Only Mayweather OK needed to make fight vs Pacquiao a done deal

Except for Floyd Mayweather Jr. affixing his signature on the dotted line and the place where the fight will be staged, the ``Fight of the Decade’’ between the former pound-for-pound-king and Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao is a done deal.


In fact, if Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach is to be believed, the Pacman has already signed the contract and the camp of the reigning World Boxing Organization champion is only waiting for his American opponent to follow suit.

Roach, answering a query from Brad Cooney Counts News, said the only thing that can snag negotiations can come from the Mayweather camp.

“Anything is possible with Floyd Mayweather involved but we signed our contract and that’s all I care about. There is nothing that I can do about the other guy. I don’t know if they officially but we have,” Roach assured.
“Everything looks good. We have agreed on the glove size, and the weight, “ he added. “I talked to Arum, Dallas wants the fight, MGM wants the fight, Yankee Stadium wants the fight, so it's just trying to find out where the venue is. The fight looks good.”

Describing the March 13 agreed date, Roach said it will be the most difficult for him and Pacquiao since Mayweather is a runner and a counter-puncher.

“We will go to camp and we will make some changes, we will set traps for this guy. This is completely opposite of the Cotto fight, opposite of the Hatton fight, and opposite from the De La Hoya fight, he said recalling Pacquiao’s immediate past fights. “We will come up with a new game plan, a 10 week camp, and some changes. We will work on taking Floyd's speed away from him.”
Roach also confirmed his earlier statement made to this writer before Team Pacquiao left for the United States for the Filipino’s date with Miguel Cotto last month that the seven-division titlist will go back to Baguio City for the first month of his 10-week preparations.

“Yes, a month in PI and a month in Los Angeles, I have no problem with that,” he said in answer to Cooney’s question as to the venue of training.