http://maxboxing.com/Kim/Kim051007.asp

So what were Roach's thoughts on De La Hoya's split decision loss to Mayweather after reviewing the fight on tape?

“I know we could've fought a better fight. It was my first fight with Oscar and he was doing very well early in the fight with the jab," he would say. "But then in the middle rounds, for some reason, he crouched down and gave away his height to Mayweather a little bit and he widened his stance and took his jab away from himself. I urged him to get back on his toes and jab. It just wasn't there that night. But I thought Mayweather looked good in rounds nine, ten and eleven, threw some good combinations and so forth. But I think we came back in the 12th. We had a very good round.

"So I thought we had it by a round. But it was a close fight."

Some observers wondered why Roach, who's low-key by nature, wasn't more demonstrative in the corner as the tide changed. Would he be a bit more vocal with Oscar a second time around?

"Possibly, the thing is, obviously when the camera swings to my corner, my instructions are always to take a deep breath to get his wind so he can absorb what I'm saying. So by the time I talk to him, they've gone to the other corner. But maybe I will be a little more forceful, but again, it was my first time with him. I knew him from the gym but working the corner during a fight, it's a whole different experience. Obviously, if we had the luxury of a tune-up fight it would've been great. But we didn't at that time. But I think it'll be much smoother next time around. I'd probably get a little bit louder in the corner and get his attention a little bit."

With the pay-per-view numbers being record setting- procuring over two million subscribers - it almost seems that a rematch is ordained. De La Hoya has had no problems in the past getting rid of trainers after losses, so does Roach expect to wind up in his corner again?

"I think we have a good relationship. I do think I will be back in the corner. Obviously, Floyd Sr. was campaigning for the job after the fight by saying his son lost," Roach said, while laughing. "But me and Oscar do have a good relationship and I tried to contact him yesterday just to see how he's doing. I just left a message for him. I think if he does fight again, we'll be together, I'm sure."

So how did it feel to go up against the greatest fighter of all-time in Mayweather?

"That's pretty funny," said Roach, nearly choking on his own laughter, at the thought. "He's a good little boxer but you can't measure him in the same sentence as those guys (like Ray Robinson and Ray Leonard), c'mon."