MANILA, Philippines – Freddie Roach is closing in on his sixth Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Trainer of the Year award and if he sweeps his four world title assignments in the next nine weeks, the trophy will be in the bag for sure.
Roach?s four championship bouts will be telecast on HBO starting with Jorge Linares up against Antonio DeMarco for the vacant WBC lightweight crown in Los Angeles tomorrow night (Sunday morning, Manila). Then, Manny Pacquiao stakes his WBO welterweight diadem against Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas on Nov. 12. A week later, WBC middleweight titleholder Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. battles challenger Peter Manfredo, Jr. in Houston and on Dec. 10, WBA ?super? and IBF lightwelterweight ruler Amir Khan takes on Lamont Peterson in Washington, D. C.
Another world champion under Roach?s care is WBA welterweight king Vlacheslav Senchenko of Ukraine.
Roach brought Linares to Baguio City to spar with Pacquiao and said the Venezuelan is ready to annex his third world title after reigning as WBC featherweight and superfeatherweight champion. Roach will make his debut in Linares? corner for the DeMarco fight. ?DeMarco?s a tough guy,? said Roach. ?Linares will win an easy decision or score a late knockout. He?s basically a counterpuncher like Marquez but I want him to be a little more aggressive. In Manny?s first few years in the US, Linares used to come over to the gym and spar with him. It was pretty even between the two then. Of course, now, Manny is so much stronger, faster. We took Linares to Baguio because he fights somewhat like Marquez. I think Linares got a lot better sparring with Manny.?
As for Pacquiao?s title defense, Roach said Marquez won?t go beyond six rounds. He also predicted wins by Chavez and Khan. ?They spoil Chavez in Mexico but when he reports to our gym, he?s very disciplined,? said Roach. ?He trains just like Manny and takes it really seriously. He?s not a playboy either. Amir will be the next star in my stable. Peterson is a hard hitter but he won?t be able to catch Amir.?
Roach won the BWAA Trainer of the Year Award in 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010. The citation is particularly special for Roach because it is named after the late Eddie Futch, his mentor.
