Roach to Pacquiao: Be a senator or a boxer
Whether Manny Pacquiao fights again, his trainer of 16 years, Freddie Roach, says that being a fighter and a senator simply doesn’t work if you want to be at the top of your game in both.
That was never more obvious than in Brisbane, Australia, last weekend when Pacquiao, the first-term Philippines senator and only eight-division champion in boxing history, lost his WBO welterweight title to unheralded Jeff Horn by unanimous decision, an outcome few thought was even possible.
Roach, a seven-time trainer of the year, told USA TODAY Sports this week that Pacquiao’s loss, though highly controversial, might be traced back to their training camp, which was held in the Philippines. The senate was in session during the first half of camp.
“Being a congressman, it seemed like Manny really wasn’t pressed or challenged by it,” Roach said. “But being a senator, he’s like a whole different person. It takes a lot of his time. And the thing is, the first half of training camp wasn’t the best because he was being a senator, and some- times they’d let him out at 3 o’clock and sometimes they let him out at 9 o’clock. Sometimes 10 o’clock. And then we have to train after he gets off work. Being a great fighter and being a great person in politics, it’s just very, very difficult to do both, I feel.”
After the loss to Horn, Roach said, “I told Manny, give it a week, we’ll sit down and talk and see what’s next.” He did not urge Pacquiao, who will be 39 in Decem- ber, to retire.
“I said either we retire or fight a rematch at this point,” he said. “We should take some time and watch the fight on tape, and then I’ll have a long talk with Manny about what’s the best place to go: To fight (Horn) in a rematch, or possibly retire, or go on to bigger and better guys. Those are his options.”
Roach, who knows Pacquiao probably better than anyone ex- cept for his wife, Jinkee, was asked if he knows what the future Hall of Famer is thinking. “I think what’s on his mind is what we talked about, having two jobs and you can’t really do both. I hope that sunk in to him so he thinks about it.
“But right now, more realistically, is either a rematch with (Horn) or nothing. That’s it. I don’t think we ought to go after any other world champions right now. I would like a rematch, and then if he wins that, it’s over. But is that possible? Can you retire off a win?”
Horn, Roach said, was much bigger than Pacquiao during the fight and was a dirty fighter. “He had a very dirty style. Headlocks, pushing a guy down, using his elbows, head butts, and the referee didn’t say nothing about nothing. The only thing (referee Mark Nelson) said to me was, ‘Freddie, when a southpaw fights a righty, it’s going to happen.’ I said, ‘ Not when he leads with his head. Those are intentional head butts.’ ”
The head butts caused two gashes on Pacquiao’s hairline that took 17 stitches to close and affected him during the fight.
“He doesn’t get a lot of cuts, and when he does cut he panics a little bit,” Roach said. “The doctor OK’d it, so Manny fought on pretty well. He’s never done well when he’s had those issues, you know, blood in the face. It affects everyone differently.”
Roach also said Pacquiao might have overtrained. “He’s got to realize he’s 38 years old now and not 28,” the trainer said. “He’s a senator, a fighter and father. He has a wife and kids. So the last thing I want to see is for Manny to get hurt. That’s why I lean toward retirement or one more fight with Horn. I think Manny got robbed. He definitely won the fight.”
Roach wonders if Horn will give Pacquiao a rematch and, if so, “does he give us a rematch in America? Does he give us a rematch in the Philippines? Does he give us a rematch (in Australia) again?”
If Pacquiao has any notions about fighting undefeated 140pound champion Terence Crawford or someone like that, “Manny would have to make a decision,” Roach said. “Either be a senator or boxer. Pick one or the other and that’s it. You can’t do both officially. It’s almost impossible.
“I’ve had a great run with Manny. It’s been a great ride. If he retires or fights one more time, we’ll see. But I want to watch the fight very closely and break it down. And I’ll give Manny a call and we’ll talk. We’re really good friends.”