Boxing-Pacquiao’s hand speed will earn win, says Roach (Reuters)
By Mark Lamport-Stokes LOS ANGELES, April 23 (Reuters) – Superior hand speed will give Manny Pacquiao a decisive edge over American Floyd Mayweather in their heavily anticipated megafight in Las Vegas next week, says the Filipino southpaw’s trainer Freddie Roach. Mayweather will go into the May 2 welterweight showdown as the favourite in his bid to improve on a perfect 47-0 record as a professional, but Roach is confident that underdog Pacquiao will emerge triumphant on points after the 12 scheduled rounds. “I know he (Mayweather) is a good fighter but I just think I have the better fighter,” Roach told Reuters before overseeing a shadow boxing session by Pacquiao at his Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California. “Hand speed is going to be a big, big difference in this fight and Manny is much quicker than he is.” Roach, who has guided Pacquiao to world championships in eight weight divisions and a 57-5-2 career record with 38 knockouts, said that he had no concerns about the threat posed by 11-time world champion Mayweather.