FREDDIE ROACH DETAILS PLOT TO OUST HIM AS COACH TO MANNY PACQUIAO
Pics: Manny Pacquiao; Mike Koncz; Freddie Roach & Buboy; Freddie Roach
In a report on Maxboxing website by boxing writer Gabriel Montoya, Mr, Montoya reveals details of behind the scenes disclosures in the boxing business of Manny Pacquiao that have been circulating in gyms for some time.
Mr. Montoya very recently paid a visit to the Freddie Roach Wild Card boxing gym.
In a conversation with Freddie, Mr, Montoya said Freddie told him, “Before his last fight, I was working with [Concepcion] as usual and Mike Koncz told me I was no longer in charge and that Buboy (Fernandez) was in charge of all of Manny’s fighters.
“I said no problem. So now [Buboy-trained and Koncz-managed fighters] have lost five in a row and the thing is Buboy is a great guy, and a real good helper but he doesn’t have the experience in a world title-type situation to handle these guys. I mean, Buboy is a nice kid and he has learned, and so forth, but he’s just not a lead guy yet. He doesn’t have the mindset of a boxer to me.
Mr, Montoya asked Freddie what is Buboy’s boxing background?
Freddie Roach smiled good-naturedly, “Hanging around Manny Pacquiao. They’re best friends since growing up.”
Mr. Montoya describes Koncz is a shadowy figure to many people. One source told him he had been put there by Top Rank to watch over Manny’s best interests.
Another says he is a hanger-on who wheedled himself into position. In any case, he came on the scene suddenly as if the stage directions in the third act of a really good play said “Enter shady guy.” In any case, whoever he is and wherever he came from, he’s on a serious losing streak with Manny’s stable of fighters taking the brunt of his mistakes.
“[Michael Koncz] is an adviser to Manny Pacquiao. That is the official statement,” Freddie Roach said. “He manages and books the fights for all of Manny Pacquiao’s fighters.
“He has booked five in a row and lost them all. These guys, they don’t have an experienced corner; they are not going to win. They are not preparing properly for the fights, for the styles, because Buboy doesn’t know styles.”
Freddie explained to Mr. Montoya how he met the man who would later do his best to usurp him.
“[Koncz] was trying to get Ike Ibeabuchi out of jail,” explained Roach, of his first meeting with Mr. Koncz several years ago.
“[Koncz] said he was trying to get Ike out and that I was the best trainer in the world and would I train him. That’s how Mike Koncz came to meet me.
“He said I was the best trainer in the world back then but he has changed his mind now. [Getting Ike out of jail] didn’t work. But later, I introduced him to Manny as a friendly gesture. He gave Pacquiao his sob story and Pacquiao gave him his job. So it’s actually my fault.”
Reporter Montoya said, Freddie laughed and added, “The thing is, Mike Koncz has been trying to get rid of me for a long time. He says Manny would be here without me. That he does all the work. Koncz has been trying to get me out for a long time. Obviously, Buboy would be my replacement and they would lose.”
Boxing Action poses the question: Will Mr. Koncz oust Freddie Roach?
The view of Boxing Action is is that for Manny Pacquiao to even consider changing Freddie Roach for any other trainer on Planet Earth would be a clear indication he has taken 10 too many punches.
Only a complete and utter fool would even consider such nonsense.
“Michael Koncz says I make too much money,” said Roach. “The thing is, I guess, the less Manny gives out, the more he can steal.”
“It will never happen,” Freddie, “Manny is way too smart. He will never let that happen.”
Nevertheless, it has happened before on more than occasion. Commonsense is often on vacation when boxers make important decision.
Freddie Roach said he had spoken to Manny briefly since he became Filipino Congressman Pacquiao. “I spoke to him in New York to congratulate him.
“We didn’t talk about boxing at all. We talked about how it is in Congress. He is really happy about that. Really, excited. He wants to help his country.”
When stories come to Freddie of Manny considering a career getting in movies or politics they appear not to trouble the high profile boxing Coach.
Unlike some others, Freddie understands his fighters need to keep busy.
“He’s going to school again and so forth,” explained Roach. “But he’s a multi-tasker. He likes staying busy. I’m sure he is playing basketball every day also.
It’s how he stays in shape; he runs a lot. I don’t really want him in the gym right now. Let him run it out and then, eight weeks before the fight, we’ll get ready for whoever they put in front of us.”
“I don’t really want him in the gym right now. Let him run it out and then, eight weeks before the fight, we’ll get ready for whoever they put in front of us.”
Friday of this week is the scheduled deadline for Floyd Mayweather Jr. to sign a contract to box Manny Pacquiao. If Floyd fails to append his signature then Manny’s promoter Bob Arum has said Manny will be matched with another opponent.
Who will be opponent to replace Floyd is yet another part of the guessing game that is part of the Pacquiao – Mayweather saga.
“Everyone in the world wants the Mayweather fight, including myself and Manny,” Freddie said.
“But the thing is I’m not going to lose sleep anymore. Whoever they put in front of us, I’m happy with as long as it’s a legitimate opponent because, obviously, it’s pay-per-view so it’s going to have to sell.
[Juan Manuel] Marquez, Cotto, Margarito. You know, there are fights out there that are actually better than the Mayweather fight because they are more exciting.
Mayweather, he’ll run from Manny and run and run and run. He’s doing that before he gets in the ring.”
The Voice of Boxing says, to avoid a ‘Play It Again’, Sam, scenario, Antonio Margarito has to be the choice. Any other opponent would mean the ticket buyers are only paying to watch Manny Pacquiao box live.
Once again another twist emerges in the Pacquiao – Mayweather Jr. guessing game.
Will Antonio will be allowed by California Boxing Commission to renew his license following a ban for attempting to use plaster of paris in handwraps before boxing Shane Mosley or will another boxing commission in the USA ignore the ban imposed by California?
The countdown for Floyd to sign was five days from thjis Monday and then Team Pacquiao moves on.
“Everyone in the world wants the Mayweather fight, including myself and Manny,” Freddie said. “But the thing is I’m not going to lose sleep anymore.
Whoever they put in front of us, I’m happy with as long as it’s a legitimate opponent because, obviously, it’s pay-per-view so it’s going to have to sell. [Juan Manuel] Marquez, Cotto, Margarito.
You know, there are fights out there that are actually better than the Mayweather fight because they are more exciting. Mayweather, he’ll run from Manny and run, and run, and run. He’s doing that before he gets in the ring.”
“Well, [Cotto] won a title and it would be for Manny’s eighth world title so it gives it some legitimacy,” Freddie said. “I think if [Cotto] fought once more, it would make it even better.
It would show he is better at that weight. You know they are talking about a catchweight but I say we fight him at 154. Manny beats him any day of the week. I don’t think Cotto is any better than he was last time.
He says he is better at that weight; maybe we’ll see.”
