Roach To Train Guillermo Rigondeaux and Yudel Johnson

By Mark Vester

According to a recent report by Dan Rafael, veteran trainer Freddie Roach, who handles pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, will now become the trainer of highly regarded Cuban prospects Guillermo Rigondeaux and Yudel Johnson.

Junior featherweight Rigondeaux is regarded as one of the best amateur fighters of all time. He won gold medals at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. Junior middleweight Johnson is a junior middleweight who won a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics.

"I trained the two of them [Monday] and we worked the mitts and did a full workout," Roach told Rafael. "Both of these guys have a lot of talent and I am looking forward to working with them. When we worked the mitts together, it was like when I worked with Manny for the first time. We just really clicked together. We understood each other right away even though we don't speak the same language. He said he learned a lot from me and that he wanted me as his coach. So I am his coach. We did the deal."

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