Coach Freddie Roach believes Manny Pacquiao’s hand speed is key to beating Floyd Mayweather

Superior hand speed will give Manny Pacquiao a decisive edge over American Floyd Mayweather in their heavily anticipated megafight in Las Vegas next week, says the Filipino southpaw’s trainer Freddie Roach.

Mayweather will go into the May 2 welterweight showdown as the favourite in his bid to improve on a perfect 47-0 record as a professional, but Roach is confident underdog Pacquiao will emerge triumphant on points after the 12 scheduled rounds.

“I know he [Mayweather] is a good fighter but I just think I have the better fighter,” Roach said before overseeing a shadow-boxing session by Pacquiao at his Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.

“Hand speed is going to be a big, big difference in this fight and Manny is much quicker than he is.”

Roach, who has guided Pacquiao to world championships in eight weight divisions and a 57-5-2 career record with 38 knockouts, said he had no concerns about the threat posed by 11-time world champion Mayweather.

“I don’t think he can really hurt Manny so I am not worried about that so much,” said Roach, a former featherweight and lightweight boxer who ended his own career in the ring at the age of 26 with a decent 41-13 record.