Manny Pacquiao and long time trainer and boxing legend Freddie Roach have reunited in LA their old stomping ground for great times in boxing.
Pacquiao also has strength coach Justin Fortune, assistant coach Buboy and many of his family and team with him in camp at the moment ahead of his next bout.
Pacquiao Speaks On First Time He Trained With Freddie Roach
Speaking to George Janko in a sit down Pacquiao said of the first time he came to America and day one meeting trainer Freddie Roach:
“Yeah, we just went to sightseeing like that. We arrived in San Francisco and rode a Greyhound bus from San Francisco to LA. A Greyhound bus—thank God you know how to fight. You know, riding from San Francisco to LA, and then we arrived here in Los Angeles and asked someone, “Do you know where’s the boxing gym here?” And then they told us here in Irvine. Straight, wow. And you came and were like training, and then somebody asked you if you could fight? Just training, workout like that. I came here with my manager, and then my manager told Freddie Roach—ask Freddie Roach, who’s the owner here. Freddie said, “I’m the owner and head coach here.” So my manager asked him if he could do some rounds of mitts for me. Yeah, and then we did a workout, did mitts with Freddy Ro for a couple rounds. And he liked it—like, you know, first time that, um, like one minute—he liked my style. He liked my way I throw punches, the strength, the power, and then the movement. He liked my style. And I love him because the way he met with me and the way he instructs the strategy like that—because I’m a scientific boxer, so I love that.”
The rest was history and the pair went on to work well for many years culminating in Pacquiao becoming an eight-weight division world champion.
Now a Hall of Famer and still active as a fighter even in the sport at 46.
Pacquiao and Roach will look to turn the clocks back one last time on July 19th for the WBC world welterweight title against Mario Barrios.
Filipino Flash Nonito Donaire had a successful comeback at 42 recently.
Don’t totally write Pacquiao off in this one.
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