Renowned trainer Freddie Roach, earlier reported to be heading for Cebu, Philippines to be at ringside for his prized fighters Z Gorres and Rey ‘Boom Boom’ Bautista, has changed plans and has begged off from coming to the Philippines and will instead take part in the 11-City media tour organized by Golden Boy Promotions to announce the May 5 showdown between Oscar De la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Sportsman Antonio L. Aldeguer, who manages both Gorres and Bautista, informed yesterday that Roach would have wanted to fly to Cebu to assist the two fighters, but apparently could not turn down the request to take part in the media blitz.
“He has already begged off. And we told him that we perfectly understand his situation,” Aldeguer said.
The official announcement—and the start of an 11-city media tour—for the highly anticipated De La Hoya-Mayweather bout will be Tuesday, Feb. 20 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. The fighters and camps will then travel across the country making stops in Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles and will conduct public press conferences and invite fans to be a part of the experience of the most anticipated boxing event in decades.
ALA Gym chief trainer Edito ‘Ala’ Villamor will now work the corner of the two fighters, assisted by the other ALA trainers.
