Though Freddie Roach is among the most respected trainers in boxing, he’s not always in charge when he’s working with Manny Pacquiao.
While other world champions obediently line up for a few hours of instruction at Roach’s cramped Hollywood gym, Pacquiao has enough interests outside the ropes to keep several men occupied for several lifetimes.
Movies, music, politics, basketball, charity, family — they’re all important to the Philippines’ favorite son, and they vie for his attention whenever he isn’t boxing.
“He does TV shows and movies and so forth,” Roach said. “He’s very busy when he’s not fighting, and he’s getting pulled in a lot of directions. I always wait for that day — waiting for him to get distracted from his training, and when he’s not going to be so disciplined. But that hasn’t happened yet, and I don’t think it will happen until his career is over.”
Four years after Pacquiao jumped into the celebrity stratosphere in his native land with an upset victory over Marco Antonio Barrera, the WBC’s 130-pound titlist has a rematch with the famed Mexican champion at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay on Saturday night.
Pacquiao might be the most talented fighter ever to step in Roach’s ring, and maybe the most exasperating as well. Though Pacquiao has a rare combination of virtues — power, speed, resilience and an utter fearlessness — he also seems fueled by a desire to be everything to every person in his native land.
“In the Philippines, I have a lot of things to do when I don’t have fights,” Pacquiao said. “I’m busy in my business there, and making movies. … They call me a hero in the Philippines. I’m very humbled that they call me a national hero, because I have a big responsibility, especially to my countrymen.”
After a poor upbringing, Pacquiao speaks constantly of helping the less fortunate. He even tried to help by running for a congressional seat last year, though he lost handily. Pacquiao also releases pop songs, films beer commercials, plays competitive billiards and owns a basketball team.
Pacquiao even suited up for the club, particularly displeasing Roach, who has spent plenty of time in the Philippines in recent years, including six weeks in Cebu City this summer when Pacquiao abruptly decided to train at home.
Roach and promoter Bob Arum understand the cultural divide better than most Americans, but even they must roll with the punches when working with Pacquiao.
“Before he goes to training camp, it’s tough to get ahold of him,” Arum said. “He’s busy with everything, doing a million things. … But once the training camp starts, he’s as dedicated, more dedicated than any fighter that Freddie’s handled.”
Arum knows most big-name boxers can be ripe for distraction anyway, what with long weeks of monotonous preparation and ample free time preceding a few frantic minutes of mortal danger. Pacquiao is arguably the biggest celebrity in a nation of 88 million people, which makes him an even bigger target.
“Manny is so huge in the Philippines that they write about him every day, and they look for things to write,” Arum said. “Everything gets magnified out of all proportions. A lot of things that you read are just not true.”
Thousands of fans will watch his fight with Barrera in Manila’s gyms on Sunday morning, with thousands more crammed into cinemas. A Filipino air force general even arranged to show the fight to the enlisted men so they won’t have to leave the base.
Pacquiao is a strong favorite to finish off the 33-year-old Barrera, who claims the fight is his last big-time bout. Once Roach finally got Pacquiao’s focus, he became confident that even bigger things are in Pacquiao’s future.
“Manny is a very teachable guy, and he’s still learning,” Roach said. “I don’t think he’s peaked yet, and he’s getting better all the time.”
