Late Thursday night, world-class trainer Freddie Roach made an appearance on Sirius XM's The Scott Ferrall Show to promote Saturday's highly-anticipated showdown between WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and middleweight king Sergio Martinez. Naturally, it didn't take long for the topic of discussion to switch to Manny Pacquiao, 50 Cent, and Floyd Mayweather. "50 Cent is talking to Mike Koncz. Mike Koncz is negotiating with Manny. Dubai people are offering 100 million a piece. The fight, I think it's getting closer now. I think it's going to happen. For the first time in my life, I see a light at the end of the tunnel," Roach surprisingly revealed, alleging there's a possibility that Pacquiao may forego a fourth clash with Juan Manuel Marquez if promoters Bob Arum and 50 Cent can finalize details for a mega-fight with undefeated pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather.
According to Roach, 50 Cent has allegedly been given the authority to negotiate on Mayweather's behalf, and talks of a joint promotional venture with Manny Pacquiao is really an attempt to finalize details of March or April clash between the two fighters in Dubai. "Well, there's talk about that, but the thing is, it's just really negotiating the two of them fighting," Freddie explained when asked about Pacquiao and 50 Cent joining forces. "Now 50 and Mayweather, they got together and spent 3 million dollars and bought like 5 fighters, and they spent big money for these fighters, but then Al Haymon stepped in again, so the deal's not done yet. And the thing is, 50 is negotiating on Mayweather's behalf with Michael Koncz because Mayweather gave him that authority."
"I'm not sure where Al Haymon is going to end up in this scenario, but I think 50 is taking over and he's going to start his own promotion company. And one thing that Arum told me, he said, 'I can deal with this guy. I'll negotiate with him.' And well, I think it's a good sign, so...It'll be in March or April," Roach added. "Marquez won't happen if that fight comes through first...That's what I was told."
Believe Roach if you want, but I'm telling you that what he's saying simply isn't true. The fight is no closer to being made than it was a year ago, when all this talk about mystery investors from Dubai, Singapore, and Mexico first began. Furthermore, 50 Cent is NOT secretly negotiating on behalf of Floyd Mayweather, although I don't doubt that Roach may have been led to believe that. In fact, according to a source close to Pacquiao's camp, contrary to reports, Pacquiao has yet to agree to face Marquez, and this latest news regarding 50 Cent is simply a ploy to convince Pacquiao that the fight he really wants, a showdown with Mayweather, is guaranteed to take place if and only if he moves forward with the Marquez bout. "It's an illusion," our source explained. "Who is he kidding? Michael Koncz is using 50 Cent to get to Manny, just like he used those investors. They're trying to make everything promising for the mega-fight to happen. Like, 'Yeah, we got this connection. We got 50. We got the influence. All you have to do is fight Marquez, and then you'll get Mayweather. They're basically using the promise of Floyd to lure Manny in."
Regardless of whether or not Pacquiao can see through the smokescreen, rest assured, there won't be any agreement reached as Roach is hoping for. Roach better worry more about convincing Pacquiao to press for a knockout against Marquez on December 8th, because if the fight goes the distance, I will not be surprised to see Marquez finally get the victory over 8-division world champion that has eluded him.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Props to @SXMTeam for the tip on Roach's appearance on the show.]
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