FREDDIE ROACH said the decision made by American boxing manager Shelly Finkel and lawyers Nicholas Khan and Keith Davidson to file a case against Manny Pacquiao’s Filipino advisers was ill-advised.
“Bad timing,” Roach told the Bulletin yesterday after presiding over another Pacquiao workout at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.
“I was pissed when I learned about the lawsuit and I have talked to them and asked that we should discuss about this things after the (July 2) fight (against Mexico’s Oscar Larios),” said Roach.
“If they (Finkel, Khan and Davidson) want a contract extension, we can talk about it after, not now while Manny is in training for a fight,” said Roach, sounding dismayed over the move by the American managers of the Filipino boxing star to extend their managerial rights over Pacquiao past Jan. 31, 2007.
Finkel, Khan and Davidson alleged that Pacquiao lawyer Ging Gacal and adviser Wakee Salud pressured the boxer into signing a contract with TV station ABS-CBN that is unfavorable to Pacquiao.
Pacquiao is co-promoting the Larios fight in partnership with ABS-CBN.
While Pacquiao hardly showed any emotion when he reported for training, Roach believes “Manny is going to be affected somewhat because he is involved.”
Still, Roach said Pacquiao was awesome in his workout.
“I asked him if he was a middleweight and of course he said no. I asked him that because he punches like one,” said Roach, whose hands hurt after the punch mitt routine.
Pacquiao used to be promoted and managed by Murad Muhammad of New Jersey and Filipino Rod Nazario, but Finkel and the two Los Angeles-based lawyers formally took over last year when Pacquiao’s contract with Muhammad was dissolved.
