It looks like Amir Khan couldn’t help knocking the Freddie Roach trained Manny Pacquiao ahead of Saturday night in his most recent Fighthype.com interview.
Khan, who famously left the Wildcard and Roach under something of a cloud following his knockout loss to Danny Garcia in 2012, has cited Roach’s Parkinson’s disease as a factor in leaving in the past, as well as the fact he didn’t want to play second fiddle in Roach’s affections and attention to the P4P Filipino fighter.
Pacquiao, known for his movement and speed of hand AND foot, has had his ability to work inside the pocket called into question in this fight.
Even if there is any truth in the assertion, by asking Khan who fights similarly to Pacquiao (although in fairness has been drawn into wars and inside fighting before – most notably vs Peterson and Maidana) for his opinion I don’t feel they were ever going to get an answer that was anything other than a back-handed compliment of sorts anyhow – especially given the history.
“It’s funny you say that – ’cause of all the sparring I’ve done with Manny I don’t think he’s ever done inside fighting. I don’t think Manny fights on the inside. He doesn’t really like to fight on the inside. Manny is an outside fighter, he is more of a boxer and likes to keep it long.”
“That’s something that – I just can’t see him doing that. If he hasn’t practised it then I don’t see him doing it in this fight and if he does do it he won’t be used to doing it and will probably be caught in between shots.”
“I know Floyd can fight in range and out of range” said the Bolton man, due out to face light-punching Chris Algieri on May 29th.
“The first 4 or 5 rounds will be really competitive with manny’s volume of punches.”
Then going in to formulaic consensus mode, Khan said;
“Floyd may not have faced that kind of speed but after four or five rounds Floyd will start taking control of the fight and start catching Manny with some good shots.”
Khan then says “Look I like Manny, I’ve got nothing against Manny” which to me implies he does with Roach, continuing to say;
“I think Manny does a lot of good things as a person by helping the poor people and he’s a really down to earth guy, he was in London before the Floyd fight was announced” (Allegedly to negotiate with Khan, yet in actuality he was promoting his film)
“But as a boxing fan when you look at both fighters I lean more to Floyd”
It’s a shame Khan didn’t lean towards Kell Brook who he could have been fighting in a massive UK stadium showdown instead of facing Algieri.
Yet it’s risk v reward right now for the Athens medal winning Olympian who these days is advised by the elusive Al Haymon. Make of that what you will when it comes to facing the best fighters.
At least Mayweather, who credits the Harvard graduate with resurrecting his career post-Top Rank, at least financially, is finally fighting the best.
The fact he’s fighting the fight “5 years too late” as most fans believe, is something I’ll leave to you to chew over on your own. Haymon influence or not.
Just remember to thank him.
Thanks for reading.
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