Breaking News: Fortune Quits, Tells Roach Go “f” Yourself

[loui_ludwig]

I apoligize if this has been posted already. This story is written by Brad Cooney. Mods, i apologize also if i violated the rules by posting the link.

http://philboxing.com/news/story-10752.html

By Brad Cooney
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 10 May 2007



Manila Bulletin writer Nick Giongco was definitely on to something when he reported some months back that strength and conditioning coach, Justin Fortune did not want Roach in Pacquiao's corner in San Antonio. According to Roach, Fortune quit Wild Card Gym the day before Roach returned from Las Vegas, “He turned his keys in to one of my assistants, he didn't want to face me I guess”, said Roach. To make matters even more interesting, Roach informs Philboxing that Fortune split without giving Roach his portion of the trainer's fees, due him from Pacquiao's fight, and Israel Vasquez's last fight, “I got a message from Fortune, he told me that he's taking all of the trainer fee money for both Pacquaio, and Vasquez, and he told me to go “F” myself.”

And just when things couldn't seem any worse, Roach informs Philboxing that Fortune tried to sway Bobby Pacquiao from Wild Card, and to join him instead, “I was informed that Fortune also tried to get Bobby Pacquiao to quit my stable, and to join him instead, but Bobby told him 'No way'.

Seems there has been trouble brewing behind the scenes for a little while now, and even when this writer got Justin Fortune on the record, he denied any such issues. Roach went on to say, “Brad you know it, and I know it, and Manny knows it, I was always going to be in Manny's corner in San Antonio, it was Justin that kept telling people that I wasn't coming, and that I wasn't in contact with him, and that's just not true. It's too bad that some people change when it comes to money. I was beginning to see that Justin was getting too big for his own head when I was in Puerto Rico training Oscar.”


Editor's note: The original starting sentence of this article which stated that 'Philboxing writer Salven Lagumbay was definitely on to something ...' was changed to 'Manila Bulletin writer Nick Giongco ...' as it was Giongco who originally carried the story about 'Fortune not wanting Roach to be in Pacquiao's corner' for the Pacquiao-Solis fight. Later Salven Lagumbay wrote an exclusive article saying that Roach and Fortune split up. The author, Brad Cooney pointed out his own mistake and had it corrected.

[Gareth Ivanovic]

That sucks seems like they were a good team. But it goes to show money and ego usually mess things up and destroy good situations.

[ELPacman]

Yeah that sucks. It does go to show what money can do to someone. I was getting the vibe that Justine was hoping he could get the win with Manny in the Solis fight without Roach around. This would get other fighters to notice him and maybe request him as trainer if they couldn't afford or get with Roach. I guess since that didn't happen and I assume he thought he was gonna be the only one in the corner until Roach flew in just for the fight. This prolly did get him alittle sour and **** happens.

[loui_ludwig]

That sucks seems like they were a good team. But it goes to show money and ego usually mess things up and destroy good situations.

They were a good team. Don't know about the other fighters from Roach but since Pac trained in Philippines for almost 3 weeks and the 3 weeks also in Wild Card gym, it seems that it won't affect Pac's conditioning. We saw that against Solis. But i hope Roach can find a good replacement.

I am hoping this is a false story. Somebody from Philboxing replacing the original author with Brad Cooney. But Brad already posted this story in Pacland.