Boxing icon trainer Freddie Roach is globally known throughout the world. He could walk the streets of Manila and get mobbed by adoring fans. Roach is known in Europe, Asia, and America, but what about in the heartland?
Living in Mississippi, a deep south state, I was curious what the sports fans in this area would have to say about Roach. I recently toured a few of Jackson, Mississippi’s sports bars and spoke with some of the fight fans that I found in them. Mississippi is more commonly known for it’s college football, and high school football, but rest assured we have our share of fight fans.
Boxing is more prevalent in north Mississippi, inTunica MS, where Prize fight Promotions do their thing. The state has also hosted several big fights in Biloxi, MS. Most recently, in 2009 the state hosted the Andre Berto “vs” Louis Collazo fight in Biloxi.
The fight fans in Mississippi made it known to me that they indeed know who Freddie Roach is. I spoke with fight fan Daniel Freeman at the Last Call sports bar in north Jackson and got his Roach take, ‘ Man who in boxing don’t know who Freddie Roach is? You would have to be dead not to know who he is. Roach pretty much equals win in my book. Most of his fighters win, so he obviously knows what he is doing.”
Freddie Roach has coached the biggest boxing names of our time, including Mike Tyson, of course Manny Pacquiao, James Toney, Oscar De La Hoya, you name it. Even with his notorious glasses and shy smile, not everyone was so tuned in, ” Roach? What kind of name is that?” said Linda Green. Linda admitted that she is a boxing fan of sorts, but not a die hard fan. She was able to come up with the usual, Ali, Norton, and even Manny Pacquiao. When asked about Freddie Roach she replied. ” Oh is that the guy with the funny glasses?”
Hey, I guess if a southern belle from Mississippi can recall the glasses on a guy from Massachusetts, that says a little bit about Roach’s fame.
Mississippi is filled with monster trucks, horses, nascar fans, football fans, and good southern food. Peppered within all of that are some good boxing fans, and yes, they know who Freddie Roach is.
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