Pacquiao-Foreman an option

Foreman: Could face Pac Man

Offence wins fights. He (Mayweather) has a great defence, you don't score points with defence.

Freddie Roach
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Manny Pacquiao could fight Israel's Yuri Foreman ahead of his super-fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr, trainer Freddie Roach has confirmed.

A much-anticipated fight between Filipino Pacquiao, the world's best pound-for-pound boxer, and undefeated Mayweather is on the cards after the American recently came out of retirement.

Talks between both camps are underway, but Roach has accused Mayweather's party of stalling on negotiations and is considering an earlier bout for the 'Pac Man' against WBA light-middleweight champion Foreman.

"We want to fight in March and we don't really want to wait," Roach said.

Commitment

"Mayweather doesn't want to fight in March, so we might fight for the 154lbs title in March and move up for that eighth world title.

"I'm thinking about that still and it's something that I'm kicking around in my head right now.

"Yuri Foreman might be the opponent. It is a possibility, and then Mayweather in September. If they guarantee me that, we'll do that, but I need more of a commitment from Mayweather because he's not negotiating too well.

"It has to happen, and with the money they are going to make out of it, I feel it will happen. Mayweather can't make that money with anybody else."

And while admitting Mayweather could cause a few problems against Pacquiao, Roach revealed he has a game-plan in place for the Michigan fighter.

Roach also believes Pacquiao's attacking qualities will prove too much for Mayweather.

Great fighter

"Offence wins fights. He (Mayweather) has a great defence, you don't score points with defence," Roach said.

"I have a good game-plan for Mayweather. I have studied him hard and I know him pretty well.

"He's very difficult and he gives us problems but I think we can get to him. We can match his speed and our footwork is a little better than his so I think we can excel in those spots.

"Obviously it's a tough fight but I think we can get to him and break him down.

"He (Mayweather) is a great fighter and the retirement was just to make his price go up. He's just playing games. He never left the gym - he trained the whole time. He's not going to retire for a long time."