Freddie Roach, the legendary boxing coach and trainer, is regarded by many as maybe the best trainer in boxing history. Over his lengthy career, he has coached over forty world boxing champions and eleven Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) champions.
Despite having trained many heroes, Roach’s most noteworthy accomplishment is having coached Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao for more than 15 years; Pacquiao is still the only eight-division boxing champion.
On March 5, Roach celebrated his 64th birthday. Manny Pacquaio(62-8-2, 39KOs) one of his most well-known students, paid tribute to his coach on social media by posting on Instagram and thanking Roach for his guidance and wisdom over the previous 20 years.
“Years of victories, decades of friendship. Happy Birthday to my coach, Freddie Roach! Your wisdom and guidance have been my compass. Happy Birthday Freddie Roach #MoreThanATeam #Family #TeamPacquiao,” said Pacquaio in his post on Instagram.
Regarded as one of the top coaches in the fight business, Roach(40-13, 15 KOs) began his career as a well-liked amateur and became a popular professional boxer under the guidance of the renowned Eddie Futch, who will be inducted into the West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame in 2023.
Following Virgil Hill’s 1987 victory in the WBA light heavyweight championship, a string of high-profile fighters including Mike Tyson, Oscar de la Hoya, Johnny Tapia, Miguel Cotto, James Toney, Julio Cesar Chavez, Lucia Rijker, Marlon Starling, Michael Moorer, and Bernard Hopkins were the next to claim world titles.
Pacquiao’s ascent to prominence as one of boxing’s top names and a legend in the sport has been greatly aided by Roach. The pair, who have established one of the most successful fighter-trainer combinations in boxing history, are frequently compared to the Muhammed Ali and Angelo Dundee of this generation.
The 64-year-old has supported Pacquiao in 37 fights; the last one took place in 2021, after which the Filipino icon was defeated by Yordenis Ugas and had to retire from competition.
But shortly after, Pacquiao announced his retirement in order to compete in an exhibition match against Korean YouTuber DK Yoo in 2023. On April 20, 2024, the 45-year-old is also scheduled to compete against Muay Thai legend Buakaw Banchamek in a match dubbed “The Match of Legends.”
