Mayweather is next–Roach

HOLLYWOOD—A rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. is highly possible.

The affable Freddie Roach said there’s a strong chance there will be repeat of the 2015 “Battle for Greatness” between boxing’s standard bearers.

“You know that there’s a reason why Floyd went on TV the other night (during an NBA Filipino Heritage game that honored Pacquiao), and it’s to show the world that he’s still there,” said Roach.

Mayweather also bumped into Pacquiao last year in Tokyo festival where the undefeated American announced his desire for a rematch.

“And I think that part of the reason, I think the winner of this fight (Pacquiao against Adrien Broner) has the chance of getting him (Mayweather),” said Roach. “I hope so yes, because that’s the one fight I would like to have back. I know we can do better.”

The first fight, which reportedly earned $600 million, was a big disappointment and ended with the flashy American winning via unanimous decision over the Filipino icon who turned out to be nursing an injured shoulder.

“Hopefully that happens, if not there’s a lot of guys out there who are big names, but Mayweather’s my first choice,” added Roach, who acts as consultant for the Jan. 19 WBA world welterweight fight at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

Broner is likened to Mayweather in terms of his being a defensive, counter-punching fighter. But that doesn’t bother Roach.

“He’s a counter-puncher and doesn’t come to us much, he’s the type of guy that sucks you in,” said Roach. “But we’ve dealt with that before, I mean he’s not our favorite type of fighter.”

But what keeps Roach’s hope afloat was the fact that Pacquiao himself told him he’s going for a knockout.

“He told me he’s gonna knock this guy out, he’s never said that to me in my life. So I’m happy where’s his head right now. If a knockout comes it’s good but I’m happy that he wants a knockout because that means he’s got his killer instinct back,” he added.

If the punches land on fight night, said Roach, he expects a knockout triumph that has not happened under his watch since 2009 against Miguel Cotto.

And with Pacquiao’s old buddy Buboy Fernandez at the helm, Pacquiao tasted a KO win once again when he stopped Lucas Matthyse in the seventh last July in Kuala Lumpur.

But the scenario is clear on Roach’s mind come fight night: A stoppage in the later rounds.

He added: “I don’t want the referee coming to the rescue (of Broner), I want it him laid out.”