Latest reports shows that undefeated world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather may not show up for the fight of the century with rival Manny Pacquiao.
Manny Pacquaio’s trainer says he wouldn’t be surprised if Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a no-show for Saturday’s “Fight of the Century.”
Freddie Roach made the extraordinary claim on Wednesday morning that he believes Floyd Mayweather could pull out of his Saturday showdown with Manny Pacquiao at the last moment and leave the “Fight of the Century” in tatters.
Freddie Roach dropped that little bombshell on USA Today and kept repeating the claim that is, we repeat, incomprehensible.
Roach was asked for his thoughts on bout, interrupted and said “if [Mayweather] shows up. I am still worried about that. I won’t believe it until I see him in front of us in the ring.”
L-R: Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather
USA TODAY Sports repeatedly quizzed Roach as to whether he was joking, or merely trying to fan the flames of controversy in the build-up to the clash. Each time he was adamant that he held genuine concerns that Mayweather could cook up an excuse to miss the fight, such as a training injury or an illness.
But why would the man known as “Money” skip out on the chance to make more than $150 million for a night of work?
“I just think he was forced into this fight,” Roach said. “He didn’t want this fight. Every fight he has had in his lifetime was one that he picked. This is the first one he was forced into and I feel he was uncomfortable. They made him take it, Showtime.”
This will be the fifth fight of Mayweather’s six-fight Showtime deal, that was guaranteed to net him more than $200 million.
Roach also claimed to have “spies” in the Mayweather camp that had told him the 38-year-old had missed three days of training last week. No such news has filtered out of the Mayweather inner circle, where information about their fighter’s training regimen and movements are closely guarded.
“I am not (making this up),” Roach added. “I know from people who were there. Word gets out and Vegas is a small place.”
