Canelo Brushes Off Verbal Jabs From Freddie Roach

By Miguel Rivera

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez has brushed off the recent verbal jabs from Freddie Roach, trainer for WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto.

Roach stated in an interview that Canelo "was not capable of doing anything better than Cotto" and was highly critical of the Mexican star's level of opposition and the inexperience of his coaching team.

Canelo will challenge Cotto for his world title on November 21st at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The fight will headline an HBO Pay-Per-View event.

He won be drawn into a war of words with Roach, choosing to let his hands do that talking in the ring.

"I do not like to talk. Let them think what they want. Everyone has the right to say whatever they want," Canelo said. "I feel I can do anything inside the ring. I can box, I can move, can box at mid-distance. I can do many things. But it's clear that you need to adjust with a necessary fighting style. With Trout I was boxing defensively, while with Kirkland I had to attack."

Regarding Roach, Canelo's manager and co-trainer Jose "Chepo" Reynoso said:

"He's a good coach. He deserves respect, like everyone else. He prepares his boxers very well. He has some very good fighters and he trains them for their fights - some win and others lose, like everyone else - but I consider him as a good coach. We are not famous or anything [like Roach], but we know how to work and we do it with enthusiasm, with responsibility."