By Mark Vester
In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, trainer Freddie Roach spoke about training Oscar De La Hoya for the May 5 clash with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in Las Vegas.
Roach said that while Mayweather is an excellent fighter, he also has flaws and has been able to hide them for years because of his quick reflexes.
"(Mayweather is an) excellent fighter who is not perfect, not complete and not a big puncher," Roach said.
He said that De La Hoya is the bigger, stronger fighter and they will focus in training camp on how to use those factors to their advantage. In the last few years, De La Hoya has been known to fade in the late rounds of fights. Roach plans to work on De La Hoya's stamina to make sure he does not tire in the biggest fight of his career.
"Being tired is not a good excuse for losing," Roach says.
Roach replaces De La Hoya's trainer Floyd Mayweather, Sr., who wanted $2 million dollars to train De La Hoya to beat his son. Golden Boy Promotions offered him $500K upfront, with another $500K if De La Hoya won. The two sides could not agree on the terms and Roach came in the picture.
Roach will receive more money than what was offered to Floyd Sr., $1.3 million according to the LA Times, and there is no "De La Hoya must win" clause to prevent Roach from receiving the full amount. The drawback for Roach, and likely the reason for the nice payday, was dropping several high profile training duties to take on De La Hoya, including Manny Pacquiao's April bout, Israel Vazquez's March clash with Rafael Marquez and Peter Manfredo's April bout with Joe Calzaghe.