MANILA, Philippines -- While Floyd Mayweather Jr. continues to verbally lambaste Manny Pacquiao, his uncle and trainer is slowly becoming a believer of the Filipino ring icon.
Roger Mayweather initially thought Pacquiao would get smothered by much-bigger foes Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. But the current pound-for-pound king proved him wrong.
"I did think that Ricky Hatton would whoop Pacquiao. Obviously, I was wrong," Mayweather told fightfan.com.
Mayweather, much like his nephew and his brother Floyd Sr., is known for his penchant for trash-talking -- a widely acknowledged trait of the Mayweather boxing clan.
But this time, he has some good words for Pacquiao, who is slated to face his fourth "big" opponent in welterweight star Miguel Cotto this November.
"He's (Pacquiao) got some serious balls. Fighting Miguel Cotto… De La Hoya… Ricky Hatton. All of those guys are much bigger than he is," the corner man said.
Pacquiao, who debuted as a flyweight (112 lbs.), has fought his last three fights in the lightweight (135 lbs.), welterweight (147 lbs.) and junior welterweight (140 lbs.) divisions against David Diaz, De La Hoya and Hatton, respectively.
Mayweather, however, is not completely sold on Pacquiao, saying he is not banking on the General Santos City-based southpaw to beat Cotto.
"I don't think he's going to beat Cotto," he said. "He's fighting a guy who can make the weight, and who's a pretty good puncher. I've got to see him beat Cotto… I've got to see it with my own eyes."
And if Pacquiao rolls over Cotto like he did with De La Hoya and Hatton?
"I'll be amazed," Mayweather quipped.
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