WHEREVER Manny Pacquiao’s ring career is headed for hinges on the outcome of his showdown with Mexican Brandon Rios on Nov. 24 in Macau.
If Pacquiao knocks out Rios, Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach believes his prized ward’s stock will rebound, reviving hopes of a megabuck fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
But if it’s Pacquiao who ends up kissing the canvas, then Roach will tell the eight-division world champion to hang up his gloves.
“It’s over, 100 percent [if Pacquiao is knocked out by Rios],” Roach told Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports. “We have a deal. When I tell him it’s over, he’ll say it’s over and that’s it. He’s pretty loyal with his words and if that happens, it will be the end.”
Roach, already enshrined in the boxing Hall of Fame, however, is convinced his prized ward has some fights left in his tank.
In their last training camp for his fourth battle with Juan Manuel Marquez, Roach didn’t detect any slippage.
“None whatsoever, and I’d tell you if I did,” Roach said. “The thing is, people look at the losses and they think the reason is that he’s getting old. That’s not the case, not from what I see. Look, we all thought he beat (Tim) Bradley, so throw that out. And in the Marquez fight, I thought he was doing well and was looking like he was going to win by knockout when he made a mistake and ran into a shot.”
Roach was referring to Marquez’s wicked right that caught an onrushing Pacquiao and knocked him out senseless with one second to go in the sixth round.
With Marquez nixing a fifth fight, Pacquiao settled for Rios, a noted brawler like him.
Pacquiao is set to watch countryman Milan Melindo challenge Mexican Juan Francisco Estrada for the World Boxing Organization flyweight and World Boxing Association super flyweight titles on July 27 in Macau. Roy Luarca