Iginiit ni dating WBA light middleweight champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout ng United States na tanging si eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao ang maaring tumalo kay WBC at WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. ngunit nakalagpas na ang pagkakataong iyon.
Sa panayam ni Jenna Jay ng On The Ropes Boxing Show, sinabi ni Trout na kung nagsagupa sina Pacquiao at Mayweather dalawa o isang taon na ang nakararaan ay nakatitiyak siyang mananalo ang Pilipino.
“I believe that maybe a year ago, one or two years ago, Manny Pacquiao would have beaten Floyd, but I don’t see that happening now,” ani Austin. “Because Manny is not the same fighter he was a year ago. A year ago, I think he definitely could have given Floyd his first loss, but he’s slowed down a bit and he’s lost a step or two. You got to be on your A game, firing on all cylinders, if you’re gonna beat Floyd.”
Ayon sa Amerikano na muling lalaban, matapos ang dalawang sunod na pagkatalo kina Mexican Saul Alvarez at Cuban Erislandy Lara, na hindi siya naniniwalang nawala ang lakas ng mga kamao ni Pacquiao.
“Well, seeing that he came from 118lbs, I guess that depends on your perspective. He’s still stronger than he was then, but not as strong as he was year ago,” paliwanag ni Austin na hahamunin bukas si WBF light middleweight champion Daniel Dawson sa Temecula, California.
Ngunit hindi minaliit ni Austin ang kakayahan ng kababayang si Chris Algieri na hahamunin si Pacquiao sa Nobyembre 22 sa Macau, China para sa WBO welterweight title.
“I don’t want to talk down to Chris Algieri because they said that about him and (Russian Ruslan) Provodnikov and he ended up coming back and beating Provodnikov, and I’m glad they didn’t rob him for that either,” dagdag ni Austin.