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FREDDIE ROACH FOUND out he’d been fired by Manny Pacquiao at the same time as the rest of the boxing industry — when he read the press release last week.
Renowned boxing coach Roach and eight-weight world champion Pacquiao enjoyed a massively successful 16-year partnership.
They trained together at Roach’s world-famous Wildcard Boxing Club in Hollywood, California, and also in Manila in the Philippines, where Pacquiao would sometimes begin his training camps.
Together they were involved in some of the biggest boxing bouts in the modern era, against Juan Manuel Marquez (2004, 2008, 2011, and 2012), Oscar de la Hoya (2008), and Floyd Mayweather (2015).
But that relationship has come to an end. Roach told Yahoo Sports that he “can’t be mad” as they “had a great long run together,” but stressed that the way he found out was “disappointing.”
I heard it like everyone else and that’s the thing that is a little disappointing, but my thoughts mostly are about all the good times we had and the work we did together.
“When Manny Pacquiao walked through my door, it changed my life. He made me a better trainer and a better person and of course, I’m a lot more famous now and I’m a lot richer than I was.”
Yahoo Sports suggests that Pacquiao was “bothered” by Roach’s comments after the Filipino fighter’s loss to Jeff Horn last year. Roach warned Pacquiao he would struggle to juggle being a full-time athlete with his duties as a senator of the Philippines and said he should consider leaving the sport.
“I told him that the way his career is going, being a leader in his country and being a senator and dealing with all the responsibilities that come with that, he might have to give up boxing,” Roach told Yahoo. “Boxing is a very physical sport and a very rough sport and having two jobs like he has is so tough. He’s just always going like crazy.”
He added: “Being a prize fighter is difficult but being a world champion prize fighter is so incredibly difficult. It takes just about all of your time and focus and energy, and I just can’t imagine being able to do it and having another job. That’s how hard it is.
I didn’t know Manny was mad about that when I said it. I wish he had said something to me about it so we could have spoken. My opinion hasn’t changed, but I wish we could have spoken to each other. But I have no complaints because my life is so much better in so many ways because of Manny Pacquiao.”
Pacquiao returns to the boxing ring on 15 July when he challenges Lucas Matthysse for the WBA welterweight world title in Kuala Lumpur. He does so without Roach and will instead be trained by Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao’s long-time friend.
Roach says the match will be a good fit but advised Fernandez to lose weight. “He’s had some success locally and he’s good on the mitts. I’d like to see him lose some weight and get into better shape so he can work harder, but I think he’ll be fine.”
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Filipino politicians don’t take public advice too well , even good guys like Manny … it makes them look weak ..
Classless move from someone I would have thought had more to him than that . Roach may be past being capable of being a top class coach but after all he has done for Pac-Man you would have thought this relationship would end in a more appropriate manner !
Carrying KO power across eight divisions. The Lance Armstrong of boxing.
@Tamagotchi: The Lance Armstrong of boxing? Isn’t it supposed to be Canelo Alvarez as proven PED user? When was it proven that Manny Pacquiao is taking PED? Unless you are ignorant, you should know better than that
@Roland Duca: Calm down Manny.
Jeff Horn handed him his orse last time out. Matthysse should conk him out. I thought Marquez won pretty much all their fights. Certainly a major boogeyman!
Been an epic career but it’s sad to see the disrespect with which he’s severed ties with Roach.
@Henry Suva: Jeff Horn? Did we see the same fight. Biggest hometown decision you’ll ever see. Absolute nonsense
@Henry Suva: First of all, Horn didn’t beat Manny Pacquiao. He lost in the scorecards but people who knows about boxing saw Manny Pacquiao win that fight. I don’t think you have watched ALL the Pacquiao-Marquez fights because if you did, you’ll not be so ignorant about those fights. Severing ties with Roach is Manny Pacquioa’s prerogative. I disagree with Manny Pacquiao’s decision to not hire Roach but as an employer he has the right to choose his trainer. Why not watch a boxing for a change before opining?
@Henry Suva: I agree. Are you from Newbridge Henry?
It doesn’t sound like Roach is that upset. Perhaps now he is relieved that he’s not flogging him into old age