Freddie Roach gets show on HBO -- ESPN

By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com

Star boxing trainer Freddie Roach is used to having cameras follow him around when he is preparing pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao for fights.

Now, he will take center stage as the star of a new six-episode unscripted primetime series, "On Freddie Roach," which is slated to debut in early 2012 on HBO.

Pacquiao has been the subject of multiple editions of HBO's "24/7" as well as the recent "Fight Camp 360" on Showtime while getting ready to fight Shane Mosley earlier this month. Roach was a big part of those series, but still a supporting player.

This series, announced Tuesday, includes filmmaker Peter Berg and HBO blow-by-blow announcer Jim Lampley among its executive producers. It will focus on Roach and his daily life working with fighters at his Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif., as well as his daily battle with Parkinson's disease.

"I am used to it," Roach told ESPN.com about having the cameras around him constantly. "Pretty much the same deal as '24/7' and 'Fight Camp' with cameras there at 5 a.m. and waking me up. They have the keys to my house to get in.

"It's going to be my life at home and mostly everything in the gym leading up to fights. It doesn't bother me having the cameras around. Sometimes it gets overwhelming and if it does, I tell them to go home."

The cameras will follow Roach as he works with his fighters, including Pacquiao, junior welterweight titlist Amir Khan and middleweight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and as he manages his new role working with USA Boxing.

Roach recently accepted an unpaid role with the amateur organization to bring several young fighters to his gym who are leading contenders to make the 2012 U.S. Olympic team.

"They put together a really good idea of people looking into my life from the outside," Roach said. "The thing is it will give people a look at what my life is like. I have a great life and with the Olympic team thing coming up and Manny and Amir having fights, I hope people will find it interesting."

"We are truly excited about this innovative new reality series that will allow HBO to partner with Peter Berg," Michael Lombardo, president of HBO Programming, said. "Freddie Roach is an extraordinary person and many of our subscribers are familiar with his superior work in training some of the world's premier fighters. This will be a fascinating and unique series."

The show began filming about 10 days before Pacquiao's May 7 welterweight title defense against Mosley, which Pacquiao won in a lopsided decision. His next fight is slated for Nov. 12 against rival Juan Manuel Marquez. Khan opened training camp on Monday to prepare for a July 23 title defense. His opponent is expected to be set this week.

"We start filming more of the show this week. They stopped in (Tuesday) to get a look at the gym and see the atmosphere and see who the characters are at my gym. I have some interesting friends," Roach said with a laugh. "This show will give a broader picture of my life and the people I take care of and the people that take care of me. It will be much broader than just getting one fighter ready for a fight. You're not going to catch me at home too often though. The gym will be the focal point of the show."

HBO Sports originally rejected the series and it was picked up by AMC for development. But after creative differences with AMC, HBO got another opportunity and decided to pick it up.

"HBO's enthusiasm in supporting a less-conventional, vérité style of storytelling is why they continue to create original and truly innovative programming," Berg said. "It's why they are the best and we are very excited to be working with them."

Roach, 51, a native of Dedham, Mass., who now lives in Hollywood, was a longtime professional fighter, which many believe is the cause of his Parkinson's. As a trainer, he has worked with numerous champions, and earlier this month he collected his third trainer of the year award in a row -- and fifth overall -- from the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter @danrafaelespn.

Source: sports.espn.go.com

Roach, reluctant player in Pacquiao circus, ponders life without fighter -- Las Vegas Review Journal

By Steve Carp, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- Manny Pacquiao is running nearly two hours late for his training session at the Wild Card Boxing Club.

That's not unusual. Of Pacquiao's many strengths, punctuality is not one of them. The world's best pound-for-pound boxer goes by his own clock. When he finally arrives, there's a camera crew from Comedy Central waiting for him to tape a segment on the "Tosh.0" show.

Nothing unusual about that, either. There are almost always visitors when Pacquiao shows up to train. One day it's Don Rickles. The next, Norm MacDonald. On this day, it's Daniel Tosh.

Freddie Roach smiles weakly as his fighter walks in. What else can he do?

"There's always distractions," the trainer says. "That's the way it is."

Roach's saving grace is that once the sideshow is over and Pacquiao actually begins training, it's all business. He has Pacquiao's undivided attention and the two always appear on the same wavelength. After 11 years together, Roach knows what to expect from Pacquiao.

"I never worry about Manny once he gets to work," Roach said. "It's the 'getting him to work' part I worry about."

Roach won't have to worry about such things much longer. After Saturday's WBO welterweight title fight against Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden, Pacquiao will return to the Philippines, put on a suit and tie and go back to being Congressman Pacquiao. And at age 33, Pacquiao has said he will fight only a few more times before devoting himself to politics full time.

For Roach, who has a stable of fighters to train and whose gym in a rundown strip mall on Vine Street is a beehive of activity from early morning to late night, the idea of life after Pacquiao is something he doesn't dwell on. Yet, he concedes he has pondered what it will be like.

"Sometimes I think I'll retire when Manny does," said Roach, 51. "We can ride off into the sunset together."

Still, Roach wishes he didn't have to deal with the daily distractions that have become part of Pacquiao's regimen.

"There are days where I get fed up with all the craziness," Roach said. "I wish I could tell everyone to get the (expletive) out of here. But I know I can't do that. Fortunately, Manny is such a hard worker, once we get going, everything's fine."

Roach said Pacquiao's training for Mosley has been almost the opposite of the fighter's camp when he faced Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13.

"From the first day, he's trained hard," Roach said of Pacquiao, who broke camp Sunday, traveled to Las Vegas by bus Monday and will make his official arrival at the MGM at 12:30 p.m. today (Mosley's arrival is at noon). "Usually on the first day, Manny runs on the flat and then he builds up and runs the hills. For this camp, he ran the hills right away. That showed me how serious he was."

Roach had thought Pacquiao's camp for the Margarito fight was his worst during their time together. But whatever issues there were, they haven't been obstacles on fight night. Pacquiao dominated Margarito the entire fight, winning a 12-round unanimous decision at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and sent Margarito to the hospital with a broken orbital bone in his right eye.

So if Pacquiao can do that after a subpar training camp, what does that mean for Mosley on Saturday? Roach said every fight is different and Mosley presents problems that Pacquiao hasn't faced in a long time.

"Mosley's bigger and he's fast -- the fastest fighter we've fought," Roach said. "He's got a great chin. Nobody's ever knocked Shane out. And he's a very smart fighter, probably the smartest fighter Manny has faced. Manny realized this and I think that's why he's worked so hard in this camp. He knows he's in a fight with Mosley."

But while Pacquiao is close to the end of his boxing career, the reality is Roach probably will remain active in the sport. He's in high demand and, besides Pacquiao, he is training Amir Khan, the world junior welterweight champion, and rising middleweight star Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., among others.

"I love what I'm doing," said Roach, who is holding his own in a 19-year battle with Parkinson's disease. "But it will be a sad day for me when Manny retires."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter @stevecarprj.

Source: lvrj.com

Pacquiao and trainer sing different tune on a Mosley KO -- Reuters

By Mark Lamport-Stokes, Reuters

(Reuters) - Manny Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach expressed contrasting views on Wednesday when discussing the possibility of a knockout by the Filipino in his title bout next week with American Shane Mosley.

While Pacquiao said a knockout had not been a specific focus during their preparations over the last two months, Roach felt stopping an opponent was the perfect way to end a fight.

Mosley, 46-6-1 with 39 knockouts, has yet to be knocked out during his professional career and Roach has set his sights on Pacquiao becoming the first boxer to achieve the feat.

"I think all fights should end in knockouts so I am looking for a knockout," Roach said on a conference call with the Filipino southpaw.

"Shane is a tough guy and a very durable guy and it would be a feather in Manny's cap to be the first one to stop him. It would just prove to the world how much better he is than that other guy (Floyd Mayweather) that couldn't stop him."

Eleven months ago, Mayweather resisted a furious early onslaught by Mosley to preserve his unbeaten professional record with an unanimous points victory in a welterweight bout in Las Vegas.

Mayweather has not fought since and boxing fans would dearly love to see the American go into the ring against Pacquiao to decide the mythical title of the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.

For the time being, though, Pacquiao and his trainer are fully focused on the WBO welterweight title fight against veteran Mosley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 7.

"Manny will fight at a fast pace and I don't know if Shane is going to be prepared to fight at that pace," Roach said of the Filipino who has been installed as an odds-on favorite by Las Vegas bookmakers.

"But we are going to force the action and we are going to go for it (a knockout) this time. If it comes, it comes. I think Manny is definitely the guy to do it."

Pacquiao, already established as one of the best offensive fighters of all time with a career record of 52-3-2 with 38 knockouts, was reluctant to talk about his chances of stopping Mosley.

KNOCKOUT FOCUS

"We are not very focused on the knockout," the 32-year-old said. "If the knockout comes, it will come. We have prepared ourselves that we are fighting 12 rounds."

Asked how much it would mean to him to become the first fighter to stop Mosley, Pacquiao replied: "I would be excited for that. My concern right now is the fight that we can give to the people and to the fans. I want them to be happy."

Pacquiao will be fighting for the first time since November when he outclassed Mexican Antonio Margarito in Dallas to land an eighth world title in an unprecedented eighth weight class.

For all the talk that he should brush aside the threat posed by three-division world champion Mosley, the Filipino southpaw is not taking his 39-year-old opponent lightly.

"Shane Mosley is still strong and he moves like a 29-year-old or a 30-year-old," Pacquiao said. "He is the kind of fighter that you cannot underestimate. He is bigger than me and stronger and of course he is a former pound-for-pound champion. He is still good."

Mosley did not thrive in his last two bouts - dropping a unanimous decision to Mayweather in May and drawing with Sergio Mora in September -- but Roach believes the American suffered against opponents renowned for their ultra-defensive style.

"We are looking at his fight against Margarito, a guy that attacks and not those two runners that he (Mosley) had a little bit of difficulty with," said Roach.

In his third-last bout, Mosley claimed the WBA welterweight title with a stunning ninth round stoppage of Margarito at the Staples Center in Los Angees in January 2009.

"In the Margarito fight, he looked great and Margarito has an aggressive style like Manny," Roach added.

"And the way we are going to attack him (Mosley) is going to be a little more scientific of course. We are ready for the best Shane Mosley out there."

(Editing by Frank Pingue)

Source: reuters.com

Freddie Roach: 'It Has Nothing to do With [Skin] Color' -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Four-time Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach took time from his busy schedule to speak with FanHouse concerning recent comments by Bernard Hopkins that Manny Pacquiao has not faced a top African American fighter, his busy schedule and other things.

From his Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif., Roach also discussed Pacquiao's prospects of facing WBO and WBA lightweight (135 pounds) king Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 knockouts), WBC welterweight (147 pounds) belt-holder Andre Berto (26-0, 20 KOs), six-time titlist Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs), five-time champion Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs), or the winner of a Jan. 29 junior welterweight (140 pounds) clash between southpaw WBC champ Devon Alexander (21-0, 13 KOs) and WBO counter part Tim Bradley (26-0, 11 KOs).

On Nov. 13, Roach was at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in the corner of WBO welterweight and WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) champion Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) for his HBO pay per view televised, Top Rank Promotions unanimous decision victory over ex-titlist Antonio Margarito (38-7, 27 KOs). Pacquiao earned the vacant junior middleweight belt, his eighth title over as many different weight classes, and his 13th straight win with eight knockouts during that time.

On Dec. 3, Roach will work with NABF and NABO cruiserweight (200 pounds) titlist Lateef Kayode (14-0, 13 KOs) against Ed Perry (18-4-2, 11 KOs), in Santa Yunez, Calif. On Dec. 4, Roach will be in Anaheim, Calif., working the corner of junior middleweight and middleweight (160 pounds) prospect Julio Cesar Chavez (40-0-1, 30 KOs) opposite Alfonso Gomez (22-4-2, 11 KOs).

Roach had to pull out of the corner of Ukrainian WBA bantamweight champion Voldymyr Sydorenko (22-2-2, seven KOs), who is on the Chavez-Gomez under card against WBA interim super flyweight (115 pounds) titlist Nonito Donaire (24-1, 16 KOs). On Dec. 11, Roach will be in Las Vegas working with junior welterweight (140 pounds) king Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KOs) against WBA interim belt-holder Marcos Rene Maidana (29-1, 27 KOs) that is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.


FanHouse: What are your thoughts concerning Bernard Hopkins' assertions?

Freddie Roach: We've fought everyone out there. We've ducked nobody. Shane Mosley [who is African American] is another guy out there right now. I know that he hasn't looked that good in his last couple of fights, but he's still a very good fighter.

He's a very good possibility to be Manny's next opponent. I don't think that Bernard Hopkins has beaten any Canadians lately [reference to Hopkins' upcoming bout with WBC light heavyweight (175 pounds) champ Jean Pascal on Dec. 18.] And Bernard's never beaten an English guy [lost to Joe Calzaghe] because he's only fought one.

But Bernard, you know, he's my friend, and so forth, because I've worked with him in the past. But I don't know why people make racist statements like that. We don't need that stuff in the world of boxing. I think Bernard knows that it's all about business and that it has nothing to do with color.

It's all about the best deals, the best fight that makes the most economic sense. It has nothing to do with [skin] color. We won the title from [Lehlohonolo] Ledwaba, a South African, and we beat Joshua Clottey, who, I'm not sure what Clottey is. He came from England by way of Ghana, I think.

So, with those two, we've beaten two black guys. But this is a sport, so lets get on with the sport.


Would you see a potential fight with an Andre Berto, Devon Alexander, Tim Bradley or even his stablemate, Amir Khan, for Manny Pacquiao?

Of course. All of those guys. Especially Andre Berto. Bob recently asked me who I wanted to fight next and I said [Juan Manuel] Marquez, Berto or Mosley. I said 'we would fight any of them, no problem.'


Why Andre Berto all of a sudden?

Because some of the other guys are 140-pounders who already have fights scheduled. After this weekend, I don't think that Andre Berto has anything scheduled right now. And he's not a 140-pounder, he's a 147-pounder.


Given that Manny Pacquiao has not faced a youthful fighter in quite a while, would Andre Berto's youth be more of a challenge?

Yes. He's youthful, he's fast, and he's strong. He's not a big puncher I don't think, but he's definitely a challenge. Bradley looked terrible when he fought at 147 [unanimous decision over Carlos Luis Abregu,] but he's a much better fighter at 140 of course.

There's Amir, and Amir and Manny have sparred quite a bit. There have been days where he's gotten the best of Manny, and days where Manny has gotten the best of Amir. There's Devon Alexander, who is another southpaw like Manny. Manny loves fighting southpaws.

So they're all credible opponents, of course. We just want to make the fight that makes the most business sense, and that's what Bob will find out. We have to make the fights that bring the most dollars to Manny's pocket, and so we're looking at the business side of this.


How big would a fight be between Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao?

I think that actually, Marquez brings more money to the table. Amir is a good draw. Bradley's coming on a little bit. He's had some good fights. Alexander's not that well-known yet. But we definitely could fight the winner of Alexander-Bradley, and, Amir's got a big fight coming up with Marcos Maidana.

We're in great shape for the fight with Maidana. I believe that we'll knock Maidana out somewhere along the line. But Maidana is a big puncher and a dangerous guy. The winners of those fights could definitely be Manny's next opponent.


Andre Berto, notwithstanding, would you fight any of the other guys that you mentioned at a catch weight?

Nope. We would have to fight at 147, or else, those fights won't happen. I'm not going to let Manny fight below welterweight. It's 147, we found that when Manny can eat, he's comfortable and doesn't have to worry about making weight. Manny weighed in at [144.6] for his fight with Margarito, and I know that.

But I'm not going to have him struggle to make any weight. So he's going to fight at 147, that's now his natural weight, and that's where we're going to campaign at.


So you wouldn't entertain a catch weight for any of the lower weight guys coming up to face Manny?

Nope.


Why do you believe that a third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez would be the most marketable?

Because they have history between them. You know, they've fought twice, and they were close fights. They were very good fights for boxing and very competitive. Manny beat him and fought him to a draw, and Marquez knows Manny and knows what gives Manny trouble.

Marquez has proven that in two fights. Both fights went the distance. Marquez has been down four times in the two fights, but he's gotten up and made the fight. Marquez is a very durable guy and he's got an audience and a fan base behind him. So he's marketable.


Are you still working the corners of both Voldymyr Sydorenko and Julio Cesar Chavez?

No, I'm no longer working the corner of Sydorenko, no. I had to turn that down because of the Chavez fight being on the same night. Sydorenko knew that this was going to happen two months ago. But Sydorenko still comes in three times a week for sparring.

Right now, I'm still training Chavez and Amir Khan. I train Khan at 1 in the afternoon and Chavez comes in at 3 p.m. That's back-to-back, yep, 100 percent.

I had also been doing Manny as well as those two. So I was doing all three of them until Manny's fight with Margarto. I'm in the gym 12 hours a day, so it's been no problem.


Dare I ask which corner you would be in if Manny Pacquiao fought Amir Khan?

Manny Pacquiao. Manny Pacquiao's my guy.

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Margarito mocks Pacquiao boxing trainer's disease -- AFP

By Greg Heakes, AFP

DALLAS, Texas — The build up to Manny Pacquiao's WBC world title fight took a sad and distasteful twist when a video surfaced showing Antonio Margarito mocking legendary boxing trainer Freddie Roach.

The video, which was shot several weeks ago and appeared Wednesday on YouTube, shows Margarito's camp making fun of Roach - who suffers from Parkinson's disease which causes him to shake uncontrollably at times.

Margarito is seen shaking his hands and speaking with a tremor. Boxer Brandon Rios, who is on the undercard of Saturday's World Boxing Council super welterweight title fight between Pacquiao and Margarito, is also shown shaking his body and making fun of Roach in the video.

Margarito's trainer, Robert Garcia, is seen pointing at Rios and saying "that's Freddie Roach right there."

With Roach and Pacquiao sitting just a few feet away, Garcia took the podium at Wednesday's news conference at Cowboys Stadium and issued a half-hearted apology saying that no one in the Margarito camp knew that Roach suffered from Parkinson's.

"This was nothing personal. Nothing to do with his disease," Garcia said. "I apologize for people who think we are making fun of people with that disease."

After the news conference ended Garcia admitted his fighters were mocking Roach.

"These guys were just going back at Freddie," Garcia said. "They were making fun of Freddie Roach but nothing to do with the disease."

Roach isn't buying the apology and has vowed to ban Garcia from his Wild Card gym in Hollywood.

"(Garcia) certainly didn't apologize." Roach said Wednesday. "There was no apology. It is unreal that they said they didn't know I have Parkinson's. Everyone in the world knows I have Parkinson's.

"He is trying to cover it up. I won't speak to him ever in my life."

Roach said Mexico's Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs) and American Rios (25-0-1, 18 KOs) should watch what they say because he believes he got the disease as a result of his own boxing career.

"The thing is that this is something that boxers can obtain because it is trauma related," Roach said. "They (Margarito and Rios) are in the sport and they both don't have good defences. I just hope it doesn't happen to them the way I have to live my life.

"Even though they are just making fun. They think it is funny right now and so forth. Brandon Rios is like a 2-year-old kid. He is like a child. He has the mind of a baby. He is not even a world champion. Don't talk (expletive) until you can beat my guys."

The effects of the disease on Roach were evident Wednesday at Cowboys Stadium as he spoke with reporters. He said he "doubled up" on his medication Wednesday morning "so I wouldn't shake as much but it is not working."

"At one time I thought Margarito was a pretty good guy. I don't think he is a good guy. I do hate those guys," Roach said.

Garcia said he admires Roach's work as a trainer but with the fight so close he now considers Roach an "enemy".

Garcia said he didn't know about the Parkinson's disease until someone told him Wednesday. He added he won't apologize face-to-face until after Saturday's fight.

Told Roach has vowed to never speak to him again, Garcia said, "that is his business.

"I apologize for what my fighters did. After the fight I am going to do it. But right now we are enemies because we got two fighters and I want to win the fight and he wants to win.

"Win or lose I am going to go up to Freddie Roach and apologize.

"We been to his gym to spar and right away he has sparring partners lined up for us. I am always going to respect him. I admire the work he has done with Manny Pacquiao."

The mocking incident is another blow to Margarito's already tarnished reputation.

On Saturday, the former world champion will step into the ring for the first time in the United States since he was slapped with a one-year suspension for using illegal hand wraps against Shane Mosley.

Filipino superstar Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) has asked officials to allow him to send an extra person from his camp into Margarito's dressing room prior to the Dallas fight to observe the taping.

Margarito did not refer to the mocking incident when he took the microphone Wednesday.

Pacquiao said Wednesday that he has not seen the video but found the idea of it distasteful.

"For me it is not good," Pacquiao said. "We have to respect people. I am kind of person that doesn't like people talking about the personal lives of others."

Roach, who has been known to go after other trainers during weigh-ins and news conferences said he didn't confront Garcia Wednesday for Pacquiao's sake.

"I am doing it (staying calm) for (Pacquiao)," Roach said. "We've got a big fight coming up and I can't get excited. He can't get excited."

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved.

Source: google.com

Antonio Margarito mocks Manny Pacquiao trainer in video -- Reuters

By Mark Lamport-Stokes, Reuters

Antonio Margarito's trainer Robert Garcia has apologized for an internet video in which two of his fighters appear to mock the Parkinson's disease suffered by Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach.

Garcia's public apology, later described as a cover-up by Roach, overshadowed a news conference held jointly by Margarito and seven-times world champion Pacquiao on Wednesday in the build-up to their November 13 super welterweight bout.

After being introduced on a raised stage by promoter Bob Arum at Cowboys Stadium, the fight venue, Garcia said he wanted to clear something up "before it gets any bigger".

The trainer then added: "Earlier today there was a video posted up on YouTube about two of my fighters joking around making fun of Freddie Roach.

"This was nothing to do with the disease that Freddie Roach has. We know it's something that we don't wish on anybody. I would never allow (talk of) that in my gym."

The video, posted on several internet sites before being taken down, showed Margarito, Garcia and fighter Brandon Rios apparently making fun of Roach's Parkinson's disease symptoms.

Margarito aped Roach's involuntary twitches by shaking his arms and Rios stuttered the words "Manny Pacquiao" before Garcia said to Rios: "Hey, there's Freddie Roach".

While issuing his apology during Wednesday's pre-fight news conference, Garcia described the video antics as "something personal, something between Team Pacquiao and Team Margarito".

He added: "When I told Brandon Rios this morning that (the video) was out there, that everyone was thinking that we were making fun of people with that disease, he was surprised.

"And I said: 'Well, the disease that Freddie Roach has.' He didn't even know Freddie Roach had a disease."

APOLOGY REJECTED

Roach, who controls his symptoms through medication and by training with his boxers, rejected Garcia's apology.

"He doesn't I know I have Parkinson's and all of that?" Roach told reporters. "Please. It wasn't really an apology. It was just a cover-up."

Garcia said later he would personally apologize to Roach only after Saturday's fight.

"I apologize for what my fighters did but right now, I don't want to go to him (Roach) personally," Garcia told reporters. "Right now we are fighting against each other. Right now, we are enemies.

"I want to win the fight and he wants to win the fight. But right after the fight, win or lose, I am going to go up to Freddie Roach and I am going to apologize to him and ... give him all the respect that I've always given him."

The war of words between Garcia and Roach added unexpected spice to a news conference in which Pacquiao and Margarito were upbeat in a very measured way about Saturday's fight.

Filipino Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), who will be competing for an eighth world title in an unprecedented eighth weight class, said he expected a strong challenge from the much bigger Mexican.

"This is the fight I have been waiting for," said Pacquiao, who wore a black suit, a purple tie and a white shirt. "He is a very aggressive fighter and throws a lot of punches, and that is what I want in the fighter I am going to fight."

Three-times world champion Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs), casually dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt and blue jeans, said he had never been in better shape.

"This is my best camp ever," added the Mexican, who also wore sunglasses. "I want to show everyone that I am back and what I can do on Saturday night. The time is here ... you will have a new Mexican champion on the 13th."

(Editing by Frank Pingue)

Source: reuters.com

Margarito's trainer says his camp didn't know Roach had a disease -- Yahoo! Sports

By Steve Cofield, Yahoo! Sports

When it comes to Antonio Margarito's claim that he didn't know about the loaded hand wraps, who's buying the story? His new trainer Robert Garcia said he believes his fighter. His objectivity can be called into question and after Wednesday's prefight press conference, we're not sure we can believe anything Garcia says.

The Oxnard-based trainer, a former fighter himself, decided to address the brewing controversy caused by a YouTube video where it appears Margarito and his training partner Brandon Rios were mocking on the fact that Freddie Roach has Parkinson's disease (2:45 mark). Talking about Manny's Pacquiao trainer, they shook and froze up.

Wednesday afternoon, Garcia gave this explanation:

"We already talked about it and this has nothing to do with the disease Freddie Roach has," Garcia said. "I would never allow that in my gym. This is something personal between Team Pacquiao and Team Margarito."

Garcia then said his guys were unaware of the fact that Roach had the disease.

"When I told Brandon Rios this morning that [the video] was up and everybody was thinking that we were making fun of people with that disease ... he was surprised. He said 'what disease? I don't even know what disease you're talking about.' So it's nothing personal. It had nothing to do with his disease."

Roach has been around the business forever. He's been involved in countless huge promotions over the years. Is it believable that anyone in boxing could be unaware that he shakes and stutters because of the disease?

Just like Muhammad Ali, it's likely that Roach developed Parkinson's from his years in the ring. If anyone should be extra sensitive to his malady shouldn't it be other folks in the boxing world? Frankly, after seeing something like this video and Team Margarito constantly mocking on the hand-wrap allegations, could you blame anyone if they automatically characterized Margarito as someone who would cheat without a second of hesitation?

Source: sports.yahoo.com

Margarito makes fun of Pacquiao trainer in video -- NBC Sports

By STEPHEN HAWKINS, Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas - Antonio Margarito has repeatedly said he is sorry for a hand-wrapping scandal that almost ended his boxing career. Now his camp has had to apologize again, for something else only days before getting into the ring against Manny Pacquiao.

A video interview posted by Elie Seckbach of FanHouse recently raced across the Internet, in which Margarito and Brandon Rios — both of whom are trained by Robert Garcia — appear to mock the Parkinson's disease of Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach.

Before even talking about the junior middleweight title bout during a news conference Wednesday at Cowboys Stadium, Garcia first apologized for the video.

"This was nothing to do with the disease that Freddie Roach has. We know it's something that we don't wish nobody," Garcia said Wednesday. "It's something personal, something between Team Pacquiao and Team Margarito. I just wanted to make that clear."

When Roach was at the podium a few minutes later, he didn't acknowledge what Garcia said or even refer to the video. After the formal program was completed, though, Roach said he wasn't buying Garcia's apology.

In the video, Margarito makes a twisted face and raises a shaking hand for the camera before it pans to Rios, who also makes faces and stutters while saying Pacquiao's name.

The video has since been edited to remove Rios and make it appear as though Margarito is doing a scared impression of Roach, who has routinely questioned Margarito's integrity following the hand-wrapping scandal nearly two years ago.

Garcia also takes part in the mockery by holding up a thick chunk of metal and telling Roach he'd better watch as Margarito's hands are wrapped so that it doesn't end up under the tape.

"They're so disrespectful to me and the hand pad issues. ... It's like a slap in the face, like 'we got caught with something, but we're still here fighting. ' I think it shows his true character. I don't think they are a good group of people," Roach said. "I'm not going to bother Manny Pacquiao with that. Manny doesn't hate anybody and so forth, but I do hate those guys."

Pacquiao said he hadn't seen the video.

Roach does plan to make sure Margarito is being watched when his hands are wrapped before Saturday night's bout. That's not a joke.

"I will watch him. I asked the (Texas) commission to have a person from my camp in their training room from start to finish, and they can do the same with me," Roach said, adding that his request was approved. "I don't trust those guys. He'll do anything to win. He's done it before. He's a cheater."

The bout will be Pacquiao's second at Cowboys Stadium, where more than 50,000 fans are expected to attend along with an expected pay-per-view audience of 1 million or more.

In March at the $1.2 billion showplace, Pacquiao dominated Joshua Clottey from the opening bell to retain his welterweight title with an unanimous decision.

Pacquiao has since been elected a congressman in his native Philippines, a job that initially seemed to be affecting his training for this fight. He even missed a day of workouts.

"Everything is back to normal," Roach said, declaring Pacquiao ready for the fight. "It was never physical. It was all mental. His mental focus wasn't there."

Margarito, the former welterweight champion, was approved to fight in Texas after being denied a license in California and having another application in Nevada tabled.

Promoter Bob Arum again Wednesday applauded the decision by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and defended Margarito. Both Pacquiao and Margarito fight under Arum's Top Rank banner.

"When other people in boxing, some other commissions feasted on innuendoes, lies and smears, this commission read the record, read every scrap from the California hearing to the appeals," Arum said. "For 18 months (Margarito) has gone through hell, but he's taken it like a man, he's accepted it and believe me on Saturday night he will give you the fight of his life."

Margarito hasn't fought in the United States since January 2009, when a plaster-like substance was found in his hand wraps before a fight against Shane Mosley in Los Angeles.

Margarito's license along with that of his former trainer, Javier Capetillo, were revoked for at least one year by the California State Athletic Commission, a decision that was upheld by other states.

Margarito has repeatedly said he wasn't aware of the substance found in his hand wraps.

"I wrap guys every day," Roach said. "Believe me, if I put a rock in their hand, they would know it."

In his only fight since, Margarito won an unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia in Mexico in May.

While Garcia acknowledged that they were making fun of Roach in the video, he insisted that Rios didn't even know about the Parkinson's disease that affects Pacquiao's trainer. Garcia said the video was made about five weeks ago.

"He didn't even know Freddie had a disease," Garcia said. "He thought it was from 13 losses that Freddie Roach had when he was a professional boxer."

Roach said Margarito and Garcia have been nice to him in the past.

"But they stooped kind of low this time," Roach said. "They showed their true colors."

___

AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta in New York contributed to this report.


Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source:

Margarito takes cheap shots at Freddie Roach's disease, predicts KO of Manny -- Examiner

By Rick Rockwell, Examiner.com

For a man who was supposedly all about second chances, redemption, and vindication his latest act has shown his true colors. In a video that has gone viral, Antonio Margarito can be seen mocking Freddie Roach and his suffering from Parkinson's disease. This comes on the heels of Margarito and his trainer Garcia mocking the "hand wrap" scandal.

I thought Margarito deserved a second chance because he served his suspension and was saying all the right things about why he's fighting and what he's trying to accomplish. All of that has been thrown out the window. Margarito's classless act destroys the small amount of integrity that I and others wanted to believe he had. This act was additionally disturbing because Margarito did it in front of an audience and his training partner joined in.

Since when is it humorous to make fun of a serious disease? To me, this is a sign of who Margarito truly is and the fact that he's cracking under the pressure of facing Pacquiao.

If Margarito was truly innocent, and dedicated to redeeming himself, then he wouldn't need to resort to the juvenile and disgusting antics of mocking someone with a terrible disease. Margarito and his team went too far with this. In fact, it "cements" his true nature and leads me to believe that he wasn't innocent at all in the "hand wrap" incident. He's lost all credibility with me.


Do you think Margarito and his team went too far?

In related news, when Margarito isn't mocking Freddie Roach, he and his trainer are predicting KO of Manny Pacquiao. In a media workout, Antonio Margarito and his trainer Robert Garcia made the following comments:

“Knockout. Knockout. No other way. I like the 11th round,” Robert Garcia

"I have the power to take Manny out." Antonio Margarito

I think Margarito's comments and mocking have added fuel to the fire. I don't see this fight going into the later rounds anymore.

Source: examiner.com

The Trainers Have Made Their Predictions: Freddie Roach Says Pac-Man To Win Between Eight and Nine, Robert Garcia Says Margarito Will Score 11th-Round KO! -- Eastside Boxing

By James Slater, Eastside Boxing

Freddie Roach, trainer, of course, of Manny Pacquiao, is known for making pre-fight predictions involving his own fighters. Roach is also recognised as a man who is often dead right with his forecasts. For this coming Saturday’s big fight between Pac-Man and Mexico’s Antonio Margarito, Roach has stuck with his prediction of a Pacquiao KO win, “between rounds eight and nine.”

On the other side, is “Tony’s” trainer, Robert Garcia. Less vocal than Roach and not overly known for making pre-fight predictions - certainly not when it comes to picking the exact round anyway - Garcia has also weighed-in with his opinion on what will happen in the ring in Texas when the two fighters battle over the vacant WBC light-middleweight belt..

“I like it in the later rounds,” Garcia is quoted as saying by Pinoy Boxing Republic. “I’m picking [round] 11. The longer the fight goes, the better our chances. That’s guaranteed. Knockout, knockout! No doubt about it. But it’s going to be a tough fight.”

A tough fight would surprise no-one. Promoter Bob Arum has also predicted a Pac-Man win, but he has warned that “The Tijuana Tornado” has the stuff needed to upset his prize. And even Roach himself has admitted he has some concerns over this fight, primarily due to how his fighter had his “worst ever” training camp.

Ask a hundred experts, however, and it’s more than likely eighty or more will tell you Pacquiao will prevail on Saturday, and pick up his history-making eighth “world” title.

But Garcia is having none of it. Saying he has studied the Filipino southpaw for a long time, the trainer claims to have found flaws in Pac-Man’s fighting style.

“I know my fighter,” Garcia said, in answer to why he is so confident Margarito will pull it off on Saturday. “I know the condition he’s in, the heart that he’s got. And I’ve been watching Pacquiao fights over and over again the past three months. Margarito’s height and reach will be a big advantage, we’re gonna push him to fight.”

Garcia wouldn’t reveal the “flaws” he has seen in Pacquiao, but he did say “we will see that on the day of the fight.” Has Garcia picked up on just one flaw?

The trainer spoke about the weight Margarito will step into the ring at.

“He’ll be coming in at 150 during the weigh in,” he said. “And come fight night, 160, 162 maybe. But no, we won’t go up to 165.”

So, if this prediction is a correct one, Pac-Man will be facing a fully-fledged middleweight in a little over three day’s time. Could this one actually be Manny’s toughest fight in a long, long time?

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Roach longs for Christmas in Boracay -- Philippine Star

By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star

DALLAS – Is Freddie Roach so sure of a Manny Pacquiao victory over Antonio Margarito that he’s already looking forward to his Christmas vacation?

Well, it sounds just like that.

Boxing’s hottest trainer today said he’s already looking forward to a visit to the Philippines in December to grace Pacquiao’s 32nd birthday in Sarangani.

Then he said it’s time for him to visit Boracay, probably his favorite place outside the United States.

“Manny will have his birthday party and from his birthday party I might go right to Boracay. I love Boracay. I had a great time there the last time (2007),” said Roach.

But before he gets to vacation, Roach has Pacquiao’s fight with Margarito this coming Saturday at the Cowboys Stadium here.

Then he has the Dec. 4 fight of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and the Dec. 11 bout of Amir Khan, whom he trains.

Chavez faces Alfonso Gomez in Anaheim, California, for the WBC silver middleweight title, while Khan will try to defend his WBA junior welterweight crown against Marcos Rene Maidana at Mandalay Bay.

“Boracay sounds good because I need a break,” said Roach, adding that he has a standing invitation from Cris Aquino, Pacquiao’s close friend, to the latter’s famous West Cove Resort in the island paradise.

Aquino is the perennial flag bearer in Pacquiao fights here in the US, but for this one the bubbly businessman has begged off due to personal reasons.

“My last fight (this year) will be on Dec. 11 and after that, I will take the rest of the year off. I might go somewhere, so you guys might not see me,” said Roach.

“Maybe I’ll send you a postcard from Boracay.”

And he looked serious.

Source: philstar.com

Congressman Manny Pacquiao 'outpoints' President Barack Obama on "60 Minutes" -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

DENVER—There were only two people profiled on the still massively popular CBS TV newsweekly magazine “60 Minutes” Sunday night.

One was embattled President Barack Obama, who used a boxing analogy in discussing the recent electoral disaster and other failures suffered in the first two years of his term by he and the Democratic Party.

Obama said dealing with economic and other turmoil was a “hard, long slog” and that “I will get knocked down a couple of times.”

Obama was interviewed by reporter Steve Kroft and the softball questions were nonexistent.

The second piece on the program was far friendler.

It was veteran reporter Bob Simon's gee whiz profile of the boxing, social and political wonder that is Manny Pacquiao.

The lead in, voiced by Simon, called Pacman “...quite simply, the best boxer in the world today...”

I wonder how that was received at the Floyd Mayweather Big Boy Mansion in Las Vegas?

Simon said Pacman walks to the ring as though he “is going to dance, not to a duel...as though he's has not a care in the world...”

To which Pacquiao said, impishly, “That's me, I'm always smiling.”

Dutiful promoter Bob Arum, who knows where his balut is salted and buttered said Pacman is “the best fighter, better than Muhammad Ali, who I promoted 25 times, because he was essentially a one-handed fighter...”

Then came the familiar recitation to fight fans, but brand new to most American watching the show which came on as soon as the NFL Oakland Raiders beat the Kansas City Chiefs with a field goal in overtime, of Manny's humble beginnings in General Santos City.

It was reported that he was one of six children and that he first donned boxing gloves for a reward of 100 pesos or about two US dollars.

Simon said that Pacman stowed away on a ferry boat to get to Manila at age 14 and that he was just 98 pounds for his first bout but weighted down his pockets to make the 105 pound lowest weight class requirement.

Pacquiao was only 16 then.

Coach Freddie Roach was asked if he knew how great Pacman's potential was upon first viewing at the Wild Card Gym.

“Yes, that first time...because he had so much explosion on his punches that it was like gunfire,” Roach said.

Sardonically, Simon asked how Manny felt about busting up the face of handsome Oscar de la Hoya.

“That's boxing, it is part of the game,” a beaming broadly Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao said his real goals and ambitions now lie in “public service” because he's already achieved so many dreams in the ring.

As expected, the clincher was Simon asking if Megamanny harbored presidential aspirations in the Philippines.

Of course, Manny beamed even more broadly.

“It's hard to have a comment right now,” Congressman Pacquiao said, “it is so far away.”

Simon could have quit there but he then asked the Pinoy Idol who he felt is the greatest boxer ever.

The imp appeared on screen, beaming ever more broadly.

“Including me?” Pacquiao asked, playfully. “...Me.”

I felt that Obama did well under trying circumstances but I gave this round to Pacquiao.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

Writing on the wall for Manny Pacquiao but would more fights aid political career ? -- Telegraph

By Gareth Davies, Telegraph.co.uk



Freddie Roach has admitted to Telegraph Sport that Manny Pacquiao is distracted by politics. There’s no getting away from it. But would a series of fights, say four more, actually enhance the Filipino fighter’s long-term political career ? His popularity could further increase, especially if he were to face Floyd Mayweather, and moreover, it would put more financial clout behind his ambitions.

Pacquiao may disappear into politics after his contest in six days’ time with Antonio Margarito, but he won’t get those fighting years back….he has much, much longer durability in the political sphere. Previous to Pacquiao’s last four fights, my first question to Roach, normally on the counter of the diminutive office serving the entrance to the Wild Card Boxing Club, or on the steps, is: “Any change in Manny ?”

This time there clearly is a difference. Roach bears a heavy burden. There is the sense that a son is soon to leave home for good. Roach is proud of Pacquiao, but will lament the loss deeply. So will boxing. “I’m aways waiting for different Pacquiao to walk into the gym each time we start training camp, and yes, this time, there was a change in him., He said he misse his job. I told him, ‘This is your job’, but he said not this job, the one he has in Congress. You can’t change that.”

Roach admitted that it concerned him. “It worried me a little bit. I told him a couple of days later that he could be the President any time, but right now, we ar in training for a fight. There were way too many distractions in The Philippines. We are in good shape. His conditioning is fine, his running is good, there is no foot problem.”

The key, Roach continues to stress, as the Pacquiao camp moves to Dallas in 30 hours, is focus. “Even Mark Wahlberg wanted to come to the gym these last two weeks, and I had to say ‘no’.” Manny is very proud of himself, I am very proud of him. His country is proud of him. He talks the talk and he is prepared to walk the walk. I think he wants to better his country in such a bad way [Roach actually means in a good way !], we will lose him to politics some day soon, maybe after this fight if I’m honest. His focus has not been that great. If I can’t get him back on track, and he really loves this job, there is little I can do. But I do respect him for that…”

Pacquiao attempts his incredible run on an eighth title next week, but as he admits on CBS, having won the election to the Congress of the Philippines last May – a distraction his trainer believes could be hurting his chances in the upcoming bout. CBS’s profile of Pacquiao will be broadcast on “60 Minutes” on Sunday, November 7.

In the docu, Pacquiao lets interviewer Bob Simon know that serving his fellow Filipinos is where his priorities now lie . “I already achieved my goals in boxing, my dreams in boxing,” says the 31-yr.old fighter. “What I want to achieve more is in public service…I want to be a champion there.”

No wonder then that Roach has concerns that Pacquiao is not focused enough on beating Antonio Margarito, a taller, heavier fighter he meets at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas in front of 70,000 people. “I’m worried about it. Yes, I’m walking around at two in the morning,” he says. “Something is not right and we are not preparing the way we should for this fight.” Pacquiao has only lost three bouts in his professional career, which began when he was 16 fighting in the 105-lb. division. Roach knows that Pacquiao could lose this fight if he is not at the top of his game.

Pound for pound, Pacquiao is said to be the best fighter in the world. Promoter Bob Arum says Pacquiao is better than the greats he has promoted over the last 40 years, including Muhammad Ali. “Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter that I have ever seen,” Arum says. Better than Ali? “Yes he is, because Ali was essentially a one-handed fighter. Manny Pacquiao really shocks these fighters because he hits equally hard from the left side and the right side.”

Pacquiap now has to prove that on Saturday night in Dallas.

Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk

Margarito is a 'flawed' fighter — Roach -- Manila Bulletin

Manila Bulletin

LOS ANGELES — Freddie Roach has a recurring image of what will happen come fight night next week in Dallas when Manny Pacquiao meets the predictable Antonio Margarito.

Moments after presiding over Pacquiao’s seven-round sparring session Thursday at the Wild Card Boxing Club, Roach told a handful of reporters that all bases have been covered, coming short of saying all it takes for Pacquiao to win is show up at Cowboys Stadium.

“Margarito is going to be aggressive and come after us and try to get our respect and he’s going to walk into Manny’s power and he’s going to feel it and it’s going to change the course of the fight,” said Roach.

The moment Margarito tastes the fury of Pacquiao’s punches, Roach said the Mexican will begin to have second thoughts of coming forward.

“I don’t think he will be that aggressive (after being hit by Pacquiao). He is notoriously a slow starter they say, but I expect him to come out quick and try to get Pacquiao’s respect right away and he might run into one and don’t be surprised if this fight ends early.”

Roach said that Margarito remains a flawed fighter despite claims by his new training team that he has corrected some bad habits.

“I want Manny to show this guy that we mean business and get him off-balance because this guy’s footwork is terrible and it’ll show in the fight and we’re going to take full advantage of it.“

Roach even mocked Margarito, who “crosses his feet when he walks around the ring and doesn’t have the traditional footwork of a boxer.“

Pacquiao knows the gameplan by heart and that Margarito will get hit when he “gets off-balance,” said Roach.

Although Roach admits that Margarito is a “decent body-puncher, (Margarito) telegraphs his punches and Manny will work on the counter shot when he is wide-open.”

Roach guarantees that Pacquiao will have no problem disposing of Margarito.

“We will beat him to the punch every time because he is very easily read,” added Roach, who will be assisted in the corner work by training assistants Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri and conditioning coach Alex Ariza.

Source: mb.com.ph

Roach mocks Margarito with hand wraps -- Philippine Star

By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach should carry a metal detector when he visits Antonio Margarito’s dressing room on fight night.

Margarito’s trainer, Robert Garcia, kept the mind game going when he put on brass knuckles during their recent media workout at the Fortune Gym in Hollywood.

“That’s [metal] what he [Richardson] found. Do you believe that? He [Margarito] got caught,” Garcia said in an article that came out of Fanhouse.com the other day.

It was Shane Mosley’s trainer, Naziim Richardson, who discovered the plaster-like substance in Margarito’s hand wraps before their fight in January of 2009.

It led to the one-year suspension of Margarito, who claimed he had no knowledge of what his former trainer, Javier Capetillo, had placed on his hands for the fight, which he lost by knockout.

“That’s what fell out when Naazim Richardson saw it,” Garcia said at the gym packed with mediamen.

“Manny, be careful,” he added. “Freddie Roach, you had better be in the dressing room like you said. You had better be there all of the time. Watch out, Freddie Roach.”

Margarito hit the mitts for a couple of rounds before the media, and his punches sounded heavy on video.

Roach had said he will personally be there when Margarito’s hands are wrapped, and make sure they’re clean.

“Yes, I will be there,” said Roach.

A day before Margarito staged his media workout, Pacquiao had his own time with the media a few blocks away at the Wild Card Gym.

And before the session started, Roach brought the house down when he wore a pair of armored gloves in mocking Margarito.

“I am going to make sure that Antonio Margarito wears hand wraps, not gift wraps, when he faces Manny Pacquiao,” Roach was quoted as saying.

Source: philstar.com

Freddie Roach: Manny Pacquiao 'Will Dominate' Antonio Margarito -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

FanHouse caught up to four-time Trainer of The Year, Freddie Roach, fresh off of Saturday night's Los Angeles arrival from the Philippines, where the Hall of Famer has spent the past few weeks preparing seven-division titlist and WBO welterweight (147 pounds) king, Manny Pacquiao, for his HBO pay per view televised, Top Rank Promotions Nov. 13 clash with ex-champion, Antonio Margarito, for the WBC's vacant junior middleweight (154 pounds) belt.

Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts) will bring a winning streak of 12 consecutive fights, including eight knockouts, into his match up opposite Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs), against whom he is in pursuit of his eighth belt over as many different weight divisions.

The 50-year-old Roach addressed a number of issues, including a rumored ankle injury to Pacquiao, his views on the fighter's work ethic, and also his sparring partners, among them, junior middleweights Michael Medina (24-2-2, 19 KOs), Glen Tapia (7-0, five KOs), and WBA junior welterweight (140 pounds) titlist Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KOs).

Roach also acknowledged that junior middleweight contender Vanes Martirosyan (28-0, 17 KOs) and junior middleweight and middleweight (160 pounds) prospect Julio Cesar Chavez (40-0-1, 30 KOs) may be employed as sparring partners for Pacquiao over the final three weeks of training at Roach's Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif.

FanHouse: How did the sparring go in the Philippines with Amir Khan?

Freddie Roach: The sparring with Amir Khan was great. There were some days where Manny got the best of Amir, and then there were days when Amir got the best of Manny. It was back and forth and was very good.


Being the trainer of both fighters, were there any surprises for you in terms of Amir Khan's skills and Manny Pacquiao's ability to cope with them?

No, I've seen Amir spar before, obviously, and he's always been very explosive. So I used Amir to bring Manny's speed back up. Because Manny had been fighting at the pace of some of the bigger guys that he had been sparring with.

So I brought Amir Khan in for Manny to get his speed back up again, and it worked out perfectly.


I understand that there was at least one sparring session witnessed by Top Rank Promoter Bob Arum during which Glen Tapia and Michael Medina got the best of Manny?

Well, Tapia and Medina are both big guys. They're very aggressive like I want them to be and they were doing their job. Manny looked good in spots, but on that day, they got the best of him. In the end, it was a good day, because I think that it woke Manny up.

I think that when Manny read about and heard Bob's comments, it got to Manny and he made them pay for it the next day.


Can you shed light on the rumors or reports of ankle injuries or those concerning Manny's foot, among other things?

Manny had a bone spur. It was treatable with ice and with taping every day. It's not an issue. It's not a problem with running. It's not a problem whatsoever. And then, there was one day where Manny was troubled by a cold.





Will either Vanes Martirosyan or Julio Cesar Chavez be used over the final weeks of sparring?

Vanes and Chavez, maybe. I'm just waiting to see who shows up in the gym, I guess. Chavez is supposed to be there, but it's not definite. But my guess is that they will both be used, for sure, if they are in the gym. So, yes, I'm hoping to use them.


Overall, what is your assessment of Manny's training for this fight as compared to his previous fights?

I am pleased with his training, but the thing is, we had a couple of distractions in the Philippines. I mean, he was going down to Manila on the weekends and I think that those trips took a lot of things out of him than he realized.

We missed a day of training once because the president wanted to meet him.


Can you characterize what is left to accomplished over the remaining last few weeks of training that will take place at The Wild Card?

The final three week will be two weeks of hard sparring at the Wild Card. Mostly what we have to work on is just focus. You know, Congress is gone for now. We don't have to deal with that right now because it's not hear to have to be deal with right now.

His focus is there, now. When he wants to do it, he shows me that he can do it. His focus is the key.


What is your prediction on the result of the fight with Antonio Margarito and how do you believe that it will end?

I think that we will knock Margarito out along the way. I think that Margarito's defense is terrible. He's slow. I know that Margarito is supposed to be in great shape for this fight, but that's what he's supposed to be. It's a world title fight, so that's what I expect.

Margarito should be in the best shape of his life. But Pacquiao's going to be too fast, and Margarito's defense is going to be too poor, and we will dominate him.


Freddie, do you believe, as you were quoted as saying in some reports, that Manny will sooner rather than later choose politics over boxing?

Well, he loves his job. He misses his job as a Congressman. His mind was on Congress for the first few weeks of training and you could tell. It wasn't on being in the gym.

He's so proud to be a politician, and he walks the walk. He loves being a Congressman and trying to improve his country. And I feel that eventually, yes, we will lose him to politics.


If Manny defeats Antonio Margarito impressively and told you that the ride was over and that he was ready to go into politics, would you advise him to go ahead and do so even though he still might be considered to be at the top of his game?

I would tell him to call it a day. I believe that if that's where his heart is, then that's where it is. You know, if he beats Antonio Margarito, it would be his eighth world title and what more would he have to accomplish?

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Boxing blasphemy: Mendoza brands Coach Freddie Roach as overrated -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

Brace yourself for what can only be a bit of boxing blasphemy.

But highly accomplished Mexican boxing agent Rafael Mendoza, known to some as "Il Padrino" and to others as "Cobra," refuses to bow at the crowded with supplicants altar of Manny Pacquiao trainer Coach Freddie Roach.

Mendoza, long associated with dean of Mexico's trainers Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain, doesn't say that the 50 year old Roach--winner of the Boxing Writers Trainer of the Year Aaward in 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009 and a likely candidate for the honor this year--is not competent.

But Mendoza, a 73 year old resident of Guadalajara, does opine that because of Pacman's iconic rise, Roach has become overrated.

"No mistake," Mendoza said by telephone from his posh pad, "Roach is a good, competent trainer. But Roach is now on an ego trip. He's a good trainer, a standard trainer, nothing more than that.

"Look at Pacquiao, he's no technical wizard in the ring. If Roach is so great, how come he worked with (former light heavyweight champion) Virgil Hill for five years and Hill never became any kind of big star?

"Pacquiao, he's got an awkward, difficult to defend style. Pound for pound, he is the toughest guy anyone can fight. He's fast, he's an awkward southpaw. He can beat you with his legs. He reminds me a bit of Muhammad Ali who also did things wrong technically but got away with it so long. Pacquiao is not that fast, you can see his mistakes but it's difficult to capitalize on them."

I asked Mendoza how disgraced Antonio Margarito trainer Javier Capetillo, now barred in America due to his California suspension for attempting to illegally load handwraps, can be allowed to continue to ply his trade south of the border.

"Mexico and Mexicans, they don't care about what California says," Mendoza said. "You've got 50 percent of the public thinking Capetillo and Margarito were cheating and 50 percent who don't think it. That's good for PPV TV sales for the Nov. 13 fight between Manny and Margarito. But we have no reciprocation with California."

Mendoza does not hold Capetillo in any high regard.

"He's just a poor guy who went to the U.S. and he was selling tamales in the street and cleaning out spit buckets in a boxing gym. He had no food, no money, no nothing. He couldn't go to the movies or anything else so he went to the gym where you can go with no money and he became a trainer, Mendoza said.

Mendoza, whose last major boxing job was a personal adviser to Oscar de la Hoya, has handled 22 world champions including slugger Pipino Cuevas and master boxer Miguel Canto.

Many years ago, he was a boxing writer based in New York City.

He's worked closely with Golden Boy, with Bob Arum and with other major promoters over the years.

He was chief adviser to rising Mexican welterweight star Saul "Canela" Alvarez but said he walked away from that relationship because the fighter was not toeing the line.

In case you didn't get his subtlety, Mendoza bites his tongue for nobody.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

Roach: No worry, Manny will be ready -- Philippine Star

By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – You’ve got to take his word when Freddie Roach says there’s no need to worry.

“We need a little more focus, but I think overall we’re doing okay,” said the trainer of all trainers after Bob Arum sounded the alarm the other day while watching Manny Pacquiao train.

Arum said he didn’t see the speed in Pacquiao, that blinding speed he would need to stun, overwhelm and get rid of Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 in Texas, after a couple of workouts here.

“If the fight happened on Saturday Margarito would win the fight,” was the quote of the day from Arum.

Roach yesterday admitted that Pacquiao is far from his best but that things can be worked out in the next couple of weeks.

“He’s a hundred percent with the mitts but fifty percent in sparring,” he said.

Pacquiao seemed to have taken the first four weeks of training lightly, skipping roadwork and gym workouts like he’d never done before. Twice on weekends, he left this City of Pines for Manila.

Pacquiao also had too much of basketball early in the camp that it was hard to tell if he was training for a world title fight or a basketball tournament. Or too much of Congress.

Roach, however, said it was all right for Pacquiao to play basketball because the deal was that the 31-year-old champion, would quit it four weeks before the fight.

Saturday evening Pacquiao spent a couple of hours rehearsing his songs for the after-fight concert on Nov. 13, and the other night he was at a late dinner with Arum and friends.

The stormy weather up here, with howling winds and non-stop rains since Monday, forced Pacquiao to once again skip his roadwork yesterday, but went to the gym early to spar.

Somehow, Roach looks satisfied.

“We’ve had good and bad days, but more good than bad lately, so it’s getting better and better. But we need get more focus. Started a little bit late than the usual,” said Roach.

The four-time Trainer of the Year thinks the only way to do this is to get Pacquiao to his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, and on Saturday evening they’d be boarding the plane to LA.

According to plans, Pacquiao should head down to Manila after tomorrow’s workout, spar at the Elorde Gym on Thursday, train on Friday and spar one last time on Saturday.

“I’m still pushing for sparring on Thursday and then go to L.A. on Thursday. But we haven’t work that out yet,” said Roach who may need to beg before the fighting congressman for that.

Roach said the toughest weeks of this camp are coming.

“This would be a big week for sparring. This week and next week. It would be the toughest two weeks coming up,” said Roach, who has plenty of reasons pushing for an earlier flight to LA.

“With the weather and so forth, yes. And I have more sparring there, better sparring. No, not better, but more of the style I’ve been looking for,” he said.

Mexicans Michael Medina and Glen Tapia have done a good job as sparring partners, but Roach is looking for some fresh meat because Pacquiao has this habit of getting too friendly with his sparring partners as the days go by.

“There’s Abdullah, Kid Chocolate, who’s 21-and-0, Amir Khan, Vanes (Martirosyan). That’s plenty. We’ve sparred 36 rounds now. We’ll get about 30 rounds this week and 30 next week, and then we start tapering off,” Roach added.

Roach was asked if he’s sticking to his prediction that Pacquiao would knock Margarito out early or late.

“Yeah,” he said.

Source: philstar.com

Freddie Roach a man of courage respected by many -- 8CountNews

By Brad Cooney, 8CountNews

I have known Freddie Roach for quite a long time now. The time that I have spent with him over the years will always be special to me as it's not everyday that you stand beside a legend, let alone become friends with one. I have watched Freddie go from a really good trainer to a well known excellent trainer, to an elite all time great trainer. The ride has been fun, and to watch Roach and Manny Pacquiao grow and achieve such greatness has been an honor for me.

I remember one time when I was in Hollywood a few years ago, Freddie and I took a ride up to Starbucks to get some morning Coffee. Roach loves his Vanilla Latte' and I am a White Chocolate Mocha guy. As soon as we got to Starbucks some people started to recognize Freddie and they approached him. Most call him "Coach Roach" and Freddie would always speak or take a picture, it didn't bother him. The people that worked there all knew him, and the owner of the place as soon as he saw us walk in approached and welcomed us.

Another time Freddie, myself, my Goddaughter Terri, and former MMA champ Andrei Arlovski walked to this great Italian restaurant about 5 blocks from the gym. The walk was interesting, fans would walk by and call out, "Hey coach Roach!" or "Freddie!" it never stops. At the restaurant the waiters all knew Freddie, the owner knew Freddie, heck even the dishwasher knew Freddie.

Freddie Roach lives with Parkinson's disease. He is taking this disease head on just like he took his opponents head on in the boxing ring. He does not let this disease stop him, he lives his life and he does what he loves to do. Freddie does not want sympathy from anyone, and he doesn't regret a thing. When I watch the guy work with Pacquiao in the ring it amazes me. He's like a seasoned skater on ice in the ring. Freddie told me one time that he's more comfortable working the mitts with a fighter than he is just standing around.

Respect, that's the first word that comes to my mind when I think of Freddie Roach. The man is so well respected throughout the boxing world, heck around the world literally. His work ethic is ridiculous. Freddie has been known to arrive back from another country late at night, and still be in the gym at 8 AM the following morning. He rarely stops, he just works and works. Boxing is his life and it's second to nothing. One time I asked Freddie why he never got married?, and he smiled and said, "Can't find a girl to take a second seat to boxing."

Freddie Roach will go down as one of the greatest boxing trainers of all time. His ride to the top with the great Manny Pacquiao will go down as one of the best one two punches of all time. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that for me to be a small part of it has been an incredible experience, and nobody can ever take it away.

Source: 8countnews.com

Manny changed my life - Roach -- Philippine Star

By Joaquin Henson, The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines - Boxing trainer Freddie Roach’s biggest paycheck as a fighter was $13,000 which he earned in losing a decision to Hector (Macho) Camacho in 1985. When he worked Oscar de la Hoya’s corner for his 2007 fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Roach was paid $750,000. And since Manny Pacquiao’s ascendancy, Roach has raked in at least $1 million a bout with the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.

“Manny changed my life,” said Roach in an interview a few days before leaving Manila last Sunday to set up Pacquiao’s training camp in Baguio. “I never imagined, nearly 10 years ago when Manny walked into the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, we would be where we are today.”

Roach, 50, receives an average of 20 calls a day from fighters asking to work with the Boxing Writers Association of America’s four-time Trainer of the Year (2003, 2006, 2008, 2009) and about 50 media interview requests a week. He has a pending offer to appear in a TV series where a cameraman and broadcaster track his movements from morning to night – and the fee is $25,000 a week.

To rationalize his busy schedule, Roach relies on his secretary Marie Spivey and agent Nick Khan. Spivey holds office at the Wild Card Gym.

Roach said he was recently interviewed for a big story in the October issue of Playboy Magazine. The feature is entitled “The Unstoppable Roach” and details his life history from childhood. In the article, Roach said his mother Barbara ran a “tough household” and related an incident where “she broke up one of our fights with an aluminum baseball bat, hitting my brother over the head with it twice.”

Roach’s mother is in the record books as the first American female boxing judge and was assigned to the Marvelous Marvin Hagler-Vito Antuofermo WBC and WBA unified middleweight title bout in Boston in 1981.

Roach said he has invited his mother and a friend to visit the Philippines while he’s in the country.

“My mother’s never been to this part of the world,” said Roach. “I’m waiting for her to confirm. If she comes, she’ll probably stay a few days in Manila to rest up then go to Baguio. What will she do in Baguio? I don’t know, maybe, read a book.”

Roach recently moved his mother out of the Las Vegas home he bought for her. She now lives beside Roach in the duplex which he owns in Los Angeles. Roach also bought a house for his brother Pepper in the Valley. Roach’s mother lived in Las Vegas where another brother Joey managed a successful telemarketing company with over 100 employees. When Joey died of a heart attack in his sleep at the age of 47 last year, Roach decided to relocate his mother.

Roach said he doesn’t see himself getting married even as he is rumored to often go out on dates with very attractive women. “My mother doesn’t think I should get married,” he chuckles. “Besides, 90 percent of marriages in the US end up in divorce.”

Roach, who has worked with at least 25 world champions, said his top five fighters at the moment are Pacquiao, WBA superlightweight champion Amir Khan of England, WBA welterweight titlist Vyacheslav Senchenko of Ukraine, Mexican lightmiddleweight contender Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and unbeaten Armenian lightmiddleweight Vanes Martirosyan.

“Amir’s the next boxing superstar,” said Roach. “He listens very well, like Manny. He’s a good student. He’s got heart, speed, power and brains. Vanes is being lined up to fight Miguel Cotto. I would never take a fight which I think my fighter couldn’t win. So yes, I think Vanes will beat Cotto. And my best young prospect is lightwelterweight Jose Benavides of Phoenix. He’s 5-11. His record is 8-0, with 8 KOs.”

But of all the fighters he’s worked with, nobody comes close to the man who changed his life. “Manny is special,” said Roach. “His work ethic hasn’t changed all these years. No one works harder in the gym. It’s unbelievable how dedicated he is to the sport. Sometimes, I try to hold him back. I don’t want him burning out. But that’s Manny. It’s good for him to enjoy some down time because he works so hard.”

Roach was a pro boxer from 1978 to 1986, retiring with a record of 40-13, including 15 KOs. Trained by the legendary Eddie Futch, he gained a reputation as a never-say-die warrior who went toe-to-toe against world champions Bobby Chacon, Greg Haugen and Camacho. Roach had no inkling he would later become a hero in the Philippines when he posted his last win ever in the ring over a Filipino – Arnel Arrozal in Lynwood, Washington, in August 1986.

Source: philstar.com