Los Angeles: Time is running out for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather to book a May 2 showdown, Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said on Tuesday.
Amid a welter of reports in recent weeks that a deal for the much-anticipated bout was all but done, Roach warned that a decision would be needed soon if both fighters are to prepare adequately.
“We are getting really close,” Roach said of reaching a cut-off for declaring a May 2 fight a reality. “I need eight weeks. That window is getting smaller and smaller.”
In fact, Roach said, he could make do with a slightly shorter training camp with Pacquiao, the eight-division world champion, who said on Monday in the Philippines that a deal was “near.”
On an eight-week schedule, the first fortnight would be core training and general conditioning, Roach said.
“The boxing would start six weeks out, because if you go more than six weeks with Manny you’ll burn him out because of his work ethic.”
