He said: "These girls can really fight.

"They are very talented, they have techniques and they fight like professionals."

Pacquiao, who has won world titles at four different weights, is considered to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Roach, who is also coaching Britain's Olympic silver medallist and WBA light welterweight world champion Amir Khan, picked out as world championships silver medallist Annie Albania as the one to watch for London 2012.

The American said: "She's very cocky, confident and aggressive.

"She reminds me of a guy I trained in the amateurs in the past."

Roach was running his eye over the Philippines women's squad which is scheduled to compete at the Asian Indoor Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, between October 30 and November 8.

He said: "It's good to see good female boxers here in the Philippines.

"I actually think that the girls are better than the boys."

The Philippines have never won an Olympic gold medal and are offering 5 million peso (£77,282) to any of its athletes who end that record in London.

They are promising a silver medal in London is worth 3 million peso (£46,485) and a bronze 1 million peso (£15,495).

Albania, 26, was the country’s only gold medalist in boxing at the 2007 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and took the silver at the World Championships in Ningbo City last November, losing a disputed 4-3 decision to China’s Can Can Ren in the finals.

She also won a gold medal at the 2005 SEA Games where women’s boxing made its debut in the biennial event.

Albania said: "My dream is to win a gold medal in the Olympics.

"All I want to do is to win for my mother and give her a chance for a better life.”

Albania’s father Felizardo, a rice farmer, died of a heart attack four years ago and her mother Corazon, 59, has no means of livelihood in Banga, South Cotabato.

Albania, the youngest of six, and a sister, who works as a teacher, support their widowed mother.

Albania who was brought to Manila by athletics coach Jojo Posadas after claiming a gold in shot-put and a silver in the javelin throw in a regional school meeting.

Posadas took Albania to the University of the East where his wife Elma Muros is the track varsity coach.

Albania went on to compete for UE, winning several titles and graduating with a degree in physical education in 2005.

She started boxing in 2001.

She said: "I had no background in boxing but I wanted to learn.

"Coach Roel [Velasco] offered to train me.

"I did boxing and track at the same time for a while until I concentrated on boxing after graduating at UE."