Roach keeps quiet on verbal jabs by Mayweather Sr.

MANILA, Philippines – Floyd Mayweather Sr. tried to stir a word war between him and Freddie Roach by going poetic in proclaiming an imminent Ricky Hatton victory over Manny Pacquiao this Sunday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Good old Freddie however, wouldn’t fell into his trap.

As the three-time Trainer of the Year perfectly puts it, “this is not about us trainers. It’s about Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton."

Except for Mayweather’s futile attempt to get the ire of Roach, nothing really explosive came about when the formal press conference for the Pacquiao-Hatton 12-round fight was held Wednesday at the MGM Grand Garden.

But three days from now, there will be a lot of action, both fighters guarantee, as they tangle in a bout dubbed as the first mega-fight in the post Oscar De La Hoya era.

“That doesn’t scare me," Hatton addressed the media, referring to a lot of write ups that had been coming out lately regarding him as the obvious underdog.

“I have been the underdog before. I hear what you say, ‘he is an over-hyped, over-protected, fat beer drinking Englishman.’ He’s gonna shock the world again."

Shocked the world the 30-year old Hatton did four years ago when he scored an 11th round knockout of Kostya Tszyu to win the 140-pound championship. Tszyu was then regarded as one of the world’s best pound-for-pound fighters.

In Pacquiao, Hatton is not only up against today’s pound-for-pound king, but also faces a fighter who’s at the peak of his career.

The Filipino ring icon as always, spoke humbly, complementing his opponent from Manchester, England with nothing but nice words.

“He’s a good person, a nice guy," Pacquiao said of Hatton. “I’m ready for the fight, and I know Ricky also prepared for it. This is nothing personal."

But for Mayweather, it is.

Not only did he reiterate in calling Roach “the joke", the father of retired champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. also referred to Pacquiao’s trainer as `cock-Roach.’

Then he began his act, waxing poetic about Hatton beating out Pacquiao.

“Am being for real and saying what I feel, this is the truest quote that I ever wrote," said Mayweather, eliciting laughter from the crowd and people at the podium including welterweight champion Sugar Shane Mosley, former undisputed middleweight king Bernard Hopkins, Golden Boy big boss Oscar De La Hoya and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.

“Hey Pac…. It ain’t personal between me and you, come May 2nd, you will be uncrowned with your head hanging down."

Mayweather was so demeaning with his words that when Arum’s turn to introduce Roach, the Top Rank honcho quipped, “at least in our camp, we’re a little more restraint."

Which is what Roach displayed when it was his turn at the podium.

“Manny Pacquiao is in the best shape of his career. I just wish the Hatton camp good luck and we’ll all see you on Saturday," he said in his usual mild-manner action.

Both Pacquiao and Hatton are set to work out a sweat for the last time Thursday at the IBA gym. The following day, the official weigh-in will be held also at the MGM Grand. – GMANews.TV

Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/159342/Roach-keeps-quiet-on-verbal-jabs-by-Mayweather-Sr

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