HOLLYWOOD – Don’t be surprised if Manny Pacquiao ends up wearing the same sports apparel decorated with the popular swoosh logo come fight night against Timothy Bradley.
Trainer Freddie Roach said he’s not discounting the possibility of Pacquiao still using Nike shoes when he goes up in the ring against Bradley on April 9 despite the recent bitter parting of ways between the two parties.
Roach said he’s not in any way going to persuade the most accomplished boxer he ever trained to get rid of Nike following the company’s decision to cut ties with the Filipino boxing champion in light of Pacquiao’s controversial take on the same-sex marriage issue.
“It’s up to him. The thing is, he should always use what fits him and where he’s comfortable at,” said the veteran trainer after training at the Wildcard gym where Pacquiao, 37, went sparring for six rounds with Ghislain Maduma and Lydell Rhodes.
Pacquiao wore Nike shoes during the three-hour training.
Roach cited the case of last year’s fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. when Pacquiao decided at the last minute to wear the good old Cleto Reyes brand of gloves.
“The last time we kept using Everlast and then decides during the fight to use Cleto Reyes,” said the 56-year-old Roach.
It was during the days of the Mayweather fight when Roach, a seven-time Trainer of the Year, began wearing Under Armour apparel in favor of Nike.
Again, Roach made it clear he’s not about to sway Pacquiao into trying the same brand.
“It’s still up to Manny,” he stressed.
Pacquiao has been using Nike shoes in each of his fight since 2006, but didn’t renew his advertising deal with the sports apparel in 2012, their partnership reduced into supply of apparel and shoes for his fights.
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