Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito: Freddie Roach Angered by Video Mocking His Parkinson's Disease!
Manny Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, was angered by a video mocking his Parkinson's Disease. For those of you who have been living under a rock, like Antonio Margarito, the ex-champion made fun of the four-time Trainer of the Year, who has Parkinson’s disease resulting from his boxing past.
I initially predicted that Manny Pacquiao, aka The Pacman, will knock out Margarito in Round 5. But after seeing the video, I want none of that. Nope! No more! I hope Manny Pacquiao takes the callous douchebag through the entire match – and give me a boxing lesson he will never forget! A very painful boxing lesson!
Hey, Freddie! Believe you me, you are more man than Margarito! And I kid you not!
I guess all will be better explained via the video. Thus, without further ado, here is the YouTube video in its entirety. Also included is the complete post authored by boxing editor Lem Satterfield.
It goes without saying that full credits for the video and article go to Fanhouse and Lem Satterfield. Many thanks!
Freddie Roach had trouble sleeping on Tuesday night, the day before Wednesday's press conference for his fighter Manny Pacquiao's megafight with ex-champion Antonio Margarito.
"I got a lot of calls, and there were a lot of people that said that there was a video out there making fun of me," said the 50-year-old Roach, who has Parkinson's disease resulting from his pugilistic past. "Well, I don't have a computer with me, so my assistant brought it over to me."
What kept Roach awake was what he saw on the video, and it angered him to the point where the former boxer wanted to put his gloves back on -- not for sparring -- but for revenge.
In the video above at the 2:05 mark, Margarito moans, "Oh, Freddie Roach," extends his arms out slightly in front of him, appears to briefly shake his hands and then tilt his head slightly to the left.
The camera then pans onto Margarito's lightweight training stablemate, Brandon Rios, who also tilts his head slightly, appears to be acting as if he is having difficulty speaking and contorts his face.
"Hey," says Margarito's trainer, Robert Garcia, "that's Freddie Roach right there," as he points at Rios.
Surrounded by reporters prior to Wednesday's press conference at Cowboys Stadium, Roach, his tremors in full view despite the fact that he had "doubled-up on my medication," spoke frankly and intensely about what he saw.
"I had trouble sleeping last night. I wanted to fight these guys. I know I'm too old and I can't beat them up," said the four-time Trainer of The Year, adding later in the conversation, "I hate these guys."
"If they made fun of me, it shows what kind of guys that they are. But I'm not going to bring it up because I don't want to bother Manny with it," said Roach. "So, you know, I don't want Manny to get mad or anything like that or to fight stupid. I can't do anything about what they did, but if they made fun of me, then, you know what? It's OK. They'll pay for it. I'm not worried."
Garcia addressed the video in the first minute of his turn at the podium.
"Two of my fighters were joking around, making fun of Freddie Roach. We already talked about it. This was nothing to do with the disease that Freddie Roach has. We know that it's something that we don't wish on anybody," said Garcia.
"I would never allow that type of behavior in my gym. We just wanted everyone to know that this is something personal between Team Pacquiao and Team Margarito," said Garcia. "I just want to make that clear."
Garcia said that when he informed Rios of the controversy, that the fighter could not believe it.
"When I told Brandon Rios this morning that it was up, and that everyone was thinking that we were making fun of people with that disease, he was surprised. Brandon was like, 'What disease? I don't know what disease you guys are talking about,'" said Garcia.
"And I said, 'You know the disease that Freddie Roach has,'" said Garcia. "He didn't know Freddie Roach had a disease. He thought that it was from those 13 losses that Freddie Roach had as a boxer. It has nothing to do with his disease, I just want to make that clear."
Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum also was incensed after having watched the video, to the point of demanding that Garcia make a public apology.
"I didn't see the video until it was pointed out to me. It was sent as an e-mail, and we put it on and we watched it in the room, my wife and myself. And I immediately confronted Garcia, Rios and Margarito about it," said Arum.
"They apologized to me, personally and profusely," said Arum. "And they said that they would apologize to Freddie Roach at the press conference today, and Rios will apologize [at the undercard press conference] on Thursday."
Asked if there was any mistaking that Garcia, Rios and Margarito were making fun of Roach, Arum said, "Of course they were making fun of him."
"You may say that [Garcia] didn't make an apology, but I can't disagree. I couldn't even hear what he said, but it is what it is," said Arum. "I'm not a commissioner of football that can fine the f****ing guy. Maybe it wasn't an apology, but I can't fine him."
Through a translator, Margarito dismissed the video as "a misunderstanding."
"I was not making fun of Freddie. It was just that when I was shaking my hands, I was just saying, 'Man, I'm really scared,'" said Margarito.
"I think that people misunderstood that. That's what happened," said Margarito. "It was a misunderstanding. I have nothing against anybody. I have nothing against Freddie Roach. I respect him as a great trainer."
Rios said told Ring Magazine.com's Michael Rosenthal that he initially felt that his act was all in the spirit of gamesmanship.
"Freddie Roach is always playing mind games. We were just trying to play mind games with him. That's all," said Rios.
"It had nothing to do with Parkinson's disease. I have people in my family who are handicapped," said Rios. "I wouldn't want to hurt anyone like that. I know it looks bad. And I'm sorry. I made a mistake."
Sitting next to Roach on the stage after the formal press conference had ended, Pacquiao told reporters he had not seen the video, but that he was troubled by the fact that it existed.
"That's good for them [that Garcia] apologized to Freddie. For me, it's not good, you know?" said Pacquiao. "We have to respect people. I'm the kind of person who don't like to make personal attacks on anybody."
Roach said prior to the press conference that he expected an apology from Garcia, whom he held "100 percent responsible," and that he would say, "thanks."
But Roach said that he would never forget what Garcia, Margarito and Rios did, nor would he believe that they were not aware that he had Parkinson's disease.
"Do I believe that they didn't know that I had Parkinson's? Please. That's an excuse. It wasn't really an apology, it was just a cover-up. Robert Garcia is not a classy guy. He's not a good guy. He's a fake, and that's all that I have to say. Brandon Rios is a good young fighter, and I like him for that, and so forth, but as a person, he's an a**.
"Beyond that, what they did really does not deserve a response. It just goes to show what kinds of guys that they are. The thing is, Margarito and Brandon Rios are not very good defensive fighters. They take a lot of punches. I just hope that this never happens to them. I hope that they don't live my life."
I initially predicted that Manny Pacquiao, aka The Pacman, will knock out Margarito in Round 5. But after seeing the video, I want none of that. Nope! No more! I hope Manny Pacquiao takes the callous douchebag through the entire match – and give me a boxing lesson he will never forget! A very painful boxing lesson!
Hey, Freddie! Believe you me, you are more man than Margarito! And I kid you not!
I guess all will be better explained via the video. Thus, without further ado, here is the YouTube video in its entirety. Also included is the complete post authored by boxing editor Lem Satterfield.
It goes without saying that full credits for the video and article go to Fanhouse and Lem Satterfield. Many thanks!
Freddie Roach had trouble sleeping on Tuesday night, the day before Wednesday's press conference for his fighter Manny Pacquiao's megafight with ex-champion Antonio Margarito.
"I got a lot of calls, and there were a lot of people that said that there was a video out there making fun of me," said the 50-year-old Roach, who has Parkinson's disease resulting from his pugilistic past. "Well, I don't have a computer with me, so my assistant brought it over to me."
What kept Roach awake was what he saw on the video, and it angered him to the point where the former boxer wanted to put his gloves back on -- not for sparring -- but for revenge.
In the video above at the 2:05 mark, Margarito moans, "Oh, Freddie Roach," extends his arms out slightly in front of him, appears to briefly shake his hands and then tilt his head slightly to the left.
The camera then pans onto Margarito's lightweight training stablemate, Brandon Rios, who also tilts his head slightly, appears to be acting as if he is having difficulty speaking and contorts his face.
"Hey," says Margarito's trainer, Robert Garcia, "that's Freddie Roach right there," as he points at Rios.
Surrounded by reporters prior to Wednesday's press conference at Cowboys Stadium, Roach, his tremors in full view despite the fact that he had "doubled-up on my medication," spoke frankly and intensely about what he saw.
"I had trouble sleeping last night. I wanted to fight these guys. I know I'm too old and I can't beat them up," said the four-time Trainer of The Year, adding later in the conversation, "I hate these guys."
"If they made fun of me, it shows what kind of guys that they are. But I'm not going to bring it up because I don't want to bother Manny with it," said Roach. "So, you know, I don't want Manny to get mad or anything like that or to fight stupid. I can't do anything about what they did, but if they made fun of me, then, you know what? It's OK. They'll pay for it. I'm not worried."
Garcia addressed the video in the first minute of his turn at the podium.
"Two of my fighters were joking around, making fun of Freddie Roach. We already talked about it. This was nothing to do with the disease that Freddie Roach has. We know that it's something that we don't wish on anybody," said Garcia.
"I would never allow that type of behavior in my gym. We just wanted everyone to know that this is something personal between Team Pacquiao and Team Margarito," said Garcia. "I just want to make that clear."
Garcia said that when he informed Rios of the controversy, that the fighter could not believe it.
"When I told Brandon Rios this morning that it was up, and that everyone was thinking that we were making fun of people with that disease, he was surprised. Brandon was like, 'What disease? I don't know what disease you guys are talking about,'" said Garcia.
"And I said, 'You know the disease that Freddie Roach has,'" said Garcia. "He didn't know Freddie Roach had a disease. He thought that it was from those 13 losses that Freddie Roach had as a boxer. It has nothing to do with his disease, I just want to make that clear."
Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum also was incensed after having watched the video, to the point of demanding that Garcia make a public apology.
"I didn't see the video until it was pointed out to me. It was sent as an e-mail, and we put it on and we watched it in the room, my wife and myself. And I immediately confronted Garcia, Rios and Margarito about it," said Arum.
"They apologized to me, personally and profusely," said Arum. "And they said that they would apologize to Freddie Roach at the press conference today, and Rios will apologize [at the undercard press conference] on Thursday."
Asked if there was any mistaking that Garcia, Rios and Margarito were making fun of Roach, Arum said, "Of course they were making fun of him."
"You may say that [Garcia] didn't make an apology, but I can't disagree. I couldn't even hear what he said, but it is what it is," said Arum. "I'm not a commissioner of football that can fine the f****ing guy. Maybe it wasn't an apology, but I can't fine him."
Through a translator, Margarito dismissed the video as "a misunderstanding."
"I was not making fun of Freddie. It was just that when I was shaking my hands, I was just saying, 'Man, I'm really scared,'" said Margarito.
"I think that people misunderstood that. That's what happened," said Margarito. "It was a misunderstanding. I have nothing against anybody. I have nothing against Freddie Roach. I respect him as a great trainer."
Rios said told Ring Magazine.com's Michael Rosenthal that he initially felt that his act was all in the spirit of gamesmanship.
"Freddie Roach is always playing mind games. We were just trying to play mind games with him. That's all," said Rios.
"It had nothing to do with Parkinson's disease. I have people in my family who are handicapped," said Rios. "I wouldn't want to hurt anyone like that. I know it looks bad. And I'm sorry. I made a mistake."
Sitting next to Roach on the stage after the formal press conference had ended, Pacquiao told reporters he had not seen the video, but that he was troubled by the fact that it existed.
"That's good for them [that Garcia] apologized to Freddie. For me, it's not good, you know?" said Pacquiao. "We have to respect people. I'm the kind of person who don't like to make personal attacks on anybody."
Roach said prior to the press conference that he expected an apology from Garcia, whom he held "100 percent responsible," and that he would say, "thanks."
But Roach said that he would never forget what Garcia, Margarito and Rios did, nor would he believe that they were not aware that he had Parkinson's disease.
"Do I believe that they didn't know that I had Parkinson's? Please. That's an excuse. It wasn't really an apology, it was just a cover-up. Robert Garcia is not a classy guy. He's not a good guy. He's a fake, and that's all that I have to say. Brandon Rios is a good young fighter, and I like him for that, and so forth, but as a person, he's an a**.
"Beyond that, what they did really does not deserve a response. It just goes to show what kinds of guys that they are. The thing is, Margarito and Brandon Rios are not very good defensive fighters. They take a lot of punches. I just hope that this never happens to them. I hope that they don't live my life."
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