By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach who honed the skills of Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao and turned him into a devastating fighting machine says he would be “willing to help” Randy Suico in his preparation for his July 15 WBA lightweight title fight against undefeated Juan Diaz.
Roach told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that if Suico and his Japanese manager Joe Koizumi wants some help “he knows where to find me.” The extremely likeable trainer who has helped several promising Filipino fighters including world-rated WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista, OPBF super flyweight champion Z “The Dream” Gorres who is also world-rated and WBC light flyweight champion Brian Viloria among others said “I will help anyone in the world. I don’t turn anyone down that’s why I have too many fighters.”
Roach said he likes fighters who work hard and singled out Pacquiao and the other Filipino boxers and stressed that “when you work hard good things happen.”
Roach who is watching over Pacquiao as he winds down his training for the July 2 Mano-A-Mano showdown with former two-time super bantamweight champion Oscar Larios said the undefeated Diaz “is a tough customer” and Suico faces a hard fight. Roach said the 22 year oldDiaz “is young, very busy and active so Suico better be in shape.”
Pacquiao took a quick trip to visit his pregnant wife Jinkee and their two children in General Santos City after his workout on Saturday and was scheduled to return yesterday evening aboard a private jet of San Miguel Corporation in time for today’s press-public preview at the Araneta Coliseum along with Larios who was slated to arrive Sunday after two weeks of intense training in Tokyo.
Meantime, the fight between WBO Asia Pacific super featherweight champion Czar Amonsot and Mexican lightweight Silverio Ortiz has been cancelled after Ortiz said he was not willing to fight a southpaw and was asking for more money. Amonsot was picked to replace Suico who grabbed the opportunity to fight Diaz for the world title instead of fighting on the Pacquiao-Larios undercard and was looking forward to the fight.
However, Pacquiao’s close friend and confidant Rex “Wakee” Salud told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today he was burning the wires to findc a Mexican opponent for Amonsot in order to give the 20 year old southpaw a chance to show what he’s got, before fight fans in Manila.
