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Philippines hero Manny Pacquiao is already well into his training camp for the Floyd Mayweather fight. Photo: AFP

Exclusive | Pacman has a plan for Floyd Mayweather, says trainer Freddie Roach

Pacquiao’s trainer has a secret strategy in mind for the Filipino legend as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career against Mayweather

Manny Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, believes he has a plan to defeat Floyd Mayweather Jnr in their “Fight of the Century” in May, but he’s keeping his cards close to his chest.

Roach, in Macau to oversee China’s two-time Olympic champion Zou Shiming’s final preparations in his bid to win the IBF world flyweight title on Saturday, was confident his game plan would work and that Pacquiao would win in Las Vegas on May 2.

“I won’t tell you what the game plan is because that will be very silent. The whole Wildcard Gym [in Los Angeles, where Pacquiao is training] will be shut down and we will work out Manny’s best strategy and nobody will watch it,” said Roach.

“The cameras are only allowed after sparring and after mitts because the game plan is very important in this fight. I have had a plan for five years for this guy [Mayweather],” said the American Hall of Fame trainer.

“It has changed a bit [over the years] because both fighters have changed. But most of it is still intact and I know exactly what I want Manny to do. When I go home to training camp, we’ll start working on it.

The cameras are only allowed after sparring and after mitts because the game plan is very important in this fight
Freddie Roach

“Manny is one of the greatest students I have had. We have been together now for 14 years, it’s very unusual. He’s the best guy in the world,” said Roach, who turns 55 on Thursday.

Roach said he expected a knockout victory in the world’s richest fight “in the late rounds” but said “the main goal is to beat them anyway we can”.

Roach added that both Pacquiao and Mayweather were better fighters five years ago, but that Mayweather has faded “a bit more than Manny”.

“Manny is fresher and stronger.

Roach will return to the US next week to begin training with Pacquiao and because the fight has caused so much hype in the Philippines the team had to switch training venues to Los Angeles. Pacquiao usually trains in his home town of General Santos but he wants to avoid the commotion back home.

“Manny’s very motivated for this fight,” said Roach, who recently won the Eddie Futch Award for a record seventh time after being named the Boxing Writers’ Association of America Trainer of the Year for 2014.

Before Roach flies back to the US, he has another job to do – to help Zou win the world title as the Chinese star prepares to challenge undefeated Thai Amnat Ruenroeng in the “Showdown at Sands” at the Macao Venetian Cotai Arena.“He’s [Zou] ready. We just finished working out [in Los Angeles] and he’s tapering down. His weight is good. My birthday is coming up in a couple of days and I told Shiming the only thing I want for my birthday is for him to become my 35th world champion and he told me he will do it.”
Roach says Zou Shiming has promised him a 35th world title for his birthday. Photo: AFP

 

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