Freddie Roach, the trainer for Manny Pacquiao, is openly discussing a move down in weight for Pacquiao after he faces Chris Algieri this November and has Danny "Swift" Garcia in mind for a big fight.
Pacquiao's fighting Algieri at a 144-pound catchweight to test his performance and set up the division change. "I just think it's much better for Manny to fight at 140. He's much more productive at that weight. It's much more natural for him to fight at that weight," Roach said of Pacquiao, who hasn't scored a knockout victory since 2009, in an interview with Rappler.
"He's not a 147-pounder, he only forced himself to be a 147-pounder because that's where the money was but I think he's going to be a much more effective fighter at 140. I don't care who is there, we'll beat them all."
Algieri is the WBO junior welterweight champion, but has a major size advantage over Pacquiao despite the latter campaigning in bigger weight classes. Algieri is 5-foot-10 with a 72-inch reach, while Pacquiao measures just 5-foot-6 with a 67-inch reach. That advantage has Algieri believing his jab will allow him to take Pacquiao out of his game plan.
Roach, on the other hand, thinks Algieri's in for a long night. "He's got a good jab, he's left handed, he's got a good jab and a good hook. His right hand is not so good," Roach said. "I honestly think he's in over his head a little bit."
As for Garcia, Roach said "I like that fight." Roach said that neither he nor Pacquiao would be distracted by the inevitable smack talk that would come from Garcia's father and trainer Angel Garcia either, which would help them avoid the same fate that befell Amir Khan.
"His Dad's a little bit crazy - he's my friend and a good guy - but he's just doing what he's supposed to do, he's taking guys out of their element," said Roach. "He talks a lot of s**t and I think that's honestly how they beat Amir Khan.
"I would just laugh at him. Manny Pacquiao doesn't give a s**t about trash talk. It won't affect him in the slightest."
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