Roach offers $1K pot anew for sparmate who can floor Pacquiao

The $1,000 bet made by Freddie Roach back in 2008 remains for the taking. Roach issued a challenge once again to Manny Pacquiao's sparmates to knock the Filipino boxing champion down in a sparring session. Anyone who does so receives $1,000 in cold cash. The challenge was directed to everyone, from Michael Medina and Glen Tapia to Vanes Martirosyan, Julio Cesar Chavez, and yes, even reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) junior welterweight champion Amir Khan. Roach had offered the money as early as two years ago when Pacquiao was in the heat of his training for the Oscar De La Hoya non-title fight.

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Rashad Holloway, Pacquiao's regular sparmate, tried in vain to kayo the Filipino southpaw. This time, Roach wants the five of them to try their hand at getting the job done as the 31-year-old world’s top pound-for-pound fighter prepares for his November 13 World Boxing Association (WBA) junior middleweight title bout against Antonio Margarito of Mexico. Martirosyan, who is expected to come over and join the seven-time world champion in his training camp in Baguio City, bragged that he’s up to the task. "I respect Manny a lot and I have learned a lot from him. He is a great fighter but I feel I am up to the challenge," the unbeaten (28-0, 17 KOs) Martirosyan, a native of Armenia but now based in Glendale, California, said in a short interview by FightHype. "That is why I always say I want to fight the best. I want to prove how good I am. It doesn't get much better than sparring with Manny Pacquiao," he added. – JVP/KY, GMANews.TV