long anticipated mega-fight on May 2nd from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
For over a year, Roach has been talking about the state of Mayweather's legs. He says Mayweather's legs are starting to go and that's why the unbeaten pound-for-pound king is starting to fight more often off the ropes - as he did in both fights against Marcos Maidana.
Pacquiao's legs have been cramping up in camp, but there is no concern from Roach who liked what he saw when Pacquiao dropped Chris Algieri six times in a very wide decision win last fall in Macau, China.
"One thing about Manny is, his legs are very solid. Mayweather, if you watch his last two fights, he says he’s on the ropes because he wants to exchange and make the fans happy. I don’t believe that. I believe that he has to go to the ropes to rest a little bit because his legs are a little shot. That’s always the first thing to go with a fighter," Roach told On The Ropes Boxing Radio .
"I remember well when my legs went out and Eddie (Futch) told me to retire and I said, “No” and I fought five more fights and lost four of them. When you’re legs tend to give out, it’s a really bad feeling and I see Mayweather with a little uncertainty."
"I think Floyd’s legs are starting to go a little bit and if you watch Manny and his last fight with Algieri, he was on his toes for twelve rounds with Algieri the whole night. I think he has better legs than Mayweather and I think that’s gonna be the difference in the fight."
