LOS ANGELES — The Wild Card Boxing Club and the usual haunts in Hollywood look exactly the same way it did when Manny Pacquiao fought the last time 19 months ago.
Freddie Roach continues to preside over the gym’s operations and spends most of his time guiding fighters on the first floor while its second floor — the area where Pacquiao and Roach first met in 22 years ago — remains buzzing with activity.
But there was a sense of emptiness.
“We all miss Manny,” Roach told Daily Tribune on Monday afternoon.
Still, Roach insists the training facility on Vine Street continues to flourish despite Pacquiao’s retirement after suffering a shock loss to Yordenis Ugas of Cuba in Las Vegas.
“I have two world champions last year and it was fun,” Roach, 63, said as one of his guys was being wrapped by Filipino trainer Marvin Somodio.
“We are still busy and working all the time.”
But the workload is not as heavy as before.
“Yeah, more relaxed and a little slower but we have a lot of fighters coming up,” he said.
In the absence of the eight-division legend, Jimuel Pacquiao continues to work out with the Hall of Fame trainer.
“Manny said I take care of him and that’s what I have been doing,” said Roach, noting that Pacquiao’s son is doing quite well in his campaign on American soil.
Pacquiao, 44, is retired and Roach wants him to stay that way.
