Dewey Cooper OK with Freddie Roach’s trash talk

Manny Pacquiao is a heavy favorite against WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas and has the accolades to back it up.

The same can be said about the trainers for Saturday’s bout at the Thomas & Mack Center. Freddie Roach is the longtime legendary trainer of Pacquiao, and Dewey Cooper will be in Vargas’ corner for only the second time.

Cooper, 41, might be unknown as a boxing coach, but he’s not easy to forget. The muscular trainer, who speaks like a sensei but sounds like rapper Busta Rhymes, is a former kickboxing champion and cruiserweight contender.

The versatile Cooper is also a striking coach in mixed martial arts and a former football player at UNLV.

“No one is talking about us right now,” Cooper said. “But all the reporters at that table will want to ask me all the questions after Saturday.”

Cooper was referring to the table where Roach was sitting during Thursday’s trainer round tables. Roach, 56, had people elbowing each other to listen to him, while Cooper’s table had a few empty chairs.

Cooper was informed that Roach said Pacquiao would knock out Vargas in the fourth or fifth round.

“Freddie can feel any way he wants to. He’s a legendary trainer and was trainer of the year more times than I can count,” Cooper said. “I have no comment on how he feels.”

Roach and Pacquiao have been in Cooper’s and Vargas’ position. No one expected the legendary duo to get this big when they got together in 2001.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I dream this,” Roach said. “I knew (Pacquiao) was special, but I didn’t know how special yet. I didn’t think it would be eight (division) world titles later.”

Cooper said Pacquiao’s success will be his downfall against Vargas.

“There’s no way Manny deserves this more than us,” Cooper said. “There’s no way Manny trained harder than us, because this is our life and we’re waiting for the world to see.

“It’s hard to have the same drive for as many years as Manny has been boxing. Jessie is just getting started.”

THIRD MAGDALENO BROTHER

Marco Magdaleno, 21, was in awe of his older brother Jessie during the Pacquiao-Vargas undercard news conference Thursday at Wynn Las Vegas.

Jessie Magdaleno, 24, will fight WBO junior featherweight champion Nonito Donaire on Saturday. The oldest brother, Diego, 30, has been in two title fights.

“It’s like a dream seeing the things my brothers have done,” said Marco Magdaleno, who attended Clark High School and is 4-0 in the lightweight division. “It doesn’t feel real. I want to be here one day.”

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow @gmanzano24 on Twitter.