One of the best ways to help assess a fight before it happens is the “tale of the tape,” exploring comparisons such as height, reach, fist size and more.

It’s a bit problematic to apply the formula to trainers, but given the intensity of the rivalry between Freddie Roach and Teddy Atlas before their fighters, Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley, complete their trilogy Saturday night at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, The Times sought to establish which cornerman had the edge before Roach and Atlas square off against each other for the first time in their careers.

Atlas, who trains Bradley and says he’s been in the sport for more than 40 years, has made it clear, “I don’t care what [Roach] thinks,” in at least two other interviews.

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At Pacquiao’s media day last week at Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Roach was asked if he’d agree to discuss the mythical “tale of the tape” between he and Atlas.

Some of the categories, like “Professional Fights,” “World Titles Won By My Boxers” and “Trainer of the Year Awards,” obviously favored Roach, but the search here was for an understanding of how that will make a difference in the HBO pay-per-view bout.

Roach, in a mostly straight-faced delivery, made it clear he believes his advantages over Atlas give his fighter a distinct edge following a 2012 meeting won by Bradley in a disputed split decision and a 2014 bout convincingly won by Pacquiao on all three scorecards.

Atlas, retained by Bradley before his most recent fight in November against Brandon Rios, showed in his fight plan the depth of his knowledge, which he typically reserves for his role as an ESPN fight analyst. Bradley won by ninth-round technical knockout, picking apart the former lightweight world champion in a sharp display of boxing and defense.


In The Times’ discussion, Roach once again dismissed Atlas -- who has criticized Roach on ESPN -- as “an announcer,” and also discussed the “tale of the tape” category of “Pulled Guns.”

“Two!” Roach said quickly when the subject was brought up in a portion not included in this video.

When Atlas quit serving as the cornerman for former heavyweight champion Michael Moorer, Roach was hired as the replacement, and accidentally happened upon a post-breakup dispute between Atlas and Moorer’s manager, John Davimos, when Davimos was punched on the nose. Roach said two men near the episode, whom he believes were Atlas associates, pointed guns at Roach and told him to beat it, that this was between Atlas and Davimos.

Roach has added that Atlas once glared at him around that time, and Roach, a former pro fighter, told Mike Tyson’s former assistant, “I’m not John Davimos.”


“Six stitches,” Roach explained of Davimos’ injury. “I know because we sat next to each other on the flight home.”

As for the category “Worst Decision,” Roach noted Pacquiao’s loss to Bradley in 2012 was most stunning, and he took the extra jab to say Bradley’s “Worst Decision” was replacing longtime trainer Joel Diaz with Atlas.

As to what the “tale of the tape” means, watch Roach provide his own colorful conclusion.

Follow Lance Pugmire on Twitter @latimespugmire