EXCLUSIVE HOT POTATO via HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – Perhaps he is one of the most down-to-earth aficionados I’ve ever known. He has a great passion in the sport of boxing and one who became a boxer himself and an adviser of widely known boxers today. One who humbly hailed from Montevideo, Urguay before he moved to the U.S. in 1971 at the age of 20, he has been regarded as one of the most respected and influential boxing agents in the world today. His name, Sampson Lewkowicz, the man who makes the last decision of World Boxing Council Diamond Middleweight titlist Sergio Martinez’s career.
Lewkowicz also currently represents the following current world champions, to wit: World Boxing Association Featherweight titlist Chris “The Dragon” John, World Boxing Association ans International Boxing Federation Super Bantamweight titlist Celestino “Pelenchin” Caballero, World Boxing Organization Welterweight titlist Hanna Gabriel and World Boxing Organization Minimumweight titlist Donnie Nietes. Advertisement
In an exclusive telephone interview Thursday with this writer, Lewkowicz lambasted Freddie Roach, trainer of World Boxing Organization Welterweight Champion Manny Pacquiao and owner of the now-famous Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California, about his relatively poor assessment over the Filipino Superstar’s boxing skills and potentials, his failure to impart corrective measure to transform Pacquiao into becoming a better boxer even after the latter’s first two encounters in 2004 and in 2008 and also his opportunistic tendency to preempt Pacquiao’s financial starpower.
“I have a very sincere respect for Manny Pacquiao,” said Lewkowicz. “I discovered Manny Pacquiao from day one when he came up to be a champion against Lehlohonolo Ledwaba at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in the undercard of Oscar de la Hoya versus Javier Castillejo on June 23, 2001.”
Lewkowicz was referring to Pacquiao’s US debut from which he won the International Boxing Federation Super Bantamweight Championship over Ledwaba via technical knockout in round 6 and to De la Hoya’s challege against Castillejo on the latter’s sixth WBC light middleweight title defense which had De la Hoya won via unanimous decision.
Lewkowicz, indeed, was instrumental to Pacquiao’s big break in the U.S. whereby Pacquiao stepped into the fight as a late replacement on two week’s notice and won the fight via tecnical knockout to win the title. As noted, Pacquiao went on to defend this same title under Freddie Raoch as the head trainer.
Lewkowicz responded to Pacquiao’s take to accept a fight with Martinez at 150 pounds which Pacquiao said just before the latter’s fight against Marquez, saying, “I have a problem with that because it does not just end there.”
“Roach is so stupid! He wants the official weighing to be done a few hours before the fight. Yes, he is so stupid! I doesn’t make sense. Literally, that’s stupidity! He claims he knows a lot about boxing. Well, I know he was once a boxer, not really a good fighter. But, he was a boxer, an ordinary boxer.”
Lewkowicz said, as of this time, there is no initial negotiation between his camp and Pacquiao’s.
“After watching closely Pacquiao against Marquez in their trilogy, I understand Pacquiao, most especially at this very stage of his career. And I don’t recommend him to fight Martinez. Our team has decided Martinez is not going to fight Pacquiao anymore,” said Leckowicz in his most sincere, heartbreaking tone. “Martinez is going to hurt Pacquiao badly, I mean ‘badly’ and boxing should not be for one to be killed.”
“Pacquiao is a gentleman. And we will not pursue to hurt Pacquiao just because we can make a lot of money. We are humans. Along with my team, I rather sincerely protect Pacquiao’s health. Our health is our topmost priority other than our spiritual need. I respect him a lot. I believe he cannot handle Martinez. Martinez is too agile, too strong and too much for Pacquiao.”
Lewkowicz continued: “Pacquiao does not need to fight anymore. He has proved himself already. He has already reached the highest point of his career and I see it’s he’s going down. And I do not want to hurt his image and his people.”
Asked about what he thinks about the outcome of Pacquiao vs. Marquez III, he said: “It was a close fight. It can go either way. But it was the other way around. So, now Mexico can say Marquez got robbed.”
“Yes, it was close,” he insisted. “But, it was far for Pacquiao to be the winner.”
“Marquez took Pacquiao to school. Pacquiao had no answer. And it was all Roach’s fault! He has not really developed Pacquiao into becoming a better fighter who can beat the old Marquez. Pacquiao was the same yesterday when he fought Marquez in 2004 and in 2008.”
Several segments during the Pacquiao vs. Marquez III showed a confused Pacquiao trying to catch up Marquez’s tactics and rhythm, especially in rounds 2,4,5,6, 7, 9, 10 and 12
“Roach had a bad night. He cannot solve Marquez. Roach and Pacquiao had no answer.”
Lewkowicz said Roach did not do anything to change the style of Pacquiao and to be creative enough to defeat Marquez. He should know that already. Pacquiao and Marquez fought twice before.
“Hopefully, I don’t believe, by far, Roach would be the trainer of the year. That is regardless of the awarding organizations.” He adds.
“He’s exposed: Pacquiao made him great, not vice versa.”
“Roach only wants to maximize his profit over Pacquiao. He’s so cheap. He wants to be sure he gets more from Pacquiao’s last few fights, one such most especially against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. And he know there’s no way Pacquiao could win over Mayweather.”
Lewkowicz exhorted: “Roach, who had more than seven years of studies in the school of Marquez, would find insurmoutable difficulty trying to figure out a fresh and a much better boxer; that is Mayweather.”
Stay tuned for more!
