Manny Pacquiao will make me a huge score when he beats Keith Thurman, says trainer Freddie Roach
- For first time in years, bookmakers have installed Philippines boxing icon as underdog against unbeaten American
- But Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach is confident his protégé will continue his winning ways
Manny Pacquiao’s long-time trainer Freddie Roach is so certain his protégé will beat Keith “One Time” Thurman in their world title fight next month that he’s willing to lay a huge wager on the Philippines boxing icon.
Pacquiao, 40, will battle Thurman for the 30-year-old’s WBA welterweight super title in Las Vegas and the Hall of Fame trainer says he’s ready to make “a huge score” betting on the eight-time division world champion to win their July 20 bout.
Bookmakers have installed Thurman (29-0-0, 22 KOs) as the slight favourite (1.72-1) against Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), who is 2.1-1 to reign victorious at the MGM Grand Garden Arena – and Roach likes that the odds are stacked against his protégé for the first time in years.
The last time Pacquiao was the underdog was against Floyd Mayweather Jnr in their mega fight in 2015. But you will need to go back – way back – to find when Pacquiao was the ranked outsider.
When he fought the legendary Oscar De La Hoya in their 2008 fight, he was 8-1 to win by stoppage. De La Hoya famously quit on his stool at the end of the eighth round in a shock defeat that propelled “Pacman” to superstardom.
“Manny loves beating undefeated fighters, especially the younger ones,” said 59-year-old Roach, who has been Pacquiao’s coach for more than 10 years.