By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
Just after New Year, and up to the days before Manny Pacquiao used Joshua Clottey like a wooden heavy bag, in a prize fighting ring dwarfed in the vast cavernous city stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, Freddie Roach spoke to me more than once, impressing on me the fact that lightning-fisted Pacquiao would face Shane Mosley if he had to.
But in his heart of hearts, Roach knew that he could not back Mosley to beat Mayweather. This week he has delivered his counsel. Mayweather on points. The reason ? Styles. “Mosley likes guys coming at him, that’s why he looked so good against [Antonio] Margarito, but it is not the same story when he fights counter-punchers.”
“Manny wanted to face Margarito after he beat Oscar De La Hoya. Margarito suited Mosley down to his bootlaces. Mayweather won’t do that. Mayweather will bide his time, and he’ll be quicker than Mosley.”
“Mayweather is a brilliant boxer, but he’s not a crowd pleaser. It may not be a great fight.” Roach admits that he wants Mayweather to look at his peak – as he did in his last outing against Juan Manuel Marquez, although he was around 20lbs heavier – and believes the fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao, will be made.
Compromises, of course, will have to be reached. “Manny wants the fight. The drug testing issue is there, but we’ll come to an agreement. I’d like Manny to fight Mayweather next, if Mayweather wins, and then retire after that fight. It would be the greatest test for Manny, and he would have to fight the perfect fight. I think Manny has nowhere to go after that, and I’m just pleased he has lots of interests and businesses outside the sport.”
Deep down, several times when I have spoken to Roach about Mayweather-Pacquiao, there is the sense from him that it is almost a step too far for Pacquiao, given the natural differences in size, and yet he wants to stretch his charge of 9 years with every sinew to get the most from him. And Mayweather as opponent might just do that. I know behind the scenes that Pacquiao is genuinely angry with the Mayweathers and how they have couched certain claims against him. Angry enough to want to turn that energy spiteful in a ring.
However, if Mayweather-Pacquiao doesn’t happen, Roach can foresee two more fights for Pacquiao, potentially involving Juan Manuel Marquez, or Antonio Margarito. For the next two weeks, however, Pacquiao has other things on his mind: like being elected as the congressional representative in Sarangani Province, Mindanao, the birthplace of his wife Jinkee, and the residence of his in-laws.
In the next two weeks, over the space of ten days between May 1 and May 10 the paths of Pacquiao and Mayweather may become inextricably linked, or forever frozen and divided. For millions of sports fan around the world, the hope is that the two masterful ring exponents will meet in a ring in the US, and herald the fight of this generation.
Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk
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Senin, 26 April 2010
Kamis, 15 April 2010
Pacman won’t win in elections — Roach -- Manila Bulletin
By NICK GIONGCO, Manila Bulletin
Freddie Roach has a funny feeling about Manny Pacquiao’s foray into politics.
“I don’t feel he will win the congressional race because they don’t want him to be congressman because they (Filipino voters) feel like we do — they want him to remain a fighter,” said Roach as quoted by boxingscene.
Pacquiao, the world’s No. 1 fighter, is vying for the lone congressional seat in Sarangani province on May 10, 2010 against businessman Roy Chiongbian, who comes from an influential political clan.
Roach even went further in assessing what is on the horizon for his favorite fighter.
“I don’t see Manny Pacquiao retiring any time soon,” said Roach, a statement that runs counter with the Filipino boxer’s hint at retirement in the near future owing to pressure from his wife Jinkee and mother Dionisia.
Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum is lining up a September or November ring return for Pacquiao possibly against the winner of the May 1 showdown between Floyd Mayweather or Shane Mosley.
Arum is even coming to the country in the final days heading into the elections not only to provide morale support but to discuss the proposed fight late this year.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times is sending Bill Dwyre, its top sports columnist, to General Santos City to cover Pacquiao’s campaign trail.
Dwyre will do just one story for the Times but it will be so huge that it will come out on the paper’s front page on election day.
Aside from Dwyre, also coming over and aching to cover Pacquiao’s sorties are representatives from the major US television networks.
Source: mb.com.ph
Freddie Roach has a funny feeling about Manny Pacquiao’s foray into politics.
“I don’t feel he will win the congressional race because they don’t want him to be congressman because they (Filipino voters) feel like we do — they want him to remain a fighter,” said Roach as quoted by boxingscene.
Pacquiao, the world’s No. 1 fighter, is vying for the lone congressional seat in Sarangani province on May 10, 2010 against businessman Roy Chiongbian, who comes from an influential political clan.
Roach even went further in assessing what is on the horizon for his favorite fighter.
“I don’t see Manny Pacquiao retiring any time soon,” said Roach, a statement that runs counter with the Filipino boxer’s hint at retirement in the near future owing to pressure from his wife Jinkee and mother Dionisia.
Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum is lining up a September or November ring return for Pacquiao possibly against the winner of the May 1 showdown between Floyd Mayweather or Shane Mosley.
Arum is even coming to the country in the final days heading into the elections not only to provide morale support but to discuss the proposed fight late this year.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times is sending Bill Dwyre, its top sports columnist, to General Santos City to cover Pacquiao’s campaign trail.
Dwyre will do just one story for the Times but it will be so huge that it will come out on the paper’s front page on election day.
Aside from Dwyre, also coming over and aching to cover Pacquiao’s sorties are representatives from the major US television networks.
Source: mb.com.ph
Senin, 29 Maret 2010
Manny Pacquiao begins campaign as Freddie Roach talks up Pacquiao-Mayweather -- Telegraph
By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
In New York at the beginning of last weekend – there was a call from the BBC World Service. They wanted to speak on air about Manny Pacquiao, who has returned from fighting duties in the US, to become the electioneering boxer within The Philippines.
Pacquiao
, in my 17 years as a journalist, is the most intriguing subject I have worked in, on and around. Intriguing, fascinating, enigmatic. You can keep the guy who hits little white balls along the fairways, and has been exposed as a playboy away from his erudition with a club.
Pacquiao has two clubs for fists, and the circle of interest around him grows ever wider…
Bob Arum, the promoter who is around the ‘National Fist’, as he is known in the Philippines, insists the popularity barely remarkable resemblance with one M. Ali (whom he also promoted), but rather than with all peoples, the adoration of ‘Manny’ emanates from one race.
But there is a touch of the Sinatra about him, too, as Arum remarked recently. No question.
For most boxers, the dysfunctionality in their lives is more akin to the weird fiction in the books of Chuck Palahniuk, like Choke or 7even. Pacquiao has his faults, well-documented in the Filipino media, and involving the occasional rumours of gambling or the attention of a famous actress or two, but given the position he finds himself in, it is remarkable that he feels the desire, the calling to go into politics.
Having spent time around the small band of regular journalists on the MP beat, all good souls and superb news-gatherers and writers (who are, at times, in a difficult position because of the demand from the public of those islands for every shred of possible news…), and those who look after the boxing world which Pacquiao fills, there is a concensus that the man from Mindanao is misguided.
There is something messianic about Pacquiao’s insistence on running for congress, after all. He has lost, for a start, three years ago. And if those who say boxers put their lives at risk in the ring, Pacquiao is certainly, surely, putting his life at risk by running for a political seat.
Asked what my take on this was, and I could only reflect on the feelings that have been expressed to me and around me. When I asked Manny Pacquiao about running for office, he said “for the poor people of the Philippines, because I want to help”. It is a simple, yet far from straightforward plan.
Pacquiao risks losing his legacy of popularity, of being diastracted from his career in the ring, from having too many demands as the one-man welfare state of his district. He may also be drawn into being manipulated to represent a particular view point. We all recall how Muhammad Ali reflected some fairly strange views, the views of others influencing him, at some stages during his career.
Win or lose, it intrigues me. While all this is going on, in the last few hours, in Hollywood, his trainer Freddie Roach has begun talking about Mayweather-Pacquiao going ahead (but Floyd Mayweather must, of course, win that fight with Shane Mosley first on May 1 in Las Vegas). Roach, whatever he may have said, does not believe Mosley will beat Mayweather. Indeed, he knows for Pacquiao to defeat Mayweather he must produce “the perfect fight”. Those are the exact words he used when explaining it to me. The perfect fight.
Roach believes Mayweather-Pacquiao will happen. It most likely will.
But will Pacquiao reach congress, and the murky world of island politics ? I doubt it. His dreams of improving life for the poor in that country are unlikely to be permitted by the ruling class. Life’s imperfect fight.
Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk
In New York at the beginning of last weekend – there was a call from the BBC World Service. They wanted to speak on air about Manny Pacquiao, who has returned from fighting duties in the US, to become the electioneering boxer within The Philippines.They wished to know what I knew of this man at first hand, whose life story of dusty dirt to presidential palaces is the stuff writers published by Barnes & Noble could barely imagine. Great Expectations…War and Peace. Pacquiao the President is a major story…
We talked, they recorded. It was 3am in New York…I had barely slept, but talk of Pacquiao is one of the intriguing features of being in this profession at present. Pacquiao, indeed, is an unknown quantity in parts of the sports world, due to boxing’s propensity in these times to shoot itself in the foot.
, in my 17 years as a journalist, is the most intriguing subject I have worked in, on and around. Intriguing, fascinating, enigmatic. You can keep the guy who hits little white balls along the fairways, and has been exposed as a playboy away from his erudition with a club.Pacquiao has two clubs for fists, and the circle of interest around him grows ever wider…
Bob Arum, the promoter who is around the ‘National Fist’, as he is known in the Philippines, insists the popularity barely remarkable resemblance with one M. Ali (whom he also promoted), but rather than with all peoples, the adoration of ‘Manny’ emanates from one race.
But there is a touch of the Sinatra about him, too, as Arum remarked recently. No question.
For most boxers, the dysfunctionality in their lives is more akin to the weird fiction in the books of Chuck Palahniuk, like Choke or 7even. Pacquiao has his faults, well-documented in the Filipino media, and involving the occasional rumours of gambling or the attention of a famous actress or two, but given the position he finds himself in, it is remarkable that he feels the desire, the calling to go into politics.
Having spent time around the small band of regular journalists on the MP beat, all good souls and superb news-gatherers and writers (who are, at times, in a difficult position because of the demand from the public of those islands for every shred of possible news…), and those who look after the boxing world which Pacquiao fills, there is a concensus that the man from Mindanao is misguided.
There is something messianic about Pacquiao’s insistence on running for congress, after all. He has lost, for a start, three years ago. And if those who say boxers put their lives at risk in the ring, Pacquiao is certainly, surely, putting his life at risk by running for a political seat.
Asked what my take on this was, and I could only reflect on the feelings that have been expressed to me and around me. When I asked Manny Pacquiao about running for office, he said “for the poor people of the Philippines, because I want to help”. It is a simple, yet far from straightforward plan.
Pacquiao risks losing his legacy of popularity, of being diastracted from his career in the ring, from having too many demands as the one-man welfare state of his district. He may also be drawn into being manipulated to represent a particular view point. We all recall how Muhammad Ali reflected some fairly strange views, the views of others influencing him, at some stages during his career.
Win or lose, it intrigues me. While all this is going on, in the last few hours, in Hollywood, his trainer Freddie Roach has begun talking about Mayweather-Pacquiao going ahead (but Floyd Mayweather must, of course, win that fight with Shane Mosley first on May 1 in Las Vegas). Roach, whatever he may have said, does not believe Mosley will beat Mayweather. Indeed, he knows for Pacquiao to defeat Mayweather he must produce “the perfect fight”. Those are the exact words he used when explaining it to me. The perfect fight.
Roach believes Mayweather-Pacquiao will happen. It most likely will.
But will Pacquiao reach congress, and the murky world of island politics ? I doubt it. His dreams of improving life for the poor in that country are unlikely to be permitted by the ruling class. Life’s imperfect fight.
Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk
Pacman: No tradeoff -- The Philippine Star
By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao
will never use the lawsuit, which he filed against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and company as a bargaining chip for his highly-anticipated super-fight with the undefeated American.
The Filipino champion has beaten anybody thrown at him, at any weight over the last five years, prompting Mayweather to accuse Pacquiao as taking illegal performance enhancers.
Pacquiao hurled Mayweather to court, saying the accusations have damaged his reputation, and included Floyd Sr., the uncle, Roger, and his promoters from Golden Boy in the lawsuit.
But Pacquiao, said Koncz, has no plans of dropping the case just to get the fight on. Besides, Pacquiao said he’s ready to retire, and not unless he gets what he wants he may never ever fight Mayweather.
“It’s Floyd who needs me. I can retire now if I want to,” said Pacquiao.
“Why do we need to use the lawsuit as a bargaining chip? That’s ridiculous,” Koncz told The STAR from General Santos City where Pacquiao is busy campaigning for the May 10 elections.
“Manny’s reputation has been tarnished. And we just talked to our lawyers in Los Angeles the day before yesterday. It’s full steam ahead as far as the lawsuit is concerned,” said the Canadian adviser.
Koncz stressed that the only way the lawsuit would go away is if Pacquiao is “compensated monetarily or the Mayweathers are punished by the court and asked to pay millions or if there’s an off-the-court settlement.”
Koncz said not even a public apology from the Mayweathers and their promoters can clear the air.
“Manny has said time and again that the fight is going to happen only if Floyd Mayweather lets the commission do what it’s supposed to do,” said Koncz, referring to the old drug-testing procedure.
Pacquiao said it’s always been the commission that has done the testing, through urine tests and blood tests before and after the fight, but not too close to the fight, and it should be the same way.
The Filipino pound-for-pound champion said Mayweather’s demand for random blood testing, which could happen the day before or even closer to the fight, was the American’s only way out of the fight.
“I’m sure Manny won’t change his position because we’re not spending thousands and thousands of dollars for the lawsuit just to use it as a bargaining chip for a fight. No way,” added Koncz.
“It was never our intention to file the lawsuit and use it later on as a bargaining chip for a fight,” he added.
A Pacquiao vs Mayweather could generate revenues of more than $100 million and the fighters could earn $40 million to $50 million each on their purse, pay-per-view sales, television rights, merchandise and ticket sales.
However, many believe that Mayweather was not yet ready to face Pacquiao after a retirement that lasted almost two years. So, he fought Juan Manuel Marquez instead, and will climb the ring against Shane Mosley in May.
“The damage to his reputation and lost business opportunities could be in the tens of millions of dollars,” Pacquiao’s American lawyer, Dan Petrocelli, said in a previous interview.
Pacquiao filed the suit in a U.S. District Court in Nevada against the Mayweathers and Golden Boy Promotions executives Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer, alleging that they made false and defamatory statements accusing him of taking performance-enhancing drugs.
Source: philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao will never use the lawsuit, which he filed against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and company as a bargaining chip for his highly-anticipated super-fight with the undefeated American.“That was never the intention,” said Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, yesterday after reports came out that the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight could take place if both sides reach a compromise.
Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, was quoted the other day as saying the fight could happen if Mayweather drops his demand for random blood-testing, and Pacquiao drops the lawsuit.
The Filipino champion has beaten anybody thrown at him, at any weight over the last five years, prompting Mayweather to accuse Pacquiao as taking illegal performance enhancers.
Pacquiao hurled Mayweather to court, saying the accusations have damaged his reputation, and included Floyd Sr., the uncle, Roger, and his promoters from Golden Boy in the lawsuit.
But Pacquiao, said Koncz, has no plans of dropping the case just to get the fight on. Besides, Pacquiao said he’s ready to retire, and not unless he gets what he wants he may never ever fight Mayweather.
“It’s Floyd who needs me. I can retire now if I want to,” said Pacquiao.
“Why do we need to use the lawsuit as a bargaining chip? That’s ridiculous,” Koncz told The STAR from General Santos City where Pacquiao is busy campaigning for the May 10 elections.
“Manny’s reputation has been tarnished. And we just talked to our lawyers in Los Angeles the day before yesterday. It’s full steam ahead as far as the lawsuit is concerned,” said the Canadian adviser.
Koncz stressed that the only way the lawsuit would go away is if Pacquiao is “compensated monetarily or the Mayweathers are punished by the court and asked to pay millions or if there’s an off-the-court settlement.”
Koncz said not even a public apology from the Mayweathers and their promoters can clear the air.
“Manny has said time and again that the fight is going to happen only if Floyd Mayweather lets the commission do what it’s supposed to do,” said Koncz, referring to the old drug-testing procedure.
Pacquiao said it’s always been the commission that has done the testing, through urine tests and blood tests before and after the fight, but not too close to the fight, and it should be the same way.
The Filipino pound-for-pound champion said Mayweather’s demand for random blood testing, which could happen the day before or even closer to the fight, was the American’s only way out of the fight.
“I’m sure Manny won’t change his position because we’re not spending thousands and thousands of dollars for the lawsuit just to use it as a bargaining chip for a fight. No way,” added Koncz.
“It was never our intention to file the lawsuit and use it later on as a bargaining chip for a fight,” he added.
A Pacquiao vs Mayweather could generate revenues of more than $100 million and the fighters could earn $40 million to $50 million each on their purse, pay-per-view sales, television rights, merchandise and ticket sales.
However, many believe that Mayweather was not yet ready to face Pacquiao after a retirement that lasted almost two years. So, he fought Juan Manuel Marquez instead, and will climb the ring against Shane Mosley in May.
“The damage to his reputation and lost business opportunities could be in the tens of millions of dollars,” Pacquiao’s American lawyer, Dan Petrocelli, said in a previous interview.
Pacquiao filed the suit in a U.S. District Court in Nevada against the Mayweathers and Golden Boy Promotions executives Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer, alleging that they made false and defamatory statements accusing him of taking performance-enhancing drugs.
Source: philstar.com
Roach expects Pacquiao-Mayweather Jnr fight to happen -- ESPN
ESPN.co.uk
Freddie Roach
is confident Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jnr will get the chance to settle their differences in the ring.
The pair were scheduled to fight early in 2010, but it fell through on account of Mayweather Jnr's demands for Olympic-style drug testing. With the clash with Mayweather Jnr on ice, Pacquiao took on Joshua Clotttey and secured an overwhelming points victory - while Mayweather Jnr is set to fight Shane Mosley in May.
Talk continues about a meeting between Pacquiao and Mayweather Jnr and Roach is convinced the fight will happen once the latter has got past Mosley.
"Mayweather is a good fighter and I think he came up with these excuses because he was not ready for Manny," Pacquiao's trainer Roach told ESPN. "He had two years off and I think he needed more time.
"He has a fight coming up and if he beats Mosley all the rust will be gone. Then he will be sharp for a guy like Pacquiao."
Pacquiao is still smarting about the suggestions regarding steroids and Roach says his fighter has a score to settle. "We have never flunked a test," Roach said. "We are tested before and after a fight. If we were on steroids we would not pass."
Pacquiao was beaten by Erik Morales in 2005 and Roach says the Filipino blames the defeat on having to give blood for a doping test on the eve of the fight.
"Everyone knows that he blames losing the fight to Morales on that," Roach said. "He was tested the day before. When he gives blood I lose him for about three days and then he gets better.
"Mayweather is the first guy he has not liked who he has fought. He does not like Mayweather because of the attitude. Manny is clean, he was upset. But I can't let that get in the way in the fight. I can't let him fight angry. Mayweather is a good counter-puncher."
Roach claims the pair have an excellent working relationship, but is not afraid to speak his mind when the need arises.
"I don't hang out with him and go out to socialise with him," he said. "I want to keep that separation between trainer and fighter. I learned not to get too close because when I trained Virgil Hill we got too close and it affected our working relationship.
"I am the boss. I do have to put my foot down sometimes. One day they came in and were sleepy and they said they had been doing karaoke to 2am. I got the bunch together and told them all off. I told them we are in a camp and curfew is 9pm.
"Manny was quiet, he iced me for two days. But it worked itself out. I think he was more interested in who ratted him out."
Source: espn.co.uk
Freddie Roach is confident Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jnr will get the chance to settle their differences in the ring. The pair were scheduled to fight early in 2010, but it fell through on account of Mayweather Jnr's demands for Olympic-style drug testing. With the clash with Mayweather Jnr on ice, Pacquiao took on Joshua Clotttey and secured an overwhelming points victory - while Mayweather Jnr is set to fight Shane Mosley in May.
Talk continues about a meeting between Pacquiao and Mayweather Jnr and Roach is convinced the fight will happen once the latter has got past Mosley.
"Mayweather is a good fighter and I think he came up with these excuses because he was not ready for Manny," Pacquiao's trainer Roach told ESPN. "He had two years off and I think he needed more time.
"He has a fight coming up and if he beats Mosley all the rust will be gone. Then he will be sharp for a guy like Pacquiao."
Pacquiao is still smarting about the suggestions regarding steroids and Roach says his fighter has a score to settle. "We have never flunked a test," Roach said. "We are tested before and after a fight. If we were on steroids we would not pass."
Pacquiao was beaten by Erik Morales in 2005 and Roach says the Filipino blames the defeat on having to give blood for a doping test on the eve of the fight.
"Everyone knows that he blames losing the fight to Morales on that," Roach said. "He was tested the day before. When he gives blood I lose him for about three days and then he gets better.
"Mayweather is the first guy he has not liked who he has fought. He does not like Mayweather because of the attitude. Manny is clean, he was upset. But I can't let that get in the way in the fight. I can't let him fight angry. Mayweather is a good counter-puncher."
Roach claims the pair have an excellent working relationship, but is not afraid to speak his mind when the need arises.
"I don't hang out with him and go out to socialise with him," he said. "I want to keep that separation between trainer and fighter. I learned not to get too close because when I trained Virgil Hill we got too close and it affected our working relationship.
"I am the boss. I do have to put my foot down sometimes. One day they came in and were sleepy and they said they had been doing karaoke to 2am. I got the bunch together and told them all off. I told them we are in a camp and curfew is 9pm.
"Manny was quiet, he iced me for two days. But it worked itself out. I think he was more interested in who ratted him out."
Source: espn.co.uk
Sabtu, 27 Maret 2010
Freddie Roach talks Mayweather-Mosley, drug testing, and more with Jim Rome -- The Examiner
By Chris Robinson, Examiner.com
In a recent edition of Jim Rome is Burning, world renown trainer Freddie Roach
dropped by to discuss a myriad of topics ranging from his own career as a fighter, his fighter Manny Pacquiao’s bout with Joshua Clottey, the upcoming Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley bout and more.
Roach also went in depth about the recent Olympic style drug testing fiasco that prevented a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout from ever becoming a reality. Mayweather insisted that both fighters should have put themselves through a strenuous testing process which including blood testing but the two men were unable to come to terms. During the interview Roach went in depth about Pacquiao’s mental state following giving blood and how it affects him.
Roach is going to be in Las Vegas the weekend of April 10th to oversee the 4th professional fight of his latest prospect, Lightweight Jose Benavidez and the following month he has a huge assignment as his charge Amir Khan will be defending his WBA belt against Paulie Malignaggi in New York. As far as Roach’s future with Pacquiao it is still uncertain as to what will happen as the WBO Welterweight champion has been talking retirement amidst an upcoming political push.
In his own words this is what Roach had to say about everything, from his relationship with Pacquiao, thoughts on Mayweather and Mosley, and more…
Reflecting on his time in Dallas during Pacquiao’s victory over Joshua Clottey…
“Great audience, great venue. Cowboys Stadium was the part of the trip probably. The thing was that I told Jerry Jones he had a lot of guts for building that place. I asked him ‘how are you going to pay for it?’. Pacquiao fought a good fight and he did what he was supposed to do. He won every round. I like Joshua Clottey, he’s a real nice guy and a real gentleman, but you have the world title in front of you maybe once in a lifetime and you have to die trying to win that. He was just content with going to distance. I think once he realized how fast Pacquiao was in the first round he just didn’t want to get knocked out and just wanted to go the distance.”
Pacquiao playing around with the two-handed punch…
“I did have a concern because he does like to play a little bit and he did play when he did the double punch. He’s always told me that he wanted to do that at least once in the fight and I told him ‘Don’t do it!’. He laughed and he had a big smile on his face and I said ‘The sonofagum did it’. He wanted to get that out of his system I hope.”
His relationship with Manny Pacquiao…
“The thing is that I don’t hang out with him and don’t go out to socialize with him too much. I want to keep that separation between trainer and fighter. I learned once in my life when I got to close to my fighter and we became friends and I told him to do something and he laughed and not take me seriously. [That was] my first champion Virgil Hill. I told him ‘I mean it, get to work’. But we became too close and it affected our working relationship.”
Putting his foot down…
“The thing is that I do have to put my foot down sometimes. In the last camp he came to the gym and everyone was tired and sleep and I asked them what was wrong. He said that they were singing karaoke until 2 AM. I got the bunch together and I told them all off and I told them we were here for a fight and we were here for training camp. I said curfew is at 9 o’clock and I said to head security ‘What were you doing?’ and he said ‘I was signing’. I just said ‘Oh my god’. [Pacquiao] was very quiet for two days. He iced me for two days. It worked itself out. I heard that he was more interested in finding who ratted him out.”
Does Roach believe Mayweather vs. Pacquiao will ever happen?
“I believe so. The thing is, Mayweather is a good fighter and I just believe he came up with these excuses because he wasn’t ready for Pacquiao yet. He only had one fight in two years and I think he needed more time. He’s got another fight coming up of course and after that all of the rust will be gone if he beats Mosley. He’s in a tough fight though. The thing is Shane has a little bit of trouble for boxers and I think it’s a good fight for Mayweather. I think he will win on points. Then he will be sharp and ready for a guy like Pacquiao.”
His thoughts on drug testing…
“The thing is that we have never flunked a test before. We have tested before and after every fight. If we were on steroids we wouldn’t pass. It’s not like there isn’t testing and it’s not like they just test you some times. If you are in a title fight they test you every time and the commission has been doing that for a long time. The Olympic style drug testing they couldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t do it the day before the fight. That’s an issue because Manny Pacquiao doesn’t like giving blood. I told him that that they can do urine, saliva, hair test, and any test in the world that would show exactly the same thing as blood. You see when he gets cut he doesn’t handle it well. He doesn’t like blood. I would but the thing is that everyone knows that he blames when he lost to Morales the first time because he had to give blood the day before the fight. I lose him for about three days. He’s not as strong. I’m not sure about that. He just feels that it’s in his head that it affects him for like three days and then he starts feeling better after that.”
His thoughts on Mayweather’s mission to clean up the sport…
“I think that Mayweather is going to let the commission do their job just as they always do. He said that he wants to clean the sport up but I don’t think steroids are that used in boxing to be honest. It’s part of our life and the society that we live in today. Again, let the commission do their job and we aren’t going to let Mayweather run the show, that’s for sure. That’s giving the first two rounds away. Why would I do that? The next thing you know he’ll be saying we are fighting with 16 ounce gloves or in two minute rounds. We’re going to go with what the commission says and I’m sure there is going to be a tradeoff between Manny dropping the lawsuit and him dropping the drug test.”
His own career and knowing when to call it a day…
“Eddie Futch, my coach, told me to retire five fights before I did. I fought five more times and I lost four of the five so he’s probably right. I might not have Parkinson’s disease if I did. I was just really frustrated. I put my whole life into it and I wanted to be a world champion. I cried that day when he told me it was over and it was just hard to realize that. It’s hard to swallow. It’s something I chose and something I did but I am happy.”
Source: examiner.com
In a recent edition of Jim Rome is Burning, world renown trainer Freddie Roach dropped by to discuss a myriad of topics ranging from his own career as a fighter, his fighter Manny Pacquiao’s bout with Joshua Clottey, the upcoming Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley bout and more.Roach also went in depth about the recent Olympic style drug testing fiasco that prevented a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout from ever becoming a reality. Mayweather insisted that both fighters should have put themselves through a strenuous testing process which including blood testing but the two men were unable to come to terms. During the interview Roach went in depth about Pacquiao’s mental state following giving blood and how it affects him.
Roach is going to be in Las Vegas the weekend of April 10th to oversee the 4th professional fight of his latest prospect, Lightweight Jose Benavidez and the following month he has a huge assignment as his charge Amir Khan will be defending his WBA belt against Paulie Malignaggi in New York. As far as Roach’s future with Pacquiao it is still uncertain as to what will happen as the WBO Welterweight champion has been talking retirement amidst an upcoming political push.
In his own words this is what Roach had to say about everything, from his relationship with Pacquiao, thoughts on Mayweather and Mosley, and more…
Reflecting on his time in Dallas during Pacquiao’s victory over Joshua Clottey…
“Great audience, great venue. Cowboys Stadium was the part of the trip probably. The thing was that I told Jerry Jones he had a lot of guts for building that place. I asked him ‘how are you going to pay for it?’. Pacquiao fought a good fight and he did what he was supposed to do. He won every round. I like Joshua Clottey, he’s a real nice guy and a real gentleman, but you have the world title in front of you maybe once in a lifetime and you have to die trying to win that. He was just content with going to distance. I think once he realized how fast Pacquiao was in the first round he just didn’t want to get knocked out and just wanted to go the distance.”
Pacquiao playing around with the two-handed punch…
“I did have a concern because he does like to play a little bit and he did play when he did the double punch. He’s always told me that he wanted to do that at least once in the fight and I told him ‘Don’t do it!’. He laughed and he had a big smile on his face and I said ‘The sonofagum did it’. He wanted to get that out of his system I hope.”
His relationship with Manny Pacquiao…
“The thing is that I don’t hang out with him and don’t go out to socialize with him too much. I want to keep that separation between trainer and fighter. I learned once in my life when I got to close to my fighter and we became friends and I told him to do something and he laughed and not take me seriously. [That was] my first champion Virgil Hill. I told him ‘I mean it, get to work’. But we became too close and it affected our working relationship.”
Putting his foot down…
“The thing is that I do have to put my foot down sometimes. In the last camp he came to the gym and everyone was tired and sleep and I asked them what was wrong. He said that they were singing karaoke until 2 AM. I got the bunch together and I told them all off and I told them we were here for a fight and we were here for training camp. I said curfew is at 9 o’clock and I said to head security ‘What were you doing?’ and he said ‘I was signing’. I just said ‘Oh my god’. [Pacquiao] was very quiet for two days. He iced me for two days. It worked itself out. I heard that he was more interested in finding who ratted him out.”
Does Roach believe Mayweather vs. Pacquiao will ever happen?
“I believe so. The thing is, Mayweather is a good fighter and I just believe he came up with these excuses because he wasn’t ready for Pacquiao yet. He only had one fight in two years and I think he needed more time. He’s got another fight coming up of course and after that all of the rust will be gone if he beats Mosley. He’s in a tough fight though. The thing is Shane has a little bit of trouble for boxers and I think it’s a good fight for Mayweather. I think he will win on points. Then he will be sharp and ready for a guy like Pacquiao.”
His thoughts on drug testing…
“The thing is that we have never flunked a test before. We have tested before and after every fight. If we were on steroids we wouldn’t pass. It’s not like there isn’t testing and it’s not like they just test you some times. If you are in a title fight they test you every time and the commission has been doing that for a long time. The Olympic style drug testing they couldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t do it the day before the fight. That’s an issue because Manny Pacquiao doesn’t like giving blood. I told him that that they can do urine, saliva, hair test, and any test in the world that would show exactly the same thing as blood. You see when he gets cut he doesn’t handle it well. He doesn’t like blood. I would but the thing is that everyone knows that he blames when he lost to Morales the first time because he had to give blood the day before the fight. I lose him for about three days. He’s not as strong. I’m not sure about that. He just feels that it’s in his head that it affects him for like three days and then he starts feeling better after that.”
His thoughts on Mayweather’s mission to clean up the sport…
“I think that Mayweather is going to let the commission do their job just as they always do. He said that he wants to clean the sport up but I don’t think steroids are that used in boxing to be honest. It’s part of our life and the society that we live in today. Again, let the commission do their job and we aren’t going to let Mayweather run the show, that’s for sure. That’s giving the first two rounds away. Why would I do that? The next thing you know he’ll be saying we are fighting with 16 ounce gloves or in two minute rounds. We’re going to go with what the commission says and I’m sure there is going to be a tradeoff between Manny dropping the lawsuit and him dropping the drug test.”
His own career and knowing when to call it a day…
“Eddie Futch, my coach, told me to retire five fights before I did. I fought five more times and I lost four of the five so he’s probably right. I might not have Parkinson’s disease if I did. I was just really frustrated. I put my whole life into it and I wanted to be a world champion. I cried that day when he told me it was over and it was just hard to realize that. It’s hard to swallow. It’s something I chose and something I did but I am happy.”
Source: examiner.com
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