By Steve Kim
With a fight between WBO featherweight titlist Oscar Valdez and ex-champion Scott Quigg looming for March 10th on ESPN, trainer Freddie Roach has made it clear that he thinks his guy (Quigg) will come out victorious in that match-up.
Roach made it clear that he didn't think much of Valdez and expected him lose because the Mexican boxer ''isn't that good."
To which Valdez's trainer, Manuel Robles, responded with a chuckle - "You know what, Freddie likes to play his mind games. Freddie likes to get under your skin with opponents and coaches and what not. So it's up to the individual on the other side to handle it. I don't think anything of it. At the end of the day Freddie's not the one stepping in the ring - it's Oscar. So may the best man win."
This battle is supposed to take place at the StubHub Center in Carson, California and headline an ESPN card. It figures to be a fan-friendly, entertaining affair.
"Absolutely," agreed Robles, who will be in charge of a training camp in Mexico for Valdez, starting this weekend.
"I've been studying Scott Quitt quite a bit and of course we got a chance to spar with Scott, all the respect to Scott, he's a gentleman outside the ring but he's a warrior inside the ring.
"So we've got to come in with a good game-plan and we have to be ready for the challenge."
Quigg and Valdez previously sparred with each other last year when the British boxer was preparing to fight Viorel Simion.
There is one defeat on Quiqq's record, to his rival Carl Frampton in February 2016, in a super bantamweight unification.
And since then Quigg began training with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles and won three fights in a row.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com