Freddie Roach, who volunteered to assist in training U.S. boxers for the 2012 Olympics last year, said Thursday that he is still talking to USA Boxing about what his role with the American team will be next month at the London Games.
Michael Koncz on Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao: "If the fans still want to see this fight, we're willing to do it."
Roach still unclear on Olympic coaching role
|
LAS VEGAS – Manny Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said Thursday that he is still talking to USA Boxing about what his role with the American team will be next month at the London Olympics. “We’re close to making a decision, but we haven’t made one yet,’’ Roach said. On Thursday, Roach did not know whether he would accompany the American team to London. Opening ceremonies are scheduled for July 27. Olympic boxing begins the next day, July 28 Roach agreed more than a year ago to work as a consultant for the American boxers, but his role became uncertain in February when Joe Zanders was told he would not coach the team. Basheer Abdullah, coach of the 2004 American team in Athens, was picked to replace Zanders. But Roach’s work with the Americans, including three-time Olympian and gold-medal hopeful Rau’shee Warren, stopped because he said Zanders didn’t want his help. Roach already has worked with some of the Olympic boxers. He said he would like to continue working with them. Computer scoring, which will end in Olympic boxing after the London Games, is a problem, Roach says. “I understand it, but I don’t teach it, because I don’t agree with it,” he said. Even if America’s best pros were on the team headed for London, the U.S. would continue to struggle because of the computer scoring. “Most of our pros would lose, because they don’t understand that scoring system,” he said. |