With the “Battle of East and West” less than two weeks away, the trainers of Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton were in fighting mode in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).

With Freddie Roach on one corner and Floyd Mayweather, Sr. on the other, the two former boxers engaged in a verbal brawl refereed by publicist Kelly Swanson.

According to Michael Woods of TheSweetScience.com, Freddie even commented several times that a “translator was needed to understand Floyd.”

He even picked on Mayweather’s middle name, Joy, asking, “Is that a girl’s name?”

Mayweather, 56, meantime, said that he has a poster of himself and Roach, with Floyd as part of a boxing main event while Freddie was just an undercard attraction.

“I was definitely a better fighter than Freddie,” said Mayweather.

“He got shot and it ruined his career,” Freddie shot back. “I fought on TV a lot more than he did.”

Roach, 49, was a professional boxer from 1978-1986. His record was 39-13. Mayweather, meanwhile, had a 29-6-1 record in his career from 1974-1990.

They even argued about who had a better record. Roach had more wins but Mayweather had a better winning percentage.

Freddie continued the debate saying, “You’re a bum. Your brother was great.”

“Roach, he was OK,” admitted Mayweather. “You’re not OK, you’re a bum,” Freddie stressed.

Better trainer

Roach was referring to Mayweather’s brother, Roger. He even said, “Roger made Floyd Junior as a fighter.”

TheSweetScience.com article also mentioned that Freddie “busted on Mayweather for being in jail while his brother Roger turned Floyd Jr. into a pound-for-pound pugilist, and mocked the former pro boxer for blaming a bullet wound to his leg for a disappointing career.”

Before this, Floyd Sr. belittled Freddie’s skills as a trainer. “Who has he really worked with? He had a lot of big fighters, but he’s done nothing with them. What fighters has he ever made? This guy ain’t made nobody! But, I’m having fun with this,” he said.

Roach cited that he worked with former light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion Virgil Hill since the hitter turned professional.

Freddie then asked Floyd Sr. to present to him the 2008 Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Trainer of the Year Award during the BWAA dinner on June 12.

“It’s the closest you’ll ever get to it,” boasted Roach, who also received the award in 2003 and 2006.

“We’ll see about that,” said Mayweather.

“I won it three times. You never won it. Never,” Freddie reminded Floyd Sr.

‘No acting’

The argument then shifted to the trainers’ wards and their impending clash on May 2 in Las Vegas (May 3 in Manila).

Roach declared that “Manny has kayoed four sparring partners out of seven.”

He added, that Pacquiao is “looking good at this weight. Hatton will be heavier at fight time but that doesn’t make him stronger. I have the stronger fighter, I guarantee that.”

Mayweather fired back at Roach’s proclamation.

Floyd Sr. said: “Pacquiao’s sparring partners were acting when they crumpled to the canvas after taking a Manny body shot.”

“There ain’t gonna be acting on May second,” Hatton’s trainer said.

Mayweather also believed that “the Hitman” would win even if he “reverts to ‘old Ricky’ form. “He probably could win without me. He definitely has a much better chance with me than without me,” said Mayweather.

Roach said the same of Pacquiao. “He will win the fight himself, he doesn’t need me,” said Roach. He added that Hatton “will taste a left hand, and will hit the deck from the force.”

Mayweather, meantime, said that “Ricky will definitely back him up. He can’t fight backing up, he’s no Muhammad Ali.”

'Come get me’

The trainers also delved on what could happen after the “Battle of East and West.”

Mayweather said that Floyd Jr. is in training, noting that Roach does not want to see a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight because he knows what’d happen.”

In 2007, Floyd Jr., the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter then, knocked out Ricky Hatton. Floyd Jr. has a remarkable record of 39-0.

Roach, for his part, said that Team Pacquiao is concentrating on Hatton at the moment.

Towards the end of the conference call, matters seemed to heat up more quickly. Roach mocked Mayweather: “I know you got shot, poor Floyd.”

Mayweather said that his brother, Roger, got the better of Freddie in a sparring session.

Roach replied, “I boxed Roger once and you weren’t there. I think you were in jail… selling drugs or something.”

“I’m in your head,” said Mayweather.

“I’m not fighting you, Manny is fighting Ricky,” Roach talked back.

“I want you Freddie,” teased Mayweather.

“Come get me, you know where I am,” answered Roach.

Before the trash talk could worsen, Golden Boy Promotions executive Richard Schaefer ended the conference call.