By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
Freddie Roach has hinted that he believes Antonio Margarito, Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent, was treated leniently, and could have been banned for life.
Margarito was banned for a year by the California State Athletic Commission for illegal hand wraps. The Mexican has just re-applied for his boxing license.
How does Roach feel about Margarito’s ban ? Speaking exclusively to Telegraph Sport, Roach explained: “Well, you know, I guess he did his time, I guess everyone deserves a second chance but they can’t get away with that against us. It won’t happen in this fight, I can tell you. The Commission gave him a one-year suspension, but deep down, you know, I’m the kind of person who thinks that if you do something like that, you should be suspended for life.”
“Panama Lewis was suspended for life. I thought the sentence [for Margarito] was light.”
Roach leaves for the first half of Pacquiao’s next training camp ten days into September. “I’ll be out in The Philippines from Sept 11. We’ll train out there and have four weeks here in Los Angeles, and the last five days if it ends up in Texas. He [Margarito] is a big, strong guy. I’m not overly worried about him. I’m not a big Margarito fan. Manny will have too much for him. It’s just the size I’m concerned about, and what weight we have it at. I’d like it at 147lbs, but it will most likely be at catch weight between welter[weight] and junior middleweight.”
“You know what kind of size Manny is. He’ll come in at 149 lbs in the ring. He can’t come in too much heavier than that, and anyway, any extra weight would not help him. Manny will start fast with this guy, and we will finish with him fast.”
Roach is in regular contact with Pacquiao, immersed in politics for the present. “He’s really really enjoying trying to make things better in his country. He told me the time was going quickly, and that it was a lot of hard work. He wants to change people’s perceptions and their ambitions in life.”
“I’m really looking forward to working with him again because his boxing is going to be a break from politics. The Congress will give him enough time to get ready for boxing, because everyone in The Philippines wishes him well in the ring.”
Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk
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