Roach: "Manny Pacquiao 'Would Be Too Much, Too Soon' for Amir Khan"

Rest of article: http://www.nesn.com/2011/05/manny-pacquiao-would-be-too-much-too-soon-for-amir-khan-says-freddie-roach.html The atmosphere likely won't be so friendly in Pacquiao's next fight. The three main candidates for Pacquiao's next bout haven't usually been the hugging types. A third fight with Mexican star Juan Manuel Marquez apparently is Arum's first choice, fulfilling the dreams of fans who thoroughly enjoyed their 2004 draw and 2008 split-decision win for Pacquiao. If Marquez doesn't like the deal, Arum will turn to bruising 140-pound champ Timothy Bradley or veteran Zab Judah, who would both welcome the chance to be on the sport's biggest stage. Roach would prefer to fight Mayweather, believing it's the most intriguing matchup and the most lucrative opportunity for a fighter who says he's likely to retire after a few more big bouts, although Roach believes Pacquiao could fight into the deep end of his 30s. But if Mayweather still won't answer Pacquiao's calls, Roach hopes they'll face Marquez. "All I hear from him and Nacho is how they got robbed," Roach said. "I'd like that fight one more time, see how much they've both changed since that time. I think we've gotten a lot better." A meeting with Bradley, the two-belt champion from Palm Springs, Calif., would be a brutally physical bout against a fighter with a reputation -- deserved or not -- for throwing elbows and head-butts. "It's not an easy fight for Manny, but I feel is just not big enough," Roach said. "He would need a miracle." Roach said Pacquiao could meet Bradley or Marquez at a catch weight around 144 pounds, but Pacquiao doesn't want to get much smaller than that. Roach also wouldn't put Pacquiao in against British 140-pound champion Amir Khan, saying Khan "is getting better, but he's not at that level yet. Manny would be too much, too soon." Yet the discussion always comes back to Mayweather, who's facing many more upcoming court dates than fight dates as he whiles away his mid-30s in his Las Vegas mansion, trashing Pacquiao on Twitter and gambling heavily on sports. Pacquiao has won eight fights since the end of 2007, beating an array of quality fighters and veteran greats from Oscar De La Hoya to Marquez and Miguel Cotto. Mayweather has fought just twice in that time, enjoying a brief retirement before beating Marquez and dominating Mosley on May 1, 2010. "There isn't a day in my life that goes by that somebody doesn't ask me about that fight," Roach said. "People say, 'Make that fight.' I wish I could."