Roach wants Mayweather-Pacquiao bout announced soon

MANILA, Philippines – Freddie Roach is hoping that Floyd Mayweather Jr. will soon make the announcement that he’ll finally fight Manny Pacquiao.

Roach said Mayweather better do it soon because time is running out for the super fight to be staged on the planned May 2 date.

"We are getting really close," the bespectacled trainer told Agence France Presse.

If the showdown is finalized, Roach is eyeing an eight-week training camp for Pacquiao, who earlier stated he has began working out in anticipation of a duel with Mayweather.

"I need eight weeks. That window is getting smaller and smaller," 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," he added.

Mayweather has the boxing world on its toes hoping that he makes the long-awaited announcement of fighting Pacquiao. At the recent NBA All-Star game in New York over the weekend, the undefeated American belied reports that a deal has been sealed for what potentially could be the richest boxing match ever.

Like Pacquiao, Roach, for his part, remains optimistic that the megabuck match will push through.

"I think we're close enough, it will happen sometime in the near future," Roach said. "Floyd says he wants to fight. Manny says he wants to fight. Fights get made like that."