By Edward Chaykovsky, Interview by Chris Robinson
Trainer Robert Garcia is shocked with Freddie Roach being voted in as the '2013 Trainer of the Year' by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Garcia believes that his own achievements in 2013 - with Mikey Garcia, Evgeny Gradovich and Marcos Maidana - rival anything that Roach was able to do.
Garcia became the WBO featherweight and super featherweight champion. Gradovich captured the IBF's featherweight title, and Marcos Maidana became the WBA welterweight champion with a huge upset win over Adrien Broner.
"I had more respect [for the award in the past] and thought it was more legit. But what I've learned is that it's all politics and if they didn't choose me then something is wrong. What Mikey did, what Gradovich did and especially Maidana. Three champions in one year. Nobody else did what I did. I honestly believe that there are other trainers, like [Floyd] Mayweather, like Joel Diaz, like Abel Sanchez - who did more [in 2013] than Freddie Roach. And I'm not hating on Freddie Roach, and I'm not talking sh*t, but that award doesn't mean anything to me anymore. Ring Magazine has voted me 'Trainer of The Year' three years in a row, because the fans are the ones that voted and that means more to me," Garcia said.
"And this reporter from New York told me that in 2011 they didn't choose me because of that video that came out where Margarito, Brandon and myself were making fun of Freddie Roach. I didn't get it because of that? And in 2012 I got it because I gave them no other f***ing choice. This time, honestly to me it's a joke. And maybe they'll never pick me again. I don't need them to pick me. But if in the future years they call me up and say I'm trainer of the year, I won't even go pick it up. I'll tell them to go give it to someone else."
"He's a household name. [Roach] comes from 2012 with nothing but losses and nobody blames him....it's all the fighters not doing good, it's all the fighters. Then he comes back and gets a good win with Cotto and Pacquiao beat Brandon, and now he's trainer of the year?"
