Roach Jabs Ellerbe: Manny Will Not Let Mayweather Escape

By Rick Reeno

During Tuesday's mobbed open media workout for WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan at the Trinity Gym in New York City, BoxingScene.com sat down with trainer Freddie Roach to discuss the biggest fight in boxing, Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao.

Roach carefully reviewed Mayweather's unanimous decision win over Shane Mosley on May 1. He thinks age and inactivity is slowly catching up to Mayweather. According to Roach, Mayweather fought flat-footed, he was hittable and a bit slower on his feet. He still feels Mayweather has very fast hands, but doesn't consider them to be quicker than those of Pacquiao. If Pacquiao hurts Mayweather in the same manner as Mosley, Roach doesn't see Mayweather being able to escape to the next round.

"He's hittable and anyone Manny can hit I have no fear of. I don't see no good defense. He makes the same moves every time in the same way. He's very predictable. He's fast but Manny is faster," Roach told BoxingScene.com.

"I expected something better than that [from Mosley]. He got old overnight and he happens to be 38-years-old. This is a young man's game. He had the opportunity and he didn't take it. If Manny hurts Mayweather, the fight will be over. He will finish him."

Roach began to laugh when asked for a response to the recent comments that were made by Mayweather's adviser and CEO of Mayweather Promotions, Leonard Ellerbe. When boxing writer David Mayo questioned Ellerbe about the possibility of Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations beginning this week, Ellerbe replied - "Ain’t nobody thinking about Manny Pacquiao, Bob Arum or Freddie Roach. Floyd isn’t thinking about none of them, and there ain’t no negotiations starting, period.  Floyd is just coming off a great win.  He’s not thinking about any of them.”

Roach doesn't believe Ellerbe's comments. He thinks the fight is definitely going to happen this year and any possible issues having to do with money or Olympic-style drug testing will be worked out between the two sides.

"Come on, we all know what he's thinking about," Roach said as he chuckled. " He knows Arum was in the Philippines talking with Manny. The fight is going to happen this year. I can't see it not happening. Arum and Schaefer are great negotiators...they will work it out," Roach said.

"It's going to be a 50-50 split. No doubt about it. I don't think that's going to be an issue because that part of the negotiations was already settled [earlier this year]. There is no problem there. I think we'll meet them halfway on the [drug] testing. It's going to happen."