Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr. Battle It Out

Posted by Ramon Aranda on 03.31.2009

A war of the words breaks out in Los Angeles.


Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

During last night's red carpet event to publicize the upcoming mega-fight between junior welterweight champ Ricky Hatton and pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao [which our own Igor Frank will report on shortly], a five foot four-tier trophy was revealed by the promotion who plans on presenting the winning trainer - either Freddie Roach or Floyd Mayweather Sr. with the 'No. 1 Pound for Pound Best Trainer in the World" trophy.


As always, both trainers were quite vocal about each other and this night would be no different.

"They've got Roach in the Hall of Fame. He should be in the Hall of Shame," said Mayweather. "Let's tell the truth like it is, you see Freddie Roach training and you see me training, it's night and day. Don't even compare. Don't even come close. Freddie Roach is a joke. And that's why I say his name is "Freddie the Joke Coach Roach," as far as I'm concerned."

Roach, who recently was awarded for the third time as the Trainer of the Year for 2008 by the Boxing Writers Association, responded right back.

"Floyd can read some good poems that's all he's good at that I know of. What has Floyd Senior achieved? His son's a natural-born fighter. His brother Roger trained him anyway. Floyd never trained his son for a world title fight. He tells me he's the greatest but what has he done? He trained Oscar De La Hoya after Oscar has already won four world titles. Floyd is a legend in his own mind."