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Roach unleashes verbal punches at ‘Fraud Mayweather Jr.’


MANILA, Philippines – After engaging trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. in a colorful verbal tussle in the lead up to the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight, triumphant “pound for pound trainer" Freddie Roach directed his jabs at the former’s son and namesake, Floyd Jr. Roach, whose prized pupil Pacquiao took out Mayweather Sr.’s ward Hatton in two rounds last week, branded Floyd Jr. as “Fraud Jr." for claiming to be the world’s top P4P fighter as he gets back into the ring after a year of “retirement." Mayweather Jr. is set to fight Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18, in a fight card dubbed "Number One/Numero Uno" at the MGM Grand. This fight between the two “No. 1s" was announced the same morning of the Pacquiao-Hatton showdown. "So much for truth in advertising. We all know who the No. 1 pound for pound fighter is and his name is Manny Pacquiao. They can call Mayweather-Marquez No. 1 but it smells like No. 2," Roach was quoted as saying in an article by Boxing Scene’s Fred Sternburg. Roach went on to say that the Mayweather Jr.-Marquez gig will be a yawner. “The fight stinks. Two counter-punchers waiting for the other one to make the first move is boring and proves nothing. If Mayweather wanted to prove he was the best, all he had to do was wait one day to see who won Pacquiao-Hatton before signing to fight Marquez. You might as well rename him Fraud Mayweather, Jr.," Roach said. Fight fans and ring aficionados have been salivating over the prospect of a megafight between the comebacking Mayweather Jr and Pacquiao, two of the widely-recognized P4P kings. And this early, ESPN’s sportscasters have already given their two cents on what would happen should the Mayweather-Pacquiao duel finally materialize. Both Skip Bayless and Rob Parker contended that the speedy, hard-hitting Pacquiao, being at his prime, would prevail over Mayweather Jr. “Mayweather might be able to run and duck for eight to 10 rounds. He might be able to play some pretty good defense a while but at some point, I think Mayweather will get punished and I think he will go down," Bayless said during ESPN’s 1st and 10 program. “I think he’s (Mayweather) got no shot against this guy (Pacquiao) coming off the long retirement." Parker, for his part, said: “Pacquiao is a special guy (with all his skills) and Mayweather can’t beat him at this point." The winner of the Mayweather- Marquez fight looms as a possible candidate for the Pacman’s next fight, most likely in October or November, although Top Rank boss Bob Arum appears lukewarm with the idea, still irked about to the timing of the fight’s announcement. Reports also put Miguel Cotto, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Sugar Shane Mosley as possible foes, should they agree to move down in weight. Another Top Rank fighter, lightweight champ and KO artist Edwin Valero of Venezuela, is also being floated. -GMANews.TV
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