Quote Originally Posted by PRIDE OF BOSTON
Quote Originally Posted by Bilbo
For the past couple years Freddie Roach has been the most popular trainer in boxing, he's possibly the most recognisable, the one the stars want to work with and has always seemed the most personable and talented guy out there,

However over the past 12 months or so it seems to me that he's on a fast decline in terms of being one the best trainer.

His fighters, Manny Pacquiao aside have generally underperformed, he must be at least partly respsonsible for James Toney's appaling conditioning in recent years and I can't remember the last time a Freddie Roach trained fighter won a major fight, B Hop doesn't really count.

He's had fallings out with just about everyone, Bob Arum is barely talking to him, his second Justine Fortune quit because he felt he was being ripped off and reading in a boxing interview this week he says he has no idea how James Toney is and that he hasn't spoke to him since his last fight, hardly an attentive trainer then

Furthermore he ditched Manfredo and a host of other lesser fighters to train De La Hoya, not even bothering to show in Manfredo's corner for the biggest fight of his life against Joe Calzaghe. If there was an example of abandoning someone to face the lions den alone surely that was it.

And this weekend we learned of another dispute this time with Isreal Vazquez. Vazquez ditched him as trainer, Roach responded by saying Vazquez was unfit to fight and was becoming punchy slurring his words, and was completely wrong.


So where does Freddie go from here? Is he still the best in the business? Will the elite stars all be clamouring for him in 12 months time and if so will his pnadering to them lose him his bread and butter fighters disgruntled over his seeming disloyalty and willingness to just chase after the big bucks?

I'm not actually making an opinion here I'm just trying to form one. Have I got the whole picture, am I missing something, am I being unfair?
It bothers me that he has been ditching his fighters to work Mercinary jobs... I'd be pissed if I were one of his fighters and he said, "Sorry but this is worth more money to me!"

Thats all fine and good but tend to your charges!

You have made an name for yourself but you don't see another trainer ditching his guys more often the FR

He needs to prioritize and if he already is then he is truly a Merc!
Yeah that is pretty much how I see it. I mean I know it's all business at the end of the day but for a fighter I'd have thought it would be paramount that you could feel you bonded with your trainer and that he cared about you. Ditching Manfredo and not even working his corner in the biggest fight of his life when he was an overwhleming underdog and really needed an experienced guy looking out for him was just unexcusable I felt.