MANNY PACQUIAO’S trainer Freddie Roach has goaded Conor McGregor by claiming the Filipino would easily knock him just as he did to Ricky Hatton.
The Notorious looks braced to scrap the legendary fighter in a money-spinning boxing match in January.
The epic clash is set to be held in the Middle East with talks ongoing.
McGregor had talked up a return to boxing after announcing he was quitting UFC in the summer – and teased that he was going to fight the Filipino legend.
He tweeted: “Anyway all water under the bridge who gives a fook. I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East.”
Pac Man has since confirmed the fight will go ahead.
And Roach, the legendary coach to the eight-division world champ, believes it will be easy work for Pacquiao.
He likened it to Pacquiao’s demolition of Brit favourite Hatton when he brutally knocked him out inside two rounds in 2009 to win the IBO middleweight title.
Roach said: “If this is true, Manny Pacquiao will have an easier time with you, Conor McGregor, than when he fought Ricky Hatton.”
McGregor previously fought Floyd Mayweather under Queensberry Rules in 2017, and was stopped in the tenth round.
He has been eyeing another dabble into boxing for some time now despite that defeat.
Pacquiao, a senator in his native country, says cash from this fight will go towards the relief effort in the Philippines after Covid-19.
A statement from Pacquiao’s office read: “For the sake of all the Filipino Covid-19 victims, Senator Manny Pacquiao will be fighting UFC superstar Conor McGregor next year.
“The huge portion of his earnings will proceed to those who are affected nationwide by the pandemic.”
Pacquiao most recently fought in July last year when he beat Keith Thurman in a WBA super world welterweight title defence.
