MANILA, Philippines – Five-time Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach is hoping that Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto can pull off an upset when he faces undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5 in Las Vegas.

Roach had hoped that Cotto would accept a rematch against his fighter, Filipino boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, but Cotto instead chose to fight Mayweather.

“I don’t know how good their chances are, but I hope Cotto will win,” Roach said in an interview with Boxing Scene. “My best wishes to Miguel, and I hope that he has the best fight of his life.”

“Mayweather is a very good counterpuncher, but Miguel has a good coach in his corner and they seem to get along. Miguel and his coach have to figure out what to do,” he added.

Cotto is coming off a great performance against Antonio Margarito last December. The Puerto Rican boxer has not lost since sustaining a 12th round technical knockout setback against Pacquiao when they first fought in 2009.

Roach is also expecting that the Cotto-Mayweather bout will do well in terms of pay-per-view sales.

“Cotto is still one of the best boxers in terms of pay-per-view, behind Manny and Mayweather. He attracts a huge audience on pay-per-view,” he said.

The trainer said that Cotto presents a much tougher challenge than the boxer Pacquiao will now most likely fight, American fighter Timothy Bradley Jr.

“As far as I’m concerned, Manny has faced fighters like Bradley,” Roach said.