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Freddie Roach sat down with reporters at a table inside a restaurant at the end of the Santa Monica Pier on Monday. He was there for a news conference promoting Saturday's fight between Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and lightweight champion David Diaz of Chicago at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
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By the time Roach left the table for the start of the proceedings, he had talked about a rumored future fight between Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton.
"Yeah, I want the Ricky Hatton fight," said Roach, Pacquiao's trainer.
For Pacquiao, fighting Hatton would mean yet another move up in weight. In this case, to super lightweight. As it is, Pacquiao on Saturday will be trying to become the first Asian to win world titles in four weight classes when he challenges Diaz for his lightweight belt. But Roach said some things about Pacquiao-Hatton that made good sense.
"Style-wise I think it's the perfect fight for Manny," Roach said.
Roach isn't saying that Pacquiao would like to take on any 140-pounder out there. Not at all.
"There are a lot of 140-pounders I wouldn't fight out there, of course, but the thing is Ricky Hatton's one that I would," Roach said. "I think Ricky Hatton's the perfect opponent for Manny Pacquiao. I think it's a great fight and I think it's a huge fight for us."
Roach said he is talking about a one-and-done situation.
"If we ever fought Hatton at 140, we would go right back down to 135 for the next fight, I'm sure, because there are a lot of 140-pounders I wouldn't take," Roach said. "But he's one that I would."
That was twice Roach said that there are a lot of 140-pounders he would not want Pacquiao to fight. We pressed Roach as to what specifically he was referring. As if we didn't know.
"The thing is he made a lot of money; he might be a little spoiled," Roach said of Hatton. "They tell me he's having trouble making 140 now. His lifestyle in between fights, it's going to catch up with you sooner or later. It has to. It's part of life."
Although Pacquaio probably never drank like the beer-pounding Hatton, he did drink. However, Roach said Pacquiao no longer does.
"Not anymore," Roach said. "He's grown up, making more mature choices in his life."
