ROACH AND FORTUNE SETTLE DIFFERENCES
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 19 Apr 2007
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach and his assistant and conditioning expert Justin Fortune have reportedly settled their differences according to a member of Team Pacquiao who first informed Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today about the split after the Manny Pacquiao-Jorge Solis fight last Sunday in San Antonio, Texas.
The informant insisted that while Roach denied they had differences and were parting ways they had “a big fight last Sunday because of the check being issued to Justin.” The check was prepared by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who has had differences with Roach and has tried to get Pacquiao away from the two-time “Trainer of the Year.”
The Team Pacquiao member said Roach realized that he needed Justin. Besides, he said they denied the split because ”it looked bad for them to fight over money.”
Roach denied the claims of a split which was first indicated by Filipino boxing writer Nick Giongco who is close to Pacquiao when he ran a story claiming that Fortune didn’t need Roach in Pacquiao’s corner for the Solis fight. Roach showed up from Puerto Rico where he was training Oscar De La Hoya for his May 5 blockbuster showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr and worked the corner of Pacquiao.
Even in the entrance of Pacquiao, Fortune was seen walking on the right of Pacquiao while Roach was a few feet behind to his left which observers regarded as unusual. Fortune denied the initial report of Giongco but the Team Pacquiao member said it was true since the journalist overheard what was said.
A close friend and confidant of Pacquiao, boxing promoter and manager Rex “Wakee” Salud said that Michael Koncz, a jobless Canadian who is promoter Bob Arum’s eyes and ears in the Pacquiao camp had wanted Bobby Pacquiao who fights Humberto Soto who is handled by Arum on June 9, to train at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas instead of the Wild Card Gym of Roach in Los Angeles. Salud said he couldn’t understand this because Pacquiao had rented a plush apartment in LA for one year and Pacquiao could stay there at no expense.
The problem apparently was the fact that Roach had banned Koncz from entering his Wild Card Gym allegedly over non-payment of a debt and other actions against Roach.
There were also indications that the Arum camp was trying to entice Fortune to quit Wild Card and move to Las Vegas.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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