By Edward Chaykovsky
For several weeks, Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach has been throwing verbal bombs at WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. The unbeaten champ has only been one of the recipients. Roach has also taken digs plenty of digs at Floyd's father/trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr.
The two trainers will go head to head on May 2nd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, when WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao faces Mayweather in a mega-fight unification.
Recently, Roach explained what began the bad blood with Mayweather's team, claiming that everything stems from sparring session with Floyd's uncle/co-trainer Rogert Mayweather.
"I trained in the same gym with them. I’ve known Floyd since he was five years old, he grew up in the gym, he just learned how to fight on his own. He was born in the boxing gym. Roger was in the gym some times and me and Roger sparred one time and he wasn’t a big puncher when he first came out, when he was 126-pounds and I was 122-pounds," Roach told On The Ropes Boxing Radio .
"We sparred four rounds and I don’t think I hit him once and I think he hit me a couple of times but he just ran all night long. The next day he asked me if I wanted to spar again and I said, “No, I already did my roadwork this morning.” He got mad at me and we’ve never been friends since."
Mayweather Sr., who also fought as a pro, has taken note of Roach's trash-talking. The elder Mayweather promised that he won't apologize for anything fired back in retaliation.
"This is a fight. It's warfare. It's war on my side, it's war on his side. So I'm not saying I'm sorry about nothing," Floyd Sr. told Mlive.com. "[Roach] got beat up all the f***ing time. Him getting his ass kicked, that's what his name should be, 'Kick My Ass.'"
