IT was one of the more amusing questions thrown at renowned American boxing trainer Freddie Roach. Rev Santillan, the 26-year-old Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) welterweight champion from Iloilo City, wanted to know if going to sleep right after a tiring bout can cause blindness.
“I don’t think so,” smiled Roach, who’s conducting a free two-day boxing clinic at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. “There’s really no medical proof.”
Santillan was pleased with the answer. He later thanked Roach and asked for his autograph.
“My goal is to become a world champion,” said Santillan, who trains with the Wakee Salud Stable in Cebu, in Filipino.
Santillan, who holds an impressive 50-3 win-loss record (40 KOs), definitely wants to learn more from the man who turned Manny Pacquiao into a boxing celebrity.
Like Santillan, there were a number of aspiring amateur boxers present at the clinic yesterday, all hoping to be the next Pacquiao. Roach believes that there is such a possibility.
“There are many great young prospects here,” observed Roach, who has trained over 10 world champions, including Mike Tyson.
The 44-year-old trainer, in fact, pointed out that Filipino boxers are among the most hardworking lot he has seen. “American fighters get a little bit lazy,” said Roach. “They’re not hungry and they become spoiled. It’s frustrating to see champs who are lazy.”
Roach, who’s been in the country for two weeks now, said he saw several promising talents while training Pacquiao for his bout with Thailand’s Fahsan 3K Battery on Saturday at The Fort, Taguig.
“Here in the Philippines, I don’t see anyone getting spoiled,” added the 2003 trainer of the year. “Unlike in America, you guys here have a harder time growing up. That’s why I like seeing guys like Manny achieving great things. He has great work ethics and he’s not spoiled. I like that in a fighter.”
Roach added he even told Pacquiao to slow down. “Manny is at the top of his game right now,” he said. “In fact, he has a tendency to train too hard and I have to tell him not to overdo it.”
“His work ethics is unbelievable,” he added. “When you work hard, good things happen and Manny is proof of that.”
The best of Roach will be seen today when he presides over the actual demonstration of boxing techniques at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Adriatico Street, Manila.
The conclusion of the two-day clinic organized by lawyer-sportsman Rudy Salud in cooperation with the Philippine Sportswriters Association and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission will begin at 8 a.m. and will feature top super flyweight Z Gorres and former world champion Gerry Pe?alosa who will assist Roach in demonstrating techniques.
The clinic is free to the public.
Also lending his expertise in the clinic today is Philippines-based referee Bruce McTavish of New Zealand.
Yesterday’s participants included cadets from the Philippine Military Academy, coaches from the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) and trainers from the country’s various boxing stables.
Also proving to be a big hit with the participants was sports nutritionist Dr. Sanirose Orbeta who lectured the participants on proper nutrition and dieting, among others.
Roach obviously enjoyed interacting with the participants, signing autographs and posing for photos.
