Roach believes Floyd Jr getting ready for Pacquiao

Just one look at Floyd Mayweather’s comeback fight against Victor Ortiz easily convinced Freddie Roach that the brash American fighter is getting ready for a possible meeting with boxing star Manny Pacquiao next year. "Of course, that’s the first thing that came to my mind," said Pacquiao’s trainer when asked of his thoughts when Mayweather announced on Twitter that he’s bound for a September 17 ring return against Ortiz for the World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight championship belt. Mayweather hasn’t fought in the last 16 months since scoring a lopsided 12-round decision against Sugar Shane Mosley in April 2010. Ortiz, fresh from a stunning decision against Andre Berto to wrest the 147-lb version of the WBC, the young but dangerous Mexican-American fighter is expected to give Mayweather a competitive fight given his nature as a vicious puncher who doesn’t know how to back down, which is the same qualities of Pacquiao. And same as the "Pacman", Ortiz is also a southpaw, giving Mayweather an exact feel of how to deal with the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter, if and when their paths crossed inside the ring next year or in the near future. But as cunning as Mayweather is, Roach will also watch with keen interest how the unbeaten five-time world champion is going to react against a boxer as talented and as skilled as Ortiz. "I’m just figuring out he’ll give us a good blueprint to fight him, how Floyd handles fighting a southpaw," said Roach, the five-time Trainer of the Year who’s been Pacquiao chief corner man for the past decade. The 51-year-old trainer noted how Mayweather had a tough time in the past dealing against lefty opponents, mentioning current International Boxing Federation (IBF) light-welterweight champion Zab Judah. "Some left-handers have given him trouble," Roach said of Mayweather. "Judah gave him trouble but couldn’t maintain the pace. Guys like Victor Ortiz, Manny Pacquiao, they can maintain that pace. And I do think the southpaw stance gives him trouble." Golden Boy Promotions Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard Schaefer, however, isn’t inclined to believe Roach’s impression. Schaefer insisted Ortiz is too risky an opponent for Mayweather to take if his main motive is to prepare for a future showdown with Pacquiao, who’s set to take on Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12 for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown. "If you want to get ready for Manny, of all people, you’re not going to fight Victor Ortiz," said Schaefer. "You would be shooting yourself to pick someone as tough, as physical, as strong, as young as Victor to prepare for Pacquiao." Ortiz is fighting under the Oscar De La Hoya-owned Golden Bay stable, the same promotional outfit that Mayweather worked with in the past. The planned fight between the eight-time world division champion Pacquiao and the undefeated Mayweather have been shelved twice after both camps failed to agree on the random-style drug testing. - JVP, GMA News