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COACH TO COACH INTERVIEW WITH FREDDIE ROACH


PhilBoxing.com





Exclusive Freddie Roach interview from Rumble at Rama XII press conference from Boxing Coach Socrates Celestial

Toronto, Canada- In the wake of the riots from the G20 summit this past weekend, Toronto has been busier than usual. That did not stop the four-time BWAA Coach of the year, Freddy Roach from working in the Toronto area. Roach is known for his regimented training techniques and high accolades. He is the driving force behind Boxing?s present pound-for-pound King Manny Pacquiao along with his newest female fighter Ana Julaton, both of Filipino origin. He announced that he is currently working along side UFC champion George St. Pierre and revealed the hit reality show ?The Ultimate Fighter? holds a televised spot for him in the upcoming season. The passionate coach wasn?t shy when it came to describing life as a top trainer. Roach speaks out on his game plan for Julaton, the status of his top fighters and the current events in his illustrious career while keeping a sense of humor.

Socrates Celestial: Welcome to Toronto Freddy and Congratulations on your recent victory with Julio Cesar Chavez Junior winning a unanimous decision over John Duddy this past weekend. From what you know of Ana?s opponent Maria Villalobos, what game plan have you constructed to out box or stop the opponent?

Freddy Roach: I wanted Ana to box her using her jabs and straight punches. This girl has a big overhand right and big left hook and she throws wide punches and we can beat her down the middle. Ana shouldn?t try to trade with this girl like she tends to do at times, she should box this girl and out point her and just basically score points. Move in and out and don?t stay in the pocket too long with this girl because that?s to her advantage because she is very strong.

SC: From what you?ve seen from her last fight with Lisa Brown here in Toronto, what do you feel you had to change in order to prepare her for this fight and what do you feel she had done or not done in the last fight that resulted in Ana?s loss?

FR: She got too caught up in the fight and just going blow for blow. And she didn?t use her boxing ability and she didn?t watch her chin. When she does that she gives up her defense and she gets hit too much. When she moves to box and uses her in and out motion and uses the combinations and goes out of the pocket, not just staying letting the girl throw back on her and that?s what she did too much in her last fight I feel.

SC: So do you want Julaton to fight on the outside or maintain the outside and get in and out of the pocket?

FR: In and out for the most part, score down the middle, but this girl?s kind of a wide puncher and she loops punches, she doesn?t throw a lot straight punches so hopefully we can beat her down the middle. And then use in and out motion, using combinations under and out to the side, use our angles a lot on her so as long as we can use angles on her still and keep Ana picking up speed and keep turning her we?ll be in control of the fight.

SC: Provided you win this fight, what do you have planned for Ana?s next step?

FR: Well, you know it obviously the girl that beat her up here last time. You know a rematch is always what we?re looking for because we always have to avenge our losses and it?s something I think we need to do and something we want to do.

SC: There?s talk of maybe you guys trying to get the next fight in the Philippines, is that at all possible?

FR: There is talk about that and you know there?s obviously talk about her fighting on Manny Pacquiao?s undercard also, so there?s going to be opportunities out there. I talked to promoter Bob Arum about it yesterday, actually in Texas and so far he says yes to me, but?

SC: You never know until it?s signed?

FR: (laughing) He might be kissing my ass right now because of the Chavez fight, with the Chavez win me and Bob are in good terms right now, so it helps.

SC: So could she be in an undercard with boxer Amir Khan?

FR: Definitely a possibility in Amir Khan?s next fight, it looks like we?re going to go maybe in December and it looks like we?re going to try to get the winner of the Diaz/ Marquez fight and so there?s a definitely a possibility with Golden Boy.

SC: Do you feel that Khan is developed that much to face one of the two, Diaz or Marquez?

FR: He?ll knock both guys out!

SC: Definitely?

FR: He?ll knock both guys out!

SC: I mean not to take anything away from Amir Khan, but those are two seasoned fighters.

FR: Yeah, they?re both washed up. They?re over the hill; Amir Khan will knock both guys out. I really want to fight Maidana next, but the thing is it?s just not available yet but we?re trying to build that fight a little bit, then I want to fight Timothy Bradley. Devon Alexander is with Don King right now and since that?s non-negotionable we?ll leave him alone.

SC: Do you think there?s any possibility of a woman being a Main event?

FR: Well definitely, we?ve had that before in America. I remember when Christy Martin was going to fight Lucia Rijker and Lucia was a big name then, and was going to be big time purse. That would?ve shaped woman?s boxing. And Alan?s up here in Canada, giving these girls an opportunity, to lead into that, so it?s definitely a possibility to do a main event sometime in the near future. We just got to get the promoters like Golden Boy and Top Rank involved in this and then with that get a little bit of pressure on Bob with my success with male fighters, it gives me a little bit weight to throw the girls in there, so I will help Ana as best I can.

SC: There have been rumors circulating in the past year suggesting that you may be thinking of retiring. But lately it seems as though you have had so much success. With Amir Khan, Pacquiao and Chavez Junior, it seems as though you?re on a real big high right now?.

FR: Me retire? No I want Manny Pacquiao to fight Mayweather and retire, not me though I have nothing else to do. I mean I?m not going to retire ever, I mean I?ll die doing this.

* * *

The avid Boxing fan may be curious of to the status of the Pacquiao/Mayweather match-up, but for all intensive purposes, Roach?s eyes have been set only onto the fighter he is in the Toronto area to corner. That fighter is Ana Julaton facing Maria Villalobos on June 30th 2010 at Casino Rama. From here fans can look forward to the next Pacquiao fight, Amir Khan?s rising success and a televised spot on ?The Ultimate Fighter? coaching alongside Canada?s own George St. Pierre.

Top photo: Trainer Freddie Roach (L) with the author.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Socrates Celestial.


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