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03/28/2024 10:18:58 pm

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Boxing News & Rumors: Freddie Roach Admits Mistake in Allowing Manny Pacquiao to Fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. One-Handed

Freddie Roach and Manny Pacquiao

(Photo : Getty Images) Trainer Freddie Roach adjusts Manny Pacquiao's mouth guard during the latter's unanimous decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May.

Seven-time Boxing Writers Association of America Trainer of the Year winner Freddie Roach recently admitted that he regrets allowing his top boxer Manny Pacquiao to face the retired pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. with a busted right shoulder in May at an event dubbed "The Fight of the Century."

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Pacquiao reportedly suffered a torn right rotator cuff injury during training weeks before the mega bout with Mayweather. But he is said to have been temporarily healed before fight night, which prompted Pac-Man's camp to push through with the financially record-breaking match.

The eight-division world champion eventually re-injured the shoulder in the fourth round against the unbeaten American. Some fans believe this swayed the tide and secured a unanimous victory for Money May.

"I always regret (not pulling him out) that because I was one of the ones who wanted to cancel the fight because of the injuries, but everyone else thought that if it don't happen now it would never happen and there was so much money involved and so forth," Roach said, as reported by Boxing Scene.

Roach disclosed that postponing the fight would have given his ward a better chance of defeating Mayweather. Instead, Pacquiao was bullied all throughout the 12 rounds because his usually effective power right hook was reduced to nothing during the fight.

"I know my heart was in the right place. He wasn't going to win that fight one-handed, and I think we should have waited until he was healthy and we would have has a better shot," said the 55-year-old trainer. "But that's how things go in boxing."

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN, a Philippine local media outlet, reported that Pacquiao's camp is still trying to negotiate a rematch with Mayweather in April next year in what would be the Filipino icon's swan song in boxing.

"I don't know who's my opponent yet, but we're still negotiating right now about the rematch with Floyd Mayweather. So hoping for that," said Pacquiao.

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