Freddie Roach is a great trainer, but he’s hurting Pacquiao’s accomplishments
By Jorge Conejo
First, I would like to say that I have Manny Pacquiao as the top pound for pound boxer and best of this decade. He is my favorite fighter to watch and has helped the sport gain mainstream exposure once again.
I remember the days when Freddie Roach used to be the quiet man in the corner. You would rarely hear a peep out of him during post fight interviews. That all changed when he appeared on HBO 24/7.
With Roach’s new found fame he has become very vocal and outspoken. He said Hatton was overrated and one dimensional, he said Oscar was shot and couldn’t pull the trigger, and Cotto was not the same after the Margarito beating.
Without even knowing it, Freddie has been giving the Manny Pacquiao detractors fuel to discredit his victories.
Honesty is the best policy, but sometimes, if you don’t have anything good to say don’t say anything at all. Admitting you chose certain opponents for Manny because they were not the same or overrated can do more harm than good for your fighter’s legacy.
Every time Roach admits the guy Manny beat was shot or he wants to do a catch-weight to drain the guy, it discredits Pacman’s accomplishments. It allows those Manny doubters or haters to focus on the negative comments made by Roach. In return they use what Roach has said to prove why they believe Manny is overrated.
The truth is many trainers of the past and present have hand picked their opposition. They look for the things they can exploit in a fighter and negotiate a contract that helps get advantages in their favor, such as; glove size, ring size, weight division, money percentage, etc., it’s all strategic.
How many other trainers have you heard say “Yes, we chose that guy because he was over the hill or not the same”?
Look at other trainers, even though they negotiate advantages for their fighter they don’t brag about it. They know people will discredit their wins if they admit to that. Roach should do the same.
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Mayweather just called Pacman one-dimensional, and Roach returned the favor by calling Mayweather one-dimensional. It doesn’t matter what Roach said about other fighters. Part of it was just mind-game to unnerve Pacman’s opponents. He said Hutton was overrated but Hutton gave Mayweather a very tough fight, after which Mayweather praised him profusely. Nobody thought Hutton was overrated;Pacman made Hutton look overrated.
It’s amazing how much people try and dig and dig and dig for something to try and bring one’s success down. How is it that when Roach speaks his mind about fighters it’s a terrible thing? But all the time before the fights, Pac was always written off and not given a chance with The Overrated, The Non Trigger Puller and The Not the Same Fighter?
People… just swallow the facts!
All you haters of the Pac, did you ever say he would beat Barrera, Morales, Marquez, Diaz, DeLa Hoya, Hatton or Cotto?..
Probably not!
Your are out of bound, mr. writer and you interpreted wrongly. When Roach bashes and discredit Pacquiao’s opponent before the fight, he actually gives boost to Pacquiao that he can actually do it and at the same time makes his opponent getting the hit under the nerves and skin.
Roach helps Pacquiao to develop what he is today. Mayweather is correct that Pacquiao – a once dimensional fighter. But today, Roach added some moves to improve Pacquiao such as developing his right hand to be as powerful as his left making Pacquiao a double fisted knockout offense. Secondly, he also corrects some Pacquiao’s mistakes during close encounter by moving in and out, makes a false punch followed by a hard punch, patience and timing for counters.
The best part of Roach is, he does all the talking for Pacquiao. Roach makes all the hypes. People likes badboy but Pacquiao behaves very well – so Roach does the badboy image to hype the fight.
Remember, Mayweather sells his fight because he is good in talking trash and people is enticed on that.
i agree roach is a loudmouth and mayweather sr is meek and quiet
whats wrong with you?
oh yes… there’s something wrong with you…
you’re just wrong…….
writer is clueless. do some research please so you’ll have credibility on your writing.
idiot
this is one of the more ridiculous sport writing that i have ever read. manny is a heck of a fighter, yeah, but it is to a large extent thanks to freddie roach- a smart, experienced, and wise mentor… i am doing my best to not call you a moron.
Roach’s comments if by far at lot more harmless compared to loudmouths, crack head Roger and Punch Drunk Floyd Sr. Those guys say some of the most outrageous and ludicrous things. But what Freddie does his what a trainer suppose to due, give his fight the advantage. Its been done since boxing’s inception. It is all strategic.
What Roach is doing is simply mental warfare. Its the same thing as Many pretending he is not hurt in the ring. He tricked Cotto into thinking he could not hurt him, and Cotto became discouraged. Its just the mental side of fighting. Roach is a HUGE part of Manny’s success, and I don’t eve want to see the day that the two part ways.
At one point, when you get berrated by other trainers, fighters, promotoers, etc. you basically say “enough is enough”. MOst of Roaches comments are pretty much what he believes with factual thought. Other’s say “joke coach roach” “fighter is on something”. We’ll everytime I hear Roach, he say something derogatory but he backs it with some factual statement. “We’re going to knock him out in the first round becuase I found something..” then he’ll tells us after the fight. Or Manny should take 65/35 becuase he’s the most exciting fighter. People want to see an exciting fight.
I don;t blame him for being more open. But he is also honest and will will not hesitate to dish out compliments. I think he became more of a protector of manny rather than absorbing crap from somebody else.
This writer… /facepalm.
The Writer does have a point guys, he is not bashing Roach but name another trainer who admits to picking fighters who are shot or trying to drain them?
I think the writer wants Roach just to let Manny do the talking, nothing wrong with getting in the fighters head but when he does interview on youtube he will tell the interviewer that he wants to fight a guy at a low weight or he wants the guy because he is on the end of his career
I agree with the writer because so many pac haters like that when roach say that, think about it they always say manny fights drain fighter which is not true or manny fight catch weight which is not true! but they say it because roach said it.
Look at paul williams his trainer never said that Winky Wright was old, or Joe Calzaghe dad never said B hop or Roy Jons jr were ready for the taking because they were no longer the same!@!!! they said roy jones jr was a great fighter and dangerous, you have to say things like that to make your win more credible, if you said the fighter is shot or cannot pull the trigger or drained with IV marks the people will question pacs win.
I am just glad this time he didnt discredit Cotto…………well let us just wait for his post interview he might of said something again that can hurt pacs win.
The days when Ali-Frasier smack talking WWE style of “they hate each other” are no longer around. Those from the old school are either trying to bring it back or are just used to the old school ways.. PRIME example is Roach! We all know that PACMAN isn’t a smack talker and boxing is mostly physical but you can’t ignore the mental aspect. You need to get into your opponent’s head, tell them what they’re bad at and so they concentrate on reversing that and in return they forget to hone their skills in what they are good at..It’s all in the head and I LOVE that Roach plays it like that cause it makes their opponent 2nd guess themselves! Watch next year for more smack talking from him if they really do negotiate a fight with Mayweather, cause we all know he’s all talk (aside from fighting fighters that are pass their prime)….
Maybe they should ask Roach what type of Steroids or hormones pac taking
Jorge Conejo doesn’t know anything about boxing
doesn’t matter what the trainers say. bottomline is the fight record. that’s why floyd bedwetter holds up his 40-0 record no matter how pungent his mouth is. problem is, it’s on the record too that he avoids worthy opponents. roach can say whatever he likes. and i sure am learning a lot from what he’s talking about. better that than keeping silent.