It’s now Freddie Roach who makes the call on who stays in or out of the gym while Manny Pacquiao is training.
“From now on it’s Freddie’s call,” said Rex “Wakee” Salud, owner of the Cebu City gym being used by Pacquiao as his training ground for an Oct. 6 rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera.
Salud said those who want to get a glimpse of Pacquiao’s training, including mediamen, will have to get permission from him first before they even get the chance.
“I only screen them. But the final say will come from Freddie. If he says ‘yes,’ then you’re in, but if he says ‘no,’ then you’re out,” said Salud who spent a fortune putting up the gym.
“We will implement this rule. Once a week, there’ll be a fans and media workout. But you still need the pass, and Freddie’s approval to get in,” added the Cebuano promoter.
The new rule took effect yesterday after Roach nearly blew his top last Monday due to the uncontrollable influx of people who have come to see Pacquiao train.
Roach rued the fact that Pacquiao fans don’t seem to understand the importance of giving the 28-year-old boxer all the space he needs during his daily workout at the gym.
“It’s disappointing. I want Manny to have focus, but nobody’s helping me out,” said Roach, who threatened to spring Pacquiao out of Cebu and straight to his own Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
“If I have an opportunity, I would fly him home because I know the Wild Card Gym is closed,” said Roach. “I have nothing against the fans. Plain and simple, I just want Manny to focus.”
For a change, Pacquiao decided to train outside of the Wild Card in Los Angeles so he could have more time to focus. But the way it’s been going over the past week shows otherwise.
“Freddie was mad,” said Pacquiao’s chief of staff Jake Joson yesterday. “He couldn’t understand why some people who are already in can’t even wait to get their pictures taken with Manny.”
“Manny moves from one corner of the gym to another, and he is stopped by fans with cameras. Even Freddie.
Someone would suddenly put an arm around him and have a picture taken,” he said.
Joson said a meeting was held Monday night among Pacquiao, Roach, Salud and other team members on how to address the issue, barely six week heading into the fight in Las Vegas.
“Freddie’s just fed up. It’s time we, including the fans, show him that we’re as serious as he is,” added Joson.
