Pacquiao trainer fires salvo at Cotto camp

HOLLYWOOD – Freddie Roach is on the warpath again. And the target of his ire this time: no other than Miguel Cotto’s trainer Joe Santiago. Roach was firing ballistics at Santiago’s way after the Cotto camp reportedly challenged him to put his Trainer of the Year award on the line come Nov. 14 when the Puerto Rican stakes his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines. “He wants me to put my (Trainer of the Year) trophy on the line (during the fight) because he says he’s the best," Roach told Manila-based sportswriters. “We’ll see about that after the fight." Engaging the trainer of Pacquiao’s opponents in a major word war is nothing new to Roach as what Nacho Beristain and Floyd Mayweather, Sr. learned the hard way in the past. Beristain trains Juan Manuel Marquez while Mayweather Sr, handles Ricky Hatton, both of whom suffered a loss to Pacquiao. And now comes Santiago. Roach got under the skin of Santiago and the rest of Team Cotto after the multi-titled trainer predicted the 30-year-old boxing champion from the Philippines will knock Cotto out in their 12-round title bout. The American trainer even stressed a first-round knockout is very possible. Obviously, Roach has gotten the attention of Cotto’s camp. “They (Team Cotto) say I talk too much, but I’ll keep trying to get into their heads when I can," he said. Roach even questioned the credentials of Santiago, Cotto’s one-time nutritionist who eventually became his chief trainer following a violent parting of ways with uncle and former trainor Evangelista Cotto. “That man (Santiago) never knows what it takes to be boxing in the ring," Roach said. – GMANews.TV