The Hall of Fame trainer exclusively told SunSport an injury held Pacman back in 2015 - but thinks a rematch it would be different
FOUR YEARS and four fights removed from May 2015 and Freddie Roach is still not losing hope of a rematch between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
It was a showdown five years in the making and billed "The Fight of The Century" - selling a record 4.6million pay-per-views along with the an estimated £465 million in gross revenue.
But after the five year wait, Roach could only watch as Manny Pacquiao became Mayweather’s 48th career win.
To some it was another boxing masterclass by Mayweather - to others it was an underwhelming climax to a fight that brought so much anticipation.
But no one was more disappointed with the result than Roach and his pupil of a decade and a half - as the pair revealed they entered the sports biggest ever fight with a huge handicap.
Pacquiao claimed he tore his rotator cuff during training, which ultimately disarmed him with the ability to throw his renowned combinations in the biggest fight of his career.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission further denied the Filipino a pre-fight inflammatory shot - leaving Pacquiao only able to question what could have been.
Speaking exclusively to SunSport, Roach revealed he is still vying for one last crack at Mayweather - this time, with a healthy Pacman.
Roach said: “I really want the Mayweather one back, because I know we can fight a much better fight with Manny healthy with the shoulder.
“He’s had surgery (on the shoulder) and now he has two hands it would be a much better fight.
“I would like that fight but if that doesn’t come to the table there’s a lot other good fights out there at welterweight.
“We almost beat him with the injury, a lot of people even thought Manny won that fight.
“Manny with two hands fights Mayweather much more fearsome and will deal with his style much more easier.”
Roach has a history with Mayweather, stretching back to 2007, when the trainer led Oscar De La Hoya into a WBC light-middleweight title fight against the American.
That night Mayweather scored the first, and only, split-decision win of his career as he and his uncle Roger outsmarted De La Hoya and Roach.
Eight years later and the American went 2-0 against Roach after outpointing the eight-division champion Pacquiao in Las Vegas.
In the years since that 2015 win, Mayweather has beaten UFC star Conor McGregor and more recently Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa, in a boxing exhibition match this past December.
After Mayweather’s two wins against the boxing debutants, he reiterated he is retired - despite rumours suggesting he is willing to give Pacquiao the rematch he and Roach lust after.
However, Roach, a man who not only knows the boxing business so well, but also Mayweather’s character, is not willing to accept the 41-year-olds retirement claim.
Roach believes there was a reason Mayweather decided to take on a 20-year-old boxing novice in Tokyo, Japan.
That reason, the Hall of Famer claims, was to prepare for the winner of Manny Pacquiao vs Adrien Broner, who fight this Saturday.
Roach added: “I think he had to have that fight to let the public know he’s still out there and there had to be a reason behind that.
“He fought to let people know he’s still out there, I don’t know why he did it by beating up that little kid.
“But he was impressive beating a very, very small kickboxer, who wasn’t allowed to kick.
“The $9million (Mayweather was paid) doesn’t hurt either, but I’m sure he will want the winner of (Pacquiao vs Broner).
“Believe me, next time we would be a much, much more fearsome opponent.
“We’re not just taking fights to stay in the fight game, we want to be the best and we’ll fight the best whoever it may be.”
