Freddie Roach according to some could quite very well be the greatest boxing trainer that ever lived to many fight fans.
That is a tough list of course for anyone to ponder but Roach is certainly right up there at the least.
Over 36 World Champions.
His most revered fighting pupil being Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines.
A potent combination over time that stood the test of time, too.
When ‘PacMan’ first moved to America he was a fish out of water understandably and Roach took him under his wing as part of his family.
Not just as a boxer pupil but as a mentor and best friend too.
This has never been lost on Pacquiao after all the years and with the much loved Roach’s birthday yesterday turning 61 he reacted to Pacquiao’s birthday greetings with the following:
Pretty cool. The above has gotten quite a bit of reaction indeed.
Roach, a former fighter himself, has exhibited this spirit once again as he got older in life battling Parkinson’s disease to still train many world champions in the sport from his legendary ‘Wild Card’ boxing gym in Hollywood, California.
Below is a stroll down memory lane on him and Pacquiao.
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A look back at the good times between the two that made them both who they are today.
It shows that yes, actually, loyalty in boxing can happen and one would suggest it will a bit more moving forward too in the boxing industry, with the culture of it slightly changing for the better or certainly at least being brought more closely together and tight-knit than ever before given the world situation over the last year, or so:
(Photo credit: Freddie Roach Twitter)
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