RENOWNED Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach is displeased with the idea of World Boxing Council lightweight champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao fighting Mexican Humberto Soto on November at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.
Soto is the preferred choice of foe of Pacquiao’s handler, Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions, after initially choosing the undefeated knockout artist Edwin Valero.
However, if the vocal trainer will have his way, Pacquiao will have to face another legend, this time the six-time champion Oscar dela Hoya.
Roach feels that a bout with the legendary Golden Boy is a much better choice.
“I talked to Manny last night and asked him if he wants to fight Soto, and he told me that he would fight him. I then asked him if he thinks that is the best fight for him right now. Manny asked me if I thought an Oscar De La Hoya fight could be made. I told him yes, I think it can be made at 147 pounds. I would have Manny come in at 140 lbs and the fight at around 145 pounds,” Roach told Brad Cooney of boxingherald.com.
Aside from dela Hoya, another big money fight and interesting fight for Pacquiao would be British sensation Ricky Hatton, who has also planned to fight either dela Hoya or Pacquiao before calling it quits next year.
“Since we can’t get Hatton right now, I think we should go after De La Hoya. I know Manny can beat Oscar right now, I know it,” Roach said in the interview.
Roach believes that the Filipino superstar can win this fight because the aging de la Hoya is way past his prime.
“I trained Oscar in his last fight, and he can’t pull the trigger anymore, he’s an older guy. If Steve Forbes can hit De La Hoya that easily, imagine what Manny Pacquiao will do to him,” Roach said, referring to the Golden Boy’s 12-round unanimous decision win with the journeyman Forbes.
Weight range
The famed trainer of the Wild Card gym wants Pacquiao to fight the six-division champion in catch weight of 147 pounds, which is not far from the ideal weight range of Pacquiao which is 135 to 140 pounds.
“We can have Oscar make 147 pounds, and we can add another Mexican legend to Manny’s resume,” said Roach.
Because of the unavailability of the hard hitting British Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, who was the proposed opponent for the 29-year-old native of General Santos on November, Roach feels that de la Hoya is the better foe for Pacquiao on November
and not Soto.
“I read in Pacland (mannypacquiao.ph) how everybody is asking about, ‘Why soto?’ Well I have the same question. Let’s beat dela Hoya, and then beat Hatton next year, and Manny can retire and go down as the greatest fighter of all time,” said Roach.
