Roach told an ESPN-affiliated station in the US that there's no other choice but to make the fight that is expected to shatter all existing tickets and pay-per-views records.
”Yes, it is going to happen. I just talked to (Top Rank chief) Bob Arum yesterday," said Roach, who has been Pacquiao's trainer since 2001.
Arum, according to Roach, is on his way to the Philippines not only to show his support to Pacquiao's congressional bid in Sarangani province but to discuss the Mayweather fight.
"Bob is flying to the Philippines to make Manny the offer. We are going to make this work the best we can. I think we have enough ammo to get it done quickly because there is a lot of money out there. We’re going to meet in the middle. They wanted (a) 14-day (cutoff). We wanted 24. (We'll do) 17, 18-days. They are talking October, November. Definitely before the year is out."
During the thick of the negotiations early this year, Mayweather's people had wanted a 14-day cutoff to the random blood and urine testing, while Pacquiao's insisted on a 24-day cutoff.
Eventually, both sides stood firm on their respective stances, forcing the collapse of the talks.
Mayweather is fresh from outclassing Shane Mosley, while Pacquiao's last outing was a similarly-easy points win over Joshua Clottey last March in Dallas.
Meanwhile, the deluge of US media reprsentatives on the prowl for Pacquiao stories, have started to arrive in General Santos City.
Bill Dwyre, formerly the sports editor of the Los Angeles Times, arrived in the country Tuesday evening and took a morning flight to General Santos City on Wednesday.
Dwyre, a close friend of the late Pulitzer-winning sports columnist Jim Murray, flew in via Hawaiian Airlines and stayed overnight at the Marriot Manila.
Dwyre, who now writes a column for the Times, not only one of America's biggest papers but one of the most influential as well, will write a front-page story for his paper on election day.
By NICK GIONGCO
May 5, 2010, 5:45pm
Manila Bulliten
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