Floyd Mayweather will not show up for Manny Pacquiao fight, fears Freddie Roach Freddie Roach believes Floyd Mayweather may not fight Manny Pacquiao
By Gadiola Emanuel - 3:23:00 PM
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Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao face off for the cameras at the final press conference in Las Vegas
Pacquiao and Mayweather pose with Tecate models following the press conference at the MGM Grand
Mayweather and Pacquiao with the WBC welterweight belt which contains 3,000 emeralds
Mayweather and Pacquiao spoke briefly to the assembled press before facing off
Pacquiao peers out into the crowd as he came face to face with Mayweather for the penultimate time
Mayweather and Pacquiao pose with their respective trainers, Floyd Snr (left) and Freddie Roach
Pacquiao was taking pictures of the press conference and playing on his phone during proceedings
Mayweather was all smiles as he was shown the specially created WBC belt up for grabs on Saturday
Pacquiao takes his turn at the dais to talk to the assembled media from around the world
Mayweather was brief and to the point as he thanked a host of people and declared himself ready
Roach and Pacquiao share their thoughts during the press conference that dragged on for an hour
Mayweather and Pacquiao with their respective promoters, Leonard Ellerbe and Bob Arum (right)
Roach revealed Mayweather has had Pacquiao's protective cup checked before the fight
Mayweather waits his turn to speak at the final press conference before Saturday's showdown
Roach claimed Mayweather has been uncharacteristically quiet in the build-up to the fight
Pacquiao has appeared relaxed throughout fight week and greeted hundreds of fans on Tuesday
Freddie
Roach – Manny Pacquiao's seven-time Trainer of the Year – suspects Floyd
Mayweather may not show up for the Fight of the Century on Saturday.
That feeling
has grown as the rancour between the two camps has continued this week
with arguments about the gloves each fighter will wear, how their hands
will be wrapped and even the protective cup Pacquiao will wear.
Roach says: 'I don't know why Floyd has gone quiet for this fight. I really am wondering if he's going to turn up on the night.
'His speech
is very low-key. Subdued. I don't think any fighter is afraid but I
don't think he wanted this fight. He was forced into a fight he didn't
want to take.'
The storm in a jock-cup obliged Pacquiao to have that item of apparel cleared by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Roach says:
'They made a protest about Manny's cup. They came to training this week,
inspected it and approved it. The commissioner marked it and signed it
to make sure it's the one he's wearing on the night. But it's the
regular cup.
'As for the gloves, the commission have approved our gloves but they say theirs are not ready yet!
'I will be the one in their dressing room watching them wrap Floyd's hands.
'Manny wraps his own hands. Sometimes people put too much wrapping on.'
Pacquiao
agreed with his mentor that he has always been keener than Mayweather:
'This is the first time I've felt this excited about a fight. I thank
God for keeping me at peace.'
When asked
about Mayweather's assertion that he is only in this for the money,
Pacquiao said: 'My life before was living in the street, with nothing.
It is still beyond my imagination that this boy you are talking to could
become known to every person in the Philippines and so many around the
world.
'I have a
good feeling for this fight. This is different. God has blessed me with
confidence. Belief, happiness and this feeling of being so relaxed.
'And yes I
do think I wanted this fight more than Mayweather. If it's all business
for him, for me it's about giving the fans who are paying all this money
a great fight. They deserve that.
'The most exciting thing for me is how I glorify the name of my God.'
Roach
believes his fighter can win every round: 'Manny hasn't knocked out a
lot of guys in the welterweight division because they are so much bigger
than him.
'But I believe he can win every round and if the chance for the knock-out comes it will be a bonus.
'He is
faster than before and I can tell he's hitting harder than ever because
he's hurt me a couple of times in the gym which none of my fighters have
done before.'
Mayweather's
father and trainer, Floyd Snr, later poked fun at Roach's suggestion
that his son might not turn up on Saturday night by reciting his latest
rhyme, 'Floyd's the man to meet, If you wanna get beat.'
Then he added: 'He's The Joke Coach Roach.'
Floyd Snr
went on: 'This will be a one-sided fight. Floyd will simply walk him
down. And by the way forget all that about Pacquiao's power. He can't
punch.'
The
welterweight champion himself explained his quietude: 'I don't need to
trash talk any more. I'm matured. Manny's a solid champion.'
Mayweather went so far as to praise Pacquiao: 'He's a great fighter. He's going to the Hall of Fame.'
But he added: 'I will be victorious.'
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