Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: A look at the trainers

A look at the rival trainers, Floyd Mayweather Sr. and Freddie Roach, who will be in the corners of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Freddie Roach

Roach and Pacquiao first teamed up 14 years ago; the Mayweather bout will be their 31st fight together.

“Yes, it’s the biggest fight of my life,” Roach said.

Roach, 55, grew up in the Boston area and fought as a lightweight for eight years. He was known as boxer rather than a puncher and retired with a record of 40-13. He had 5 KOs and was knocked out three times. He struggles today with Parkinson’s symptoms, though he gets in the ring with Pacquiao during training sessions.

Much of Roach’s boxing education came from his former trainer, the late Hall of Fame cornerman Eddie Futch, who trained Joe Frazier and Ken Norton. Roach’s reputation has grown since becoming Pacquiao’s trainer. After Pacquiao knocked out Miguel Cotto in 2009, Cotto later hired Roach and his career revived. Cotto won the middleweight title last year. Roach also trained Oscar De La Hoya for his split-decision loss to Mayweather in 2007.

Last month Roach won his seventh trainer-of-the-year award from the Boxing Writers Assn. of America.

Roach’s strategy for this bout is for Pacquiao to cut off the ring and to take the fight against the defense-minded Mayweather. Pacquiao is a southpaw with fast hands — Mayweather has fought few lefties — and in training Roach emphasized that Pacquiao’s left could be a key punch that can hurt Mayweather.

Floyd Mayweather Sr.

In a family of professional boxers, the elder Mayweather had the least impressive fight career.

Mayweather Sr. fought 16 years as a welterweight, retiring with a record of 28-6, with 17 KOs, but he was never good enough to land a title fight.

Mayweather, 62, also served five years in prison on a drug trafficking conviction. His younger brother, Roger was a heavy puncher and outclassed his brother in the ring and won the super-lightweight title.

The brothers have taken turns as chief trainer during Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s remarkable 47-fight undefeated streak since he turned pro in 1996.

Father and son have had a stormy relationship, but the elder Mayweather took over his son’s training again in 2012. Mayweather Sr. is known for his defensive tactics, and has seen his son win four straight bouts since, as Mayweather dominated Robert Guerrero and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and beat slugger Marcos Maidana twice.

“My son’s smarter than Pacquiao. Way smarter. This is a professional fighting a sub-novice,” the elder Mayweather said.

Read the Los Angeles Times’ special edition Flipboard digital magazine Mayweather vs. Pacquiao