MANILA, Philippines – There?s no room for Mike Tyson in Manny Pacquiao?s training headquarters.
According to an article that came out of SkySports.com yesterday, the former heavyweight champion and once considered the baddest man on the planet called Pacquiao?s trainer, Freddie Roach, recently to ask if there was some space for him at the Wild Card Gym.
Tyson would have wanted to help train Pacquiao if given the chance.
But Roach had to say no to his former fighter, and friend, who?s certainly not in the best of times.
As much as he wanted Tyson by his side, there are reasons why Roach just can?t, and one of them is that he had just tapped another heavyweight, Michael Moorer as his newest assistant trainer in his famous Hollywood sweat shop.
?Mike?s a good guy, he respects me a lot,? Roach was quoted as saying. ?(But) I just don?t think he has the patience to be a trainer.?
?Unfortunately Mike isn?t doing too well at the moment. I just got a call that he wants a job. Mike came to Manny?s last training day for the (Oscar) dela Hoya fight,? said Roach.
Tyson, who became youngest heavyweight champion at 18, showed up during Pacquiao?s last day of training for the Oscar dela Hoya fight last December, and stayed more than an hour inside the IBA Gym in Las Vegas.
Tyson showed great interest in Pacquiao, whispering to Roach?s ears, and showing some movements that could or should help Pacquiao improve on his skills.
?He just told us to be careful moving in straight lines because Oscar has the longer reach. They were sensible stuff. It?s nice to see Mike. I?m a big fan of Tyson. He?s a nice guy,? said Roach of his brief conversation with Tyson.
The ex-heavyweight champion was awed with Pacquiao?s boundless source of energy, and at one point urged the Filipino superstar to cut it out because it was just two days before the fight.
?Come on champ, let?s go home,? Tyson told Pacquiao.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao had a field day in the Filipino district of Los Angeles where the 30-year-old pound-for-pound champion received the ?People?s Champion? award from re-elected LA City Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Pacquiao had to take a break in his training to receive the award from the city official, and dedicate a tree on behalf of the LA-based Filipinos.
A huge crowd, mostly Filipinos with a sprinkling of Latinos, showed up for the event and cheered wildly as Pacquiao was introduced, and spoke.
But Pacquiao, scheduled to face Ricky Hatton on May 2 in Las Vegas, was in no mood to bash his opponent. Instead, he planted on the minds of his fans that the fight is no easy fight.
?Si Ricky Hatton, malakas din iyan, champion din yan. Hindi natin pwede i-underestimate yan (He?s also strong and he?s also a champion. We cannot underestimate him),? said Pacquiao of the British superstar.
?We cannot be over-confident. We need to train hard, and work hard,? added Pacquiao.
