HALL of Fame trainer Freddie Roach has no problem with eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao fighting undefeated World Boxing Organization super lightweight champion Terence Crawford in his last scheduled fight in April next year.
Roach, quoted by Boxing Scene in an interview with TV Azteca, revealed that he had spoken to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who asked him if he would be willing to have Pacquiao fight Crawford.
“I said yes, but the final decision is up to Manny,” said Roach.
The longtime trainer of Pacquiao said that while “the next opponent may be Crawford, but it also could be Floyd Mayweather Jr, if he comes out of retirement, which I think will happen and I think he (Floyd) will return to the ring.”
Roach maintained that should there be a rematch, he was sure, Pacquiao “will make a much better fight than what he was able to do in his first fight.”
The trainer was referring to the May 2 “Fight of the Century,” which Mayweather won, and with Pacquiao complaining he hurt his right shoulder in the fourth round and underwent surgery five days later to repair a tear in its rotator cuff.
Arum, who also promotes Crawford has been pushing for a Pacquiao fight at the expense of Britain’s World Boxing Councik welterweight silver champion Amir Khan, who claimed he had sent a fight contract to Pacquiao, but hadn’t received a response.
The two fighters met earlier this year in a London Gym and agreed to a fight late this year, but the Mayweather showdown pushed through and Amir Khan was left empty handed.