Conor McGregor vs Manny Pacquiao: Freddie Roach slams ‘The Notorious’
MANNY PACQUIAO’s head coach Freddie Roach has criticised Conor McGregor’s boxing skills.
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Talk of a fight between Pacquiao and McGregor first came up last month when the Filipino called out the UFC's lightweight champion on Twitter and Instagram.
A few weeks after laying down the gauntlet to McGregor, Pacquiao stunned the combat sports world by claiming his representatives have reached out to the Irishman’s team to discuss a possible multi-million-pound bout.
“If we can negotiate it, I have no problem. It is OK with both of us,” 'Pacman' said.
“[Talks?] Initially, but we have not yet had any follow-up conversations.”
Pacquiao’s comments drew the ire of UFC president Dana White, who claimed he would take legal action against the former WBO welterweight champion and his team if they have indeed contacted McGregor.
“That would be weird, because (McGregor’s) under contract with us,” White said after UFC Fight Night 123 in Fresno, California.
“If that’s true, I will be suing Manny Pacquiao and whoever is representing him.”
Despite White’s recent comments, talk of a bout between Pacquiao and McGregor continues to rumble on.
He’s not that great a boxer, in my mind
Should the unthinkable happen and a fight between the pair come to fruition, Roach believes there will only be one winner.
“Well Manny always told he doesn’t like that sport because it’s more like a street fight,” he told Fight Hub TV.
“But it’s a very winnable fight and there’s a lot of money in that fight.
“It’s kind of like ripping off the world, it wouldn’t be a fair fight. Unless Manny fought by their rules too, that would be a fair fight.
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“But if you’re going to do boxing rules, the boxer is going to win 99-and-a-half percent of the time. And I don’t think it’s much of a fight. I’m not a big fan of his.”
McGregor, 29, entered the boxing world in August to take on Floyd Mayweather Jr, who handed him his first stoppage loss via a tenth-round TKO.
‘The Notorious’ put on an impressive display in the early rounds before succumbing to fatigue, which hindered him in his back-to-back fights with Nate Diaz.
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Roach wasn’t impressed by what he saw of McGregor in that fight and believes his boxing skills aren't up to par.
He added: “He’s not that great a boxer, in my mind. And I think we all saw that.”
