LAS VEGAS, USA – Will Manny Pacquiao knock out the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr? Don’t count on it.

On Thursday, April 30, Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said the game plan is not to knockout Mayweather but to outscore him.

At a press conference two days before the fight of the century, Roach said he is confident he “got Manny with a winning formula” to beat Mayweather – one that does not include one of the Filipino fighter’s famous knockouts.

Instead, Roach said they will outscore Mayweather by decision.

“I really think we can win by decision here. And that’s what my game plan is. To outscore him. And use fast combinations. If (Pacquiao) stays in the pocket too long we will get hit back,” Roach said.

“That’s something we should not do and what we worked on in training camp. So he’s well prepared for whatever Floyd brings and if Floyd wants to fight. If he wants to run, we will cut the ring off.”

If the fight does go the distance, Roach also expressed the fight would be judged fairly.

“We have a great referee we have good judges,” he said.

“I don’t think he (referee Kenny Bayless) has any room for mistakes, in this big crowd, in the biggest fight ever. I think he’ll give us a fair call and I trust this will happen.”

Roach said he is sure Pacquiao will deliver on the action that fans are waiting for, but said Mayweather could spend the night running. He said they would not let him run away.

“He could run all night and I have fallen asleep in some of his fights before,” Roach said.

He added however, that he could see Mayweather going in for the kill in early rounds to try to knock Pacquiao out.

“I think he’s going to come out in early rounds and try to knock us out and we’re prepared for that,” Roach said.

Most analysts are picking Mayweather to win by decision in the megafight that took over 5 years to finalize. The bout is set to be the most lucrative in fighting history, with it expected to generate over $400 million.

Mayweather to KO Pacquiao?

Mayweather’s trainer and father, Floyd Mayweather Sr, disagreed with Roach however, simply saying “the fight is already won.”

“Trust and believe me,” he said.

Mayweather Sr alluded to knocking out Pacquiao, saying, “To be honest with you, it won’t be much of a fight.” Asked if it would be short, he responded, “pretty much.”

He then recalled the knockout Pacquiao suffered against Juan Manuel Marquez, saying it would be hard for Pacquiao to recover from such a loss.

“Once you get hit like that (by Marquez), it will only take (Floyd one punch) and he’s gone,” he said of Pacquiao. “It’s going to happen.”

The older Mayweather also insisted that his fighter is not scared of Pacquiao and has not been for years.

“Floyd will whoop Pacquiao’s ass any day, any year,” he said.

Roach on the other hand said analysts picking Mayweather to win the fight is because they’ve missed something: “(Mayweather’s) a good fighter but he’s picked his opponents the whole time. He has picked and chose who he wants to fight, I don’t really think he wants this fight. I think he was forced to pick this fight.”

Roach said Mayweather has not faced anyone like Pacquiao before.

Mayweather and Pacquiao are expected to face off on Saturday, May 2 (Sunday Manila time) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, a fight that is expected settle once and for all, who the best pound for pound fighter is of this generation. – Rappler.com