Bob Arum: Freddie and I have just returned from San Francisco where a very good omen for our team, Manny Pacquiao throwing out the first pitch clipped the left-hand corner of the plate and the San Francisco Giants went on to beat the Padres before a full house at the stadium. It was a great trip. Freddie is really invigorated and ready to go on the conference call and I’m sure everybody is going to enjoy it.
Richard Schaefer: Yesterday, you had Ricky Hatton on the call and you heard the confidence in Ricky’s voice and Ricky’s comments and you have the man who is responsible for really getting that confidence and training him to be in the best shape of his life. As Ricky had mentioned yesterday it’s, of course, Floyd Mayweather Sr and so I’m going to pass it over to Freddie now to make his opening comments and then Mr. Mayweather will make his opening comments and then we’ll open it up for questions.
Freddie Roach: Yeah. Training camp is going really well. Manny is in great shape. We took a little trip to San Francisco last night. It was a great turnout and Manny’s really excited about the fight and we’re ready to go.
Floyd Mayweather: Yeah, we are ready. We will be ready. We appreciate, we’re looking to win this fight and it will be like to make the fight go real fast. And I think that Freddie is too hyped over this thing about Manny knocking out Ricky in three rounds. If that’s going to happen, it’s going to be the other way around.
Q: Floyd, I have a question for you. I’ve been hearing your remarks about Freddie, not just before this fight but some other events that you guys have both been involved in, and you seem to go out of your way to insult Freddie and to take away from his accomplishments as a trainer. And I’m just wondering if you really believe that and if so why is it that you think that he is not a good trainer when his track record speaks for itself of the type of guys that he’s trained?
Floyd Mayweather: Well, let me tell you something. Who has he really worked with? Who has he really worked with? I’m just saying, who has he really worked with? He had a lot of big fighters, but he hasn’t done anything with them. What has he done with them? He got one man in his court, it’s Pacquiao, who else do you know that he got that he’s done something with? And what fighter has he made? I made my son, and who has he made? He hasn’t made any body. He hasn’t made anybody. He’s not fighter. Explain it? That’s all I can tell you man, the guy ain’t made anybody. Simple.
Q: So you really think that he’s just hanging on and really not that good of a trainer?
Floyd Mayweather: I think he’s just what I said. Freddie the “Joke Coach Roach.” That’s what I think he is. He’s a joke of a coach.
Q: Just wondering, where does that animosity come from?
Floyd Mayweather: It’s not animosity man. I’m having fun whether you believe it or not I’m having fun with this. I’m not afraid of Freddie at all or anything. I’m having fun with this. Maybe because the strong voice that I have right now. You may feel like it’s electric. You sound like that sometimes but you know what it is? It’s my serious moves. I say what I say, but to be honest I’m having fun with this. I’m doing just like Bob Arum said, have fun with it and that’s what I’m doing.
Q: Freddie, can you respond to that? I wonder how you’ll react when you hear or maybe read the comments that Floyd makes about you and your training abilities and such or maybe you just ignore it. Can you just chime in on that please?
Freddie Roach: Yeah. It’s like where we’re coming from so, I don’t really pay attention to it. My first champion, Virgil Hill I started him out from his first pro fight. I mean, I’ve made a lot of good fighters out there. He made his son through birth, but Roger made him as a fighter. So, it doesn’t bother me.
Q: Floyd, I wanted to ask you a question first. Ricky really looked good in his last fight against Paulie Malignaggi. He seems to be really boxing as well as he ever has, defense, moving his head and stuff like that. Is that one of the things that you wanted to concentrate on him was getting him to use his natural boxing ability which he seems to have gone away from a little bit?
Floyd Mayweather: Of course that’s one of the things. I mean, defense wins fights. The name of the game is hit and don’t be hit. So, that’s what I’ve been playing with Ricky to do. I know Freddie Roach said on TV. Don’t let him hit your body; don’t let him hit your body. We’re going to hit that body. It’s just a matter of time.We’ve got 12 rounds in there to fight. You don’t go a round without your body being hit.
Q: Freddie, I had a question for you. I’m also on the same path. One of the things, regardless of whatever condition Oscar was in their fight I think all of us saw that Manny was brilliant in the way we boxed ducking punches or sliding away from them. Oscar often was swinging at the air. And Manny seems to have become almost the ultimate power boxer, kind of like that power boxing type of thing that the Shane kind of…I think that was the first time I ever heard that term actually was when Shane Mosley and his dad brought it up. Was that one of the things that you wanted to do with Manny? Because before he would seem to be almost running that guy sometimes and being off balance and really wasn’t even himself, vulnerable, but he didn’t seem to really leave himself vulnerable at all against Oscar. So, was that one of the things that you’ve been working on with him?
Freddie Roach: Yeah, definitely. We’ve been working on that for a long time and he saw him coming into play. He’s boxing a lot smarter now. It started in the Diaz fight. He boxed a beautiful fight. I mean, his defense is much better. The Oscar fight was similar and the way things are going in training the Hatton fight will be the same.
Q: First for Freddie. I think people just automatically have decided that Hatton has this big advantage because of his size and strength. Freddie, do you think that’s necessarily the case or how do you assess that?
Freddie Roach: I disagree. Manny’s really settling at the 140 pound weight division and he’s really getting used to the weight. He’s knocked out four sparring partners out of seven. And in training camp he’s really looking good at the weight. He’s very strong. Ricky will be a little heavier by fight time but being heavier doesn’t make you stronger. I know I have the stronger fighter going to the fight, I guarantee that.
Q: What does Manny walk around at normally?
Freddie Roach: Manny walks around at about 155 pounds.
Q: So, he’s not really stretching the limits. This is where he belongs?
Freddie Roach: No. One-forty is a great weight for him. Doing the Oscar fight after breakfast and 140’s a very good weight for him. By fight time he’ll be 147, 148 pounds. He gained more than ten pounds. Too much weight makes him sluggish, of course. But he’s very strong at the weight and we’ll have no problem with his strength.
Q: Floyd, do you think that Manny’s a good fighter?
Floyd Mayweather: I think Manny’s a very good fighter. I think he can be a much better fighter though under different circumstances. But Manny’s a very good fighter. I can’t take anything away from Manny’s. I think he’s a real good fighter. I can think of a lot more things he can do that’s he’s not doing. So, you’ll have to take that up with him as a trainer.
Q: Just want to ask you Floyd, and also Freddie, as far as the war of the words between the trainers, do you think that takes anything away from the accomplished focal point of the fighters? Just how do you view that?
Floyd Mayweather: Well, like I said before, I don’t know why everybody’s getting it twisted or what the conception is about what I’m saying about the words of war. Man, this is fight man. This is a build-up. That’s all it is, man, to me. Everybody wants their fighter to win. But with me it’s talking. Even if you look back with Ali when he was doing his thing, everything is a build-up man. Some guys get in each other’s faces and never get out of each others. But this is something with me. I’m having fun with this. I mean, I’m looking to win the fight and I’m sincere about winning the fight but as far as me, the animosity and the bad talk, I don’t have nothing against Freddie right now until…When this fights over me and Freddie can still shake hands and hug and you know…I mean, I don’t have nothing against Freddie. I really think Freddie’s a nice guy but, right now, this is warfare and I’m looking forward to my man winning and I’m gonna do whatever it takes for him to win.
Q: If Ricky Hatton wins this fight will it be becaus are his trainer?
Floyd Mayweather: I would say so. I said one thing before. Ricky probably could have won this fight without me. I said that, I did say that but I will say one thing, he’s definitely got a much better chance of winning it with me than without me.
Q: Freddie, what do you think your role is in this fight? I mean, how simple are you to manage success in this fight?
Freddie Roach: Well, Manny’s a great fighter and we have a great relationship together. We’ve been together for eight years. We have a lot of trust with each other. We’ve had a good ride so far. But, you know, it’s up to Manny to win the fight. He knows that. We can work on the game plan and work in the gym together and so forth. But when the bell rings I sit down and he fights and Manny will win the fight and I have all the confidence in the world in my fighter and that’s why if I say something positive to him it’s because I believe it. But Manny will win the fight himself. He doesn’t need me.
Q: Freddie, question for you, have you been watching the 24/7’s and do you pick up any tidbits on what the other guys doing if so?
Freddie Roach: You know what, I watch 24/7. It’s a good show. I think but you can’t really pick things up just from the short clips that they show and I know Floyd doesn’t let them come as far and so forth because he’s scared to show us what he’s up to. But I’m open with that. I’m fine with what we have given them – showing Manny knocking guys out. So just getting them ready for what’s in store.
Q: Floyd, could you respond to that? Freddie says that you don’t like to let 24/7 cameras watch because you’re afraid to let people see what’s going on?
Floyd Mayweather: Look here man. I’m a trainer, he know that. I’m a trainer I’m not a photographer or a movie man. So, don’t blame me about what they do. Anybody can take photos out and on the floor and roll it over and anybody can do that man, you know.
Q: So, you think that’s acting? When we see Manny put someone down with a body part, that’s acting?
Floyd Mayweather: You ain’t gonna see no acting on May 2nd, I bet you that. I bet there ain’t gonna be any acting on that day.
Q: Freddie, can you speak to how Manny, when you were first with him, looking back when he fought like Ledwaba and even when he had to fight the first fight with Morales, how he was primarily a left-hand fighter and now he developed – it looks like he’s a better body puncher, throws better right hooks and what not. Can you kind of speak to his aptitude of being able to adjust in the middle of his career which most guys don’t do very well?
Freddie Roach: Yeah, after the Morales loss, people criticized me about Manny being just a one-handed fighter and he has a left hand. And, so it was my job to improve his right hand and he’s come a long way and then I want to improve his defense, of course, because he’s a little bit reckless at times.
So, we’re just trying to be better and better as time goes on. And one thing about Manny Pacquiao, he’s the four or five time world champion and he’s still getting better and he still wants to learn. And that’s unusual for somebody at his caliber, but he’s very capable and he’s getting better all the time.
Q: Do you also think it’s unusual that he’s able to still have this kind of power as he moves up in weight?
Freddie Roach: Yeah, usually guys when they move up in weight they lose their power, but Manny’s staying power is better than ever and we’re going to show it – we’ll show it in this fight, I’m sure.
Q: Floyd, Both you and Freddie were fighters in your day. Who was the better fighter between the two of you?
Floyd Mayweather: Ah, man. Come on – quit asking me crazy questions. No, man. I most definitely was the better fighter than Freddie Roach. As a matter of fact, I’ve got a poster down at the gym where Freddie’s on my under card.
Freddie Roach: You got a shot and ruined your career. Oh my God.
Q: Hey Freddie, what do you think about that?
Freddie Roach: Well, you know what I tried really hard. I fought on TV a lot more than him. I was real popular than he was.
Floyd Mayweather: You were a bum.
Freddie Roach: You know, his brother was a great fighter but he lost to my fighter Marlon Sterling twice. He got his ass kicked twice. So, how good was he? He was okay.
Floyd Mayweather: You weren’t okay. You were a bum.
Freddie Roach: So you think.
Floyd Mayweather: You got whopped so much Freddie. Come on Freddie.
Freddie Roach: You’re the expert. Hey Floyd, can I ask you a question?
Floyd Mayweather: Yes sir.
Freddie Roach: When I get presented the trainer of the year award I want you to present that to me this year because that’s as close as you’ll get to it.
Floyd Mayweather: We’re gonna see about that Freddie. We’ll see about that Freddie.
Freddie Roach: I’d like for you to do that.
Floyd Mayweather: And what are you going to do when I win it Freddie?
Freddie Roach: I’ve won it three times. You’ve never won it.
Floyd Mayweather: Yeah, what do you intend to do?
Freddie Roach: You’re not going to win it ever.
Floyd Mayweather: But we already know Freddie, we already know about you.
Freddie Roach: Okay.
Floyd Mayweather: And those awards. We already know about all that.
Freddie Roach: Three times. Three times.
Q: Hey, I just wanted to ask you, Freddie, I thought it was pretty interesting on the 24/7 where you kind of noticed some things about De La Hoya that you speculated that he had taken some IV injections or something like that. He looked very weak in the ring and you immediately told Manny that. What are some of the things, observations, things that you’re looking for that you’ll be looking for specifically as it pertains to Ricky in this fight? Maybe you see – things you look at the weigh-in or the press conference or right before the first bell?
Freddie Roach: Well, I have experience in the game and it’s just things that you notice. There’s nothing we’d be really looking for in Ricky. I expect him to be at his best and pretty much I’m more concerned with my guy than anything and, but those are just observations that an experienced guy sees.I saw the puncture marks and the tape marks when they first walked in and I thought they hydrated too late and. But, just things you pick up along the way.
Q: And Floyd, when you talk about the difference could be you in the corner for Ricky in this fight, how do you think you will win the fight for Ricky?
Floyd Mayweather: I think Ricky can win the fight without me. That’s what I said, but then with him fighting with me he has a better chance. It’s obvious. I’m the best in this business doing this.
Q: Do you want to elaborate at all?
Floyd Mayweather: Do I want to elaborate on that? Not really because, like I said, Freddie he’s talking all that garbage but then when this fight get up here we’re going to find out just what talent really is. There isn’t any sense in getting scared now. When you try to send me a present. When you try to give me a gift over there with the T-shirts trying to be my friend.
Freddie Roach: I didn’t send that to you.
Floyd Mayweather: It’s too late. It is too late Freddie.
Freddie Roach: I don’t want to be your friend.
Floyd Mayweather: I know you don’t want to be my friend. You really ain’t going to want to be my friend after the 2nd. You’re gonna wish you had never even known me.
Freddie Roach: All right. That’s true.
Q: I want to throw the question out there for both of you. A lot of speculation that the winner of this fight maybe gets a rematch for Ricky with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and maybe it’s a match up of the former Pound-For-Pound King against the new one. Is that next on the radar for both of you if your fighters win and maybe if either one of you know whether Floyd actually is back in the gym and in training?
Floyd Mayweather: Yeah, I know. It’s my son. I know, he’s in the gym and I do know that my son is back in the gym and I do know that Freddie Roach do not want Manny Pacquiao to fight Floyd. Freddie said he would do anything he can to stop Manny from fighting my son. That’s what Freddie said. So, we know Freddie’s not willing to fight little Floyd because he knows what’s going to happen. Ricky Hatton is the one that’s gonna whoop Manny right now. That’s one that got knocked out by my son. So you know good and well he ain’t trying to see little Floyd. He gonna get knocked out by Ricky, trust me.
Q: Freddie, what’s your response?
Freddie Roach: You know what; we have Ricky Hatton in front of us right now that’s all I’m really concerned with. Whatever comes next comes next. If Floyd comes out of retirement who knows? But the thing is we have our hands full with Ricky Hatton. We have a tough fight coming up so we’re concentrating on that fight. And one fight at a time.
Q: For both of you guys, your feelings on this fight that involve two American trainers with two fighters from the opposite end of the world. And is there anything different that you showed these boxers when you got them that they didn’t get from their original trainers?
Floyd Mayweather: I taught Ricky how to box. Ricky didn’t know anything. He has brute strength. When I first went down to England over the past for him, you know, it was horrendous. But, you look at him today. He’s totally different. And that totally different gonna be explosive on May 2.
Freddie Roach: Manny Pacquiao was the one we met. I mean, he was already a flyweight champion of the world. He was a little bit rough around the edges. We worked on just improving his game and yeah…he’s always been a good fighter and he had great power when I got him and we just have a good relationship together and we have a good trust with each other. Manny was a very good fighter before I got him, no doubt about it. He was world class material.
Q: What about the fact that both you guys are Americans and you both have non-American fighters? What’s your feeling on that brining this fight to the United States?
Floyd Mayweather: To me it’s an everyday chore. You know, I’m saying Ricky can do his job and Ricky’s gonna do his job and that’s going to be the extent of it.
We all know what the final end is going to be. You know? The Pac
gonna be on his back – you do know that.
Freddie Roach: You know Pacquiao coming to America to fight. America’s where it’s at right now. We have the best sparring and the best training and best facilities and so forth. So, Manny comes from a foreign country. They don’t have all the equipment and the technology that we have in America. So, America’s the top of the line. That’s where I think the best trainers in the world are and that’s why they’re here.
Q: Hey Freddie, can you explain or tell the story of how in the world that you and Manny came to be together because he had been fighting exclusively in Asia and it wasn’t until long after his career had begun that he came to the United States. I’m trying to remember what your first fight with him was and how did you guys hook up?
Freddie Roach: Well, he walked in my gym one day and his manger asked me if I’d work mitts with him. And after one round I went to my people and I said, wow, can this kid fight! What a great puncher and he went to his manager and said we have a new trainer. And he came to America looking for a new trainer and promoter and he got turned down quite a few places because people weren’t really interested in a 122 pounder at the time. And then about 30 days later we fought Ledwaba for the world title and he knocked him out in the fourth round and we’ve been together since.
Q: So, your first fight with Manny was the Ledwaba fight?
Freddie Roach: Yes it was.
Q: Okay. As manager at the time, was that Nazario? Who was that?
Freddie Roach: Yeah, Rod Nazario.
Q: Okay. And so it was just dumb luck basically that he came to Wild Card one day and then now we know the rest of the story was just this great match that’s taken place over the last eight years between you guys?
Freddie Roach: Yeah. He just walked in, he walked in and they asked me – they heard I was good on the mitts and after one round we just clicked together.
Q: Okay. One other thing about this fight, if you take a look at the historical aspects of it, you have Manny who’s already…You know Ricky has been tremendous at 140 pounds, has been the world champion for quite some time and was able to go up and win a belt at 147 pounds. But with Manny you have a guy that’s won titles in five different divisions. If he wins this championship against Ricky that will be his sixth division which would tie Oscar, I believe, for the only other fighter who ever won world titles in six divisions in the history of boxing even though there’s a lot more divisions now then there was back in the old days. But, I wanted to know if you could just give your thoughts about the possibility of that sort of history at hand for Manny. And in addition to six weight division titles, the fact would be that he’d be the recognized champion, if you will, the lineal champion in four different divisions which has never been done in boxing history if he’s able to beat Ricky. Can you sort of process the history that you guys are staring down the barrel if you’re able to do this and win the fight?
Freddie Roach: Well, I never thought this would ever happen, of course, when I started with Manny, because he was just 122 pound champ. And he’s just been getting bigger and stronger throughout. And now we’re settling at 40’s and 40’s, I think, is his best weight so far. His best fighting weight.
And, he’s just getting bigger and stronger all the time and one thing about Manny he’s a lot happier when he’s not making weight. He’s healthier, he gets to eat what he wants and I feel when I have a happy fighter that’s not struggling to make weight, it’s a good thing. And his powers come up with him. Manny Pacquiao, he’s a machine. He is the hardest worker I’ve ever seen in my life and that’s why he’s the best fighter in the world today.
Q: But Freddie, have you ever given thought to just…I mean, you can take a look at the history of boxing. There are so many great fighters throughout all times, modern times, the old days where there were smaller divisions, but that he could theoretically be the only fighter, ever, in the whole story history of boxing, to be like considered the champion in four different divisions especially going from 112, so far, up to 140. That’s a huge weight difference. I mean, I now you’re a student of the game. Do you ever think about what that means? And of course, you’re a major part of it.
Freddie Roach: No, it’s just a great thing. And I compare Manny to like Henry Armstrong tough. Manny’s a throwback. He would be great in any era, of course, because he comes to fight, he’s exciting, he likes to exchange and he’s improving on his skills and his defense. So, he’s getting better all the time. And his work ethic is unbelievable and I’m just really happy to be part of Manny Pacquiao’s crew because Manny’s a great kid.
Q: Floyd you said earlier that you taught Ricky how to box. You think that he can win this fight boxing?
Floyd Mayweather: We’re gonna win the fight and whatever’s needed that’s what we’re going to do. If he has to box, he can box. If we want to brawl, we are gonna brawl. Whatever he wants to do. Because whatever it is that we do we can do better than Manny anyway. We can box better than Manny. He can box better than Manny. He definitely is stronger than Manny on the aggressive tip. Ricky is definitely going to back him up. He can fight going backward. He ain’t no Muhammad Ali. So, it doesn’t make any difference. Anyway he come. I know what he’s gonna do though. Soon as Ricky touch him with one good shot, if he’s able to run, that’s what he’s gonna do the rest of the fight. So, he’ll run the rest of the fight. That’s what he’s going to do.
Q: But obviously if he can box that’s gonna throw Manny off a little bit. My question is he puts the heat on Manny, he walks into a big left-hander. Do you think his natural instinct is going to be, okay, just plant and go? If Ricky – obviously if Ricky can counter and draw Manny in and suck him in a few times and box him, obviously Manny won’t be ready for that. But if Manny catches Ricky on the way in with a big left hand and gets the crowd going, don’t you think that automatically he’ll revert back to himself and he’ll plant and trade?
Floyd Mayweather: If he reverts back to himself, as I once said before, I think he can beat Manny if he didn’t have me in his corner. So, if he reverts back to what he did before it’s gonna be good enough.
Q: Freddie, if the scenario I just said happened and Ricky is putting the heat on Manny and Manny cracks him, walks right into his best – his Sunday left hand, and Ricky doesn’t even change his expression. How does Manny win the fight?
Freddie Roach: Manny just keeps hitting him. I mean, Manny – Ricky’s defense is poor and he’s coming forward and we’re just going to – just go to him as he comes. I mean…
Q: But Freddie, if he can’t hurt him and he can’t keep him off can he beat him in the trenches?
Freddie Roach: Oh, we guarantee. The first left hand he’s going to go down on the canvas.
Q: The first one? Because Ricky…I’m not convinced that Ricky’s stronger.
Freddie Roach: Ricky doesn’t have that good a chin.
Freddie Roach: Just thanks everyone. Just my guys ready and he’s in great shape and I can’t wait to get this going. So, we’ll see you at the fight. Thank you.
Floyd Mayweather: Yeah, I’m just waiting till May 2nd get here and my man’s ready and I know Freddie “The Joke Coach Roach” is scared right now.
Freddie Roach: Oh, he is?
Floyd Mayweather: And he’s probably going to go crawl up in some hole somewhere.
Freddie Roach: Enough with this dueling man. It’s old.
Floyd Mayweather: It’s the truth man. You the Roach.
Freddie Roach: Jesus.
Floyd Mayweather: I want to ask you a question, is that your name?
Freddie Roach: Freddie the coach…What’s your name Joy? Is that a girl’s name, Joy?
Floyd Mayweather: Yeah, it’s Joy but guess what…Guess what? But the Joy is much better than the man.
Freddie Roach: Yeah. You’re a great fighter.
Floyd Mayweather: Yeah. Well you wasn’t. I can say that. The record speaks for itself.
Freddie Roach: Yeah, what was your record?
Floyd Mayweather: I tell you one thing…
Freddie Roach: Mine was better than yours.
Floyd Mayweather: I don’t think so. I don’t think so.
Freddie Roach: I know you guys are shy and all the photographs on the floor.
Floyd Mayweather: Freddie, you got hit more times…
Freddie Roach: Poor Floyd.
Floyd Mayweather: Freddie, you got hit more times…
Freddie Roach: You could have been great but your not.
Floyd Mayweather: More jabs than any fighter I know in the 70’s. Seventies and 80. You got hit more than any fighter I ever know. You know about Roger that’s why you used to box Roger, didn’t ya? Oh, we know about that. Well Roger told me about it. You know about it.
Freddie Roach: Yeah, I know about it. I fought him once and you were never there though because I think you were in jail.
Floyd Mayweather: Roger told me about it. I know all about it, trust me.
Freddie Roach: Okay. Selling drugs or something. That’s nice stuff to do.
Floyd Mayweather: But, anyway, Freddie,”The Joke Coach Roach” like I said…
Freddie Roach: Oh my God.
Floyd Mayweather: You see me come May 2nd so we can fight that, mm, mm, mm. You understand me?
Freddie Roach: Yeah. No problem. I have no problem with you.
Floyd Mayweather: Guess what, I’m already in your head.
Freddie Roach: You’re the greatest.
Floyd Mayweather: I’m already in your head.
Freddie Roach: Yeah, but you know what I don’t count on fighting Manny Pacquiao’s fight. Get in his head.