Boxing trainer Freddie Roach seems like he's begun distancing himself from Manny Pacquiao. It's to be expected. Boxing is a cut-throat business, and since getting robbed by the judges against Timothy Bradley and taking a forced nap against Juan Manuel Marquez, it seems like Pacman has fallen off like Cuba Gooding Jr. The blockbuster fight with Money Mayweather is dead and Canelo Alvarez is the new challenger to the throne.
Roach piled onto Pacquiao's tumble down the boxing totem pole, telling ESPN.com that if the 34-year-old adds another loss to his 54-5-2 résumé on November 23 against Brandon Rios in China, he'll advise him to retire.
“If he loses, I will tell him to retire,” Roach admitted in a conversation with ESPN. “If you lose three in a row it’s your time. He’s up there in age. I’ve got to keep a close eye on him. It’s part of my job to protect him. I will do the right thing.”
Right now, he's a relatively anonymous former lightweight titlist, but this could be his chance to raise his own profile by ushering Pacquiao into retirement. Then again, fighters have been known to ignore the advice of doctors and trainers. Either way, it's hard to imagine Roach sticking around if Pacquiao loses and decides to continue risking his health while collecting increasingly smaller fight purses.
On the other hand, Roach has been around the game long enough as a trainer to know how to add intrigue to a bout. What better way to hype up a fight that's been devoid of hype by teasing it as his fighter's possible demise? This may just be good business.
H/t to Complex
