• Boxing

Khan won't fight Pacquiao - Roach

ESPN staff
May 4, 2011
Amir Khan beat Paul McCloskey in April © PA Photos
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Freddie Roach has dismissed claims that he wanted his stablemates Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao to meet in the ring.

It was reported last week that Roach was keen to see Khan step up from light-welterweight to welterweight and get in the ring with Pacquiao, but the revered trainer has insisted his comments were made in a tongue-in-cheek manner and had been twisted.

Roach is putting the finishing touches to Pacquiao's preparations for the title fight with Shane Mosley at the weekend and the coach cannot ever see his two boxers meeting in the ring.

"I had said that I wanted Amir to clean out the light-welterweight division and then step up to face the best in the welterweight division, fighters like Manny Pacquiao," Roach told the Daily Telegraph. "It was said in a tongue-in-cheek way, and that should have been obvious.

"I would never want them to fight each other. And I can never, ever see that fight happening.

"Amir looks up to Manny and respects him so much I could never see them fighting. But as I say, I have two boxers who I train who could beat Floyd Mayweather. One of them is Manny Pacquiao. The other is Amir Khan."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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