KUNG hindi makakakuha ng rematch kay dating pound-for-pound No.1 boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr., mas gusto ni Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach na makaharap ng alaga niyang si eight division titlist Manny Pacquiao ang kababayan niyang si WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman.

Napanatili ni Thurman ang kanyang korona sa 12-round majority decision sa Mexican American na si Josesito Lopez nitong Linggo sa Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York at kaagad niyang hinamon sa unification bout si Pacquiao na regular WBA welterweight titlist.

Sa panayam ni Roach sa Fight Hub TV, idiniin ni Roach ang kahandaan ni Pacquiao na magka-rematch kay Mayweather matapos kumbinsidong talunin si Adrien Broner.

“We will get better and I would like a rematch [against Floyd Mayweather] right away. I mean, everyone’s healthy, next fight I would love a rematch because we won’t make that mistake again,” sabi ni Roach na natawa na lang sa paratang ni Broner na nadaya ito. “Is he just trying to talk himself into like feeling good or something? I’m not sure but I don’t even know if he won a round to be honest with you. And Pacquiao fought a good fight and I was very happy with his performance and Manny looked really good and I was glad to be there to get the game plan down and to get the game plan on the right track.”

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Aminado si Roach na gustong makaharap ni Pacquiao si Mayweather na tumalo rito sa puntos noong Mayo 2, 2015 sa Las Vegas, Nevada ngunit natuklasang may pinsala sa balikat ang Pinoy boxer matapos ang laban.

Ngunit, handa rin si Pacquiao sa unification bout kay Thurman.

“I [want Pacquiao] to fight him. The thing is, if we don’t get Mayweather, Thurman’s my second choice. I love him for Pacquiao’s style. I think he’s good for us. Not easy, though,” ani Roach. “Pacquiao is getting better at going forward, pressing people, and that was the best I’ve ever seen him going forward [against Broner] ‘cause the guy was such a runner and I wasn’t sure if he could always pull that off. But he did really, really well. He’s following instructions a lot better, and he’s maturing much more. And this is like the first time he’s ever came into the weigh-in at 147 and we even had to lose one pound to get there.”

Nauna rito, kaagad hinamon ni Thurman si Pacquiao matapos magwagi kay Lopez.

“I would most likely definitely take the Manny Pacquiao fight this year,” deklara ni Thurman. “I feel good. I’m ready to fight wherever Pacquiao wants it.”