Trainer Freddie Roach, left, talks to Manny Pacquiao during a news conference to promote an upcoming boxing match against Timothy Bradley Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, in New York. Pacquiao is scheduled to fight Bradley on April 9, 2016, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
NEW YORK CITY—Manny Pacquiao has been given several labels, some official, during a boxing career that has smashed weight class boundaries. The world’s only eight-division world champion. Fighter of the Decade. Pound-for-pound king.
As the curtains slowly lower on that career, Freddie Roach wants people to remember the Pacman via a more flattering label.
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“Pacquiao is the greatest fighter of his era thus far,” the celebrated trainer said in an interview after the second press conference of Pacquiao versus Timothy Bradley III at Madison Square Garden Thursday afternoon.
There is heavy bias involved in Roach assessment. Since Pacquiao began terrorizing weight classes starting from the flyweight class, Roach has been the trainer at his corner.
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In an illustrious career spanning 21 years, Pacquiao also won the super-feather, lightweight, super welterweight, super-welterweight (WBC), super-bantam (International Boxing Federation), feather, super-lightweight and welterweight titles.
Pacquiao’s record went 24-1-2 during the decade, winning six of his eight world titles, while emerging as the pound-for-pound king.
In addition, Pacquiao became a box-office sensation, (raking in millions of dollars) in gate receipts and pay-per-view buys.
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That was Pacquiao at the top for a long time.
He was so dominant that whenever he fights, Roach would always predict a knockout victory.
He knocked out David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. The predictions have missed the mark in the last 10 fights and there were losses here and there—including a disputed split-decision loss to Timothy Bradley on June 9, 2012.
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Roach, a seven-time trainer of the year awardee, isn’t announcing a knockout prediction yet on Pacquiao-Bradley III on April 9 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Roach told Manila-based sportswriters, however, that for the first time it was Manny who first talked about knocking out Bradley this time.
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For his part, Roach would settle for any form of farewell victory.
“A win is a win, but I expect Manny to be at his best this time,” Roach added.
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Roach, however, wouldn’t stand in the way of Pacquiao’s retirement plants, which he reiterated in the second stop for their two-city promotional tour that kicked off at Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles.
“It’s really hard to be a boxer and senator at the same time,” added Roach.