Freddie Roach great trainer: Overated, Underated or Truly Great?

[greynotsoold]

I think Freddy Roach is a special case in that he had worked with Futch as an unpaid assistant for a while. Mickey Rourke fell into his lap via Chuck Vito and Mickey paid for The Wild Card Gym and all the equipment. Freddie Roach has talent as a trainer, he's not the best but he's not the worst. But I think the biggest thing he has going is The Wild Card Gym and that is due to Mickey Rourke being one of his first boxers.

That gym attracts talent, maybe as much talent as Roach attracts. I wonder if other trainers had such nice gyms what talents they could develop.

About 98% of all work in boxing is unpaid.
The Wild Card is not some sparkling facility, at least not when I was there. The gym where Omar Figueroa trains is nicer, in terms of equipment and space.

[El Kabong]

About 98% of all work in boxing is unpaid.
The Wild Card is not some sparkling facility, at least not when I was there. The gym where Omar Figueroa trains is nicer, in terms of equipment and space.

Yeah but I am certain that better trainers haven't had gyms just land in their laps like Roach had. Between Mickey Rourke and James Toney Freddie Roach was set up quite nicely. And the gym is in LA which is a breeding ground for talent and magnet for those who want to make it big in boxing.

Who is in Figueroa's gym? Are there big time fighters in there? I honestly don't know, but I do know that Roach trains Pacquiao and when you have a stud like that in your gym it'll bring talent along....talent attracts talent.

[Kirkland Laing]

Roach wasn't lucky to get all those top fighters. The top fighters can go to anybody they want, no trainer is going to turn down 10% of ongoing million/multimillion purses. Fighters go to him because he's got a track record of improving upcoming fighters and champions and of having the right gameplan to win fights.

There's no guarantee that just because he worked under Futch he was going to do anything. How many other guys worked under Futch or Dundee or any of the other old school top trainers and got nowhere?

There's no guarantee that Somodio or whoever has worked under Roach is going to do anything either. You've either got it or you haven't.