How do you beat Mayweather Jr.? By strength and speed, says Roach

[Benny Leonard]

12/16/2008 2:02 AM

Boxing coach Freddie Roach said that for Manny Pacquiao to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr., he would have to use the very same ingredients he utilized in beating Oscar de la Hoya: strength and speed.

“We'll use our strength and out speed to deal with him,” Roach told DogHouseBoxing.com’s Gabriel Montoya.

Roach admitted that the former pound-for-pound king does have slick move inside the ring but he believes Pacquiao still has the edge.

“I know he's fast, also. But I think we go the upper hand on speed and I think we're a more powerful puncher,” said the celebrated boxing trainer.

When asked about Pacquiao’s chances against Mayweather Jr., Roach made a comparison between both fighter’s matches against de la Hoya.

“He struggled to beat Oscar and we dominated Oscar So I think we'll be favored going into the fight and I look forward to it,” said Roach.

‘Pretty Boy hates pressure’

Roach, who engineered Pacquiao’s victory over de la Hoya, said Mayweather Jr. has problems in handling pressure fighters.

“You know, Floyd? He doesn't like pressure. One fight where I thought he lost was the fight with [Jose Luis] Castillo the first time,” he said.

Roach said they could score heavy hits by pressuring Mayweather Jr. with speed and strength.

“We'll pressure him. If he lays on the ropes with Pacquiao we'll beat the **** out of him on the ropes. He's not getting away with rolling the shoulders and so forth,” said the US trainer.

He, however, said that Pacquiao would have to do the attack with extra caution since Mayweather Jr. also moves quick.

“Manny's thing would have to be land combinations and get out of the way, because Mayweather's got that speed. So it would be a much more difficult task than this one (de la Hoya fight)," he said.

Mayweather comeback

Talks about a possible Pacquiao-Mayweather fight became rife after the latter’s father, Floyd Sr., said his son wants to come out of retirement.

"My niece said my son told her he wanted to fight Pacquiao next and that he wants me to train him for the fight," Mayweather Sr. said.

The elder Mayweather was referring to her niece Janelle who was contacted by the younger Floyd last weekend.

The plan, according to the Mayweathers, is to reunite their family and work as a team in preparing for Pacquiao.

"I always said he was going to fight again," said Bernice Mayweather, Floyd’s grandmother. "It was just a matter of time. He was waiting until the time is right. And the time is right. I knew he was going to come out of retirement -- he did it before, didn't he?"

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/12...eed-says-roach

[El Dominicano]

If Roach is so confident...then why is he talkin about a catchweight? Ain't that a ***** move? You fight DLH at 147 but don't want the Mayweather fight at 147?

[Eric Holder]

intresting....

[Benny Leonard]

OH ****, Freddie might pull a Hatton; I was afraid of this.

“He struggled to beat Oscar and we dominated Oscar So I think we'll be favored going into the fight and I look forward to it,”

Ah, yes Freddie but Oscar was one year old and weight-drained. Remember Freddie what you yourself said.

Like I said, this reminds me of the Hatton vs. Tszyu pre-and-post thoughts and ego.

“You know, Floyd? He doesn't like pressure. One fight where I thought he lost was the fight with [Jose Luis] Castillo the first time,” he said.

Again, Hatton's Roberto Duran vs. Leonard (I).

Freddie, didn't you know why Floyd didn't look good in the first fight?
How about an injured shoulder.
You did see the second fight right?
I wondered the same with Hatton with Leonard vs. Duran II.

“I know he's fast, also. But I think we go the upper hand on speed and I think we're a more powerful puncher,” said the celebrated boxing trainer

I agree with the speed part: Manny is faster, however; Floyd has better timing which counts for a lot, especially when someone is faster. Unless Floyd's timing is off, as well as his other attributes, don't get to confident on this Freddie.

"More Powerful": I actually doubt that. Freddie seems to think Pac is more powerful than both Oscar and I think one time I thought I heard him say Manny hit harder than Tyson on the pads.




Anyway, my point is this: This fight with Oscar may have just blown Freddie's Ego Sky-high like Hatton's victory over Tszyu did for Ricky.

They always forget what their thoughts were before the fight and should reread their comments and position to prevent over-confidence.



I do agree with some other points and have said Floyd can be at a disadvantage by fight time next year against Manny Pac.

Hatton was getting to Floyd early because of his sped and aggression. Floyd took the route of caution. If he would have moved and popped that jab, followed by combos, he would have had an easier time. Not an easy time, but an easier time than what he got himself into.

[Benny Leonard]

If Roach is so confident...then why is he talkin about a catchweight? Ain't that a ***** move? You fight DLH at 147 but don't want the Mayweather fight at 147?

The catch-weight will help with both he and Manny's confidence.

I called it a ***** move as well, so I agree with you.

It's all a part of the winning the war which starts in negotiations. I hope Floyd doesn't cave like he did with Oscar.


So I heard Roach made sure Floyd only wrapped his hands a certain way when he fought Oscar. Which means, expect Floyd not to be allowed to wrap his hands to protect them as well as having to wear "Reyes" gloves again. One story line had said Floyd hurt his hand again in the Oscar fight but didn't make a big deal about it.


They need to have a camera in the negotiation room and put it either on HBO or ESPN; I need a laugh.

[phallus]

you need to be faster, smarter and have better skills to beat pbf. hatton was stronger than floid, so was dlh, they both lost. manny is faster, but just speed isn't enough

[BHONN]

who knows maybe freddy knows it all... his the one who trained manny not you...

[nujabes77]

props to the atg trainer, he does know his ****

[Benny Leonard]

you need to be faster, smarter and have better skills to beat pbf. hatton was stronger than floid, so was dlh, they both lost. manny is faster, but just speed isn't enough

Manny has overall speed: Hands and feet. He can jump in and out quickly while landing flurries with power. This is where Floyd's timing will have to come into play, as well as using the jab and straight right. I wonder if Floyd is fast enough still to get the uppercut to work. I'm sure Floyd will start to **** that body as well, which will be interesting to see how long Manny can last.

I'm sure people will bring up the "Check-left-hook." LOL

How do you stop aggression? The Check-left hook.

Can't wait to here it 100x in 5 minutes.


Floyd needs to fight from round 1; bottom line.

[Silencers]

Pacquiao would have to have plans A, B, C and D against Mayweather, he can't just go in there with 1 gameplan and expect to win because Mayweather will figure him out, he'll need a bit of everything against Mayweather.

And Mayweather has fought more pressure fighters than Castillo and has dealt with them well, he even dealt with Castillo well in their second fight when he was healthy.