Canelo Alvarez, left, watches after knocking down Amir Khan during their WBC middleweight title fight Saturday, May 7, 2016, in Las Vegas. AP
TRAINER Freddie Roach was at ringside when Mexican Canelo Alvarez knocked out Briton Amir Khan with one punch in the sixth round Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Although the seven-time Trainer of the Year was impressed with Alvarez’s form, he still believes that Manny Pacquiao has the tools and the skills to beat boxing’s new poster boy.
Roach in fact didn’t say no when Top Rank chief Bob Arum, who also promotes Pacquiao, said recently that the Filipino superstar could be pitted against Alvarez.
Roach thinks Pacquiao is a lot better than Khan, whom he also trained for a few years.
Pacquiao’s key to besting Alvarez, according to Roach, is to fight smart for 12 rounds.
“I think Pacquiao can pull that off,” Roach told BoxingScene.com.
Pacquiao retired from boxing after beating Tim Bradley by unanimous decision in his last fight on April 9, but Roach wants to convince the senator-elect—Pacquiao ranked seventh among 12 successful candidates—to fight one more time.
“I have to have a long talk with Manny and see what he thinks about that fight (Alvarez), and see if he thinks the same way that I do,” Roach said. “He could be the next guy (for Canelo), unless we get (Floyd) Mayweather Jr. back to the table.”
Roach isn’t even concerned that at 165 pounds, Alvarez is deemed too big for Pacquiao, whose heaviest fight was at a catch weight of 150 lb against Mexican Antonio Margarito in 2010.
Despite a whopping 17 lb weight difference—Pacquiao came in at 148 and Margarito at 165—the eight-division world champion thoroughly dominated the bout.
Roach, however, feels that a rehydration clause for Alvarez is necessary as he could balloon to light heavyweight by fight night.