Manny Pacquiao is preparing to fight Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios in Macau, China on November 24th, but his trainer Freddie Roach is apparently so confident victory awaits, he's discussing Floyd Mayweather Jr.
While "Money" Mayweather struggles to find a suitable opponent that will generate public interest following the boxing he lesson he served to Canelo Alvarez, Roach is beating the drum for the megafight that never happened.
"Every big fight that was supposed to happen in boxing happens somewhere along the way, I just hope this one isn't going to happen too late when they're both washed up and not the same," Roach said. "Then they're just doing it for the money, anyway. I still have hope. Mayweather's in the same position [Pacquiao] is. You've only got eight fighters in the world that can sell on pay-per-view and make money. That's why I give it a shot."
Enthusiasm for the fight peaked several years ago, and Pacquiao's star has faded following a controversial loss to Timothy Bradley which preceded a knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez. This fight against Rios is less a statement to Mayweather, as a reclamation of his spot as a bankable boxing superstar.
Rios plans on being a very sharp thorn in the side of these grand plans Roach has. On HBO's Face Off, Rios made clear he does not look at himself as a stepping stone for Pacman. "I gotta go in there, I gotta retire you. I gotta retire Manny Pacquiao, because I'm the next star," Rios said.
Pacquiao is in great shape, according to reports, and said on that same Face Off that retirement is out of the question regardless of the outcome.
"I feel comfortable and confident about going on to win this fight, but I am not looking to retire if I lose this fight," Pacquiao said.
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