Floyd Mayweather Sr., whose tea must be a bitter brew, keeps saying trainer Freddie Roach is a joke coach.
How come no one is laughing at the mentor of Manny Pacquiao and the revived Amir Khan?
They?re cheering No Joke Coach Roach in the UK after his remodeling job on Kid Khan paid big dividends Saturday night in Manchester.
Due to a cut on the hairline above the left eye of the faded Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera, plainly caused by an accidental head clash, the big fight was stopped by referee Dave Parris (upon the advice of the ring doctor) at 2:36 of the fifth round.
They went to the scorecards and it was, quite properly, 50-44 once and 50-45 twice in favor of the lad from Bolton.
Former Olympic hero Khan is 20-1, 15 KOs, while Barrera may finish up 65-7, 42 KOs.
Khan was composed from start to finish and boxed smartly all the way. He kepts his hands up high in a good defensive posture.
Khan made a big point of saying that he hoped he would silence some naysayers who kept harping on his KO 1 loss to little-known Colombian puncher Breidis Prescott. That quickie knockout only took place six months ago.
?You tell me. I?ve been getting criticism but today I proved everyone wrong. I made a mistake against Prescott but it lead to this. I wanted to be sharp, be careful and be patient.
?I hope I shut the critics up,” Khan said.
?It was a beautiful game plan and he worked it well. It was perfect,? Roach said. ?He will be my next world champion.?
Roach said Khan, only 22, is starting to mature as a first class fighter.
Khan looked the part and the bout’s promotional title, “Coming Of Age,” was prophetic.
?I believed in Amir. I believed in his ability. What he did, at the end of the day, was a fantastic job,? Khan promoter Frank Warren said.
?I couldn?t see the guy from the first round. The blood was in my eye. He got fast hands but I never felt his punches,? Barrera said.
Will Barrera quit now at age 35?
?I will talk to my family and Don King. I?m just going to take a break now.?
There can be no more big paynights for Barrera, I hope. Let him go straight into the Boxing Hall Of Fame where he so obviously belongs.
Don’t blame cutman Tony Rivera for not stemming MAB’s cut because it flowed like the Johnstown Flood.
MAB was a shell of his great self and only landed one punch that even got Khan’s attention, a left hook near the conclusion of the second round.
As for Kid Khan, he and No Joke Coach Roach have other big evenings to come.
