Bantering and mudslinging. It’s the crux of nearly every major boxing event. At times, it’s for the sake of publicity, while at other times… it’s real deal animosity. So, when the verbal fisticuffs fly between two men who are commonly known to be unpretentious and composed – it makes even the casual fight fan stop and listen.
Last week, Manny Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach responded to quotes he says he heard on Philippine radio (while in Manila for Pacquiao’s fight with Oscar Larios) made by Erik Morales. In turn, Morales denied making such statements and shot back with his own diatribe. In swift counter-punch fashion, Roach (a former fighter himself) volleys back when he told Fightnews: “Morales gave an interview in San Diego where he said those things. It was re-played on Philippine radio. I heard the tape and I heard him say those things as clear as day! So for him to say he never said those things is a lie. We have it on tape! But really…. all of that sounded like things Fernando Beltran would say. He gets more upset after a loss than the fighter does! So I think it’s more the manager than Morales, because I really don’t think Morales cares.”
Roach continues, “I don’t like when someone bad mouths my fighter. Manny is a good kid. He works hard and I stand behind him. I’m not going to sit back and be silent when Morales says things like, ‘Manny sucks’ as a fighter and that Morales just had a ‘bad night’ in their second fight. Manny was the first fighter to ever to knock him down… let alone knock him out! Obviously Morales has a problem accepting that. He also said that the reason Manny is famous is because of him, and that he will take away all of Manny’s fame when they fight in November. I’m not going to let him get away with saying those things about Manny!”
Regarding Roach’s comment of not respecting Morales, he adds: “After we lost the first fight to Morales, we were at the post fight press conference and he said that we ‘took him lightly and that we made a mistake in fighting him.’ When I got my turn at the dais, I told him we wouldn’t make the same mistake again. He told me to ‘sit the f–k down and stop crying.’ When we knocked Morales out in the second fight, HE started crying and making excuses. So at the press conference for that fight, I just came back and told him to ‘sit down and stop crying’. But really, I do respect Morales as a fighter. In fact, he’s a great fighter! But I don’t respect him as a person. I don’t respect anyone who tells me to ‘sit the f–k down!’ I think Manny is the better fighter, and Morales better be ready come fight night because I don’t want to hear any more crying and excuses out of him or Beltran. I just wish Erik Morales good luck, because on November 18th … he’s gonna need it.”
