Roach to Pacman: Your politics is over if you lose fight

Manny Pacquiao’s stint in politics is definitely linked with his great boxing career. And trainer Freddie Roach believes whatever the outcome of Pacquiao’s title fight with Antonio Margarito Saturday next week will definitely reflect on his job as a budding public servant. “I told him your politics is over if you don’t win this fight," said Roach, recalling a conversation he had with the 31-year-old congressman from the province of Sarangani in the wake of too many distractions that hounded his month-long, high-altitude training in Baguio City. Part of those distractions had something to do with Pacquiao’s work at Congress. Twice, he had to leave the country’s Summer Capital and return to Manila to honor a commitment as special guest for two events — one involving an Olympic fest among members of the military, and the other a mass marathon for environmental advocacy. Roach contended that without boxing, the Filipino ring icon wouldn’t achieve the same success he’s been reaping in the world of politics of late. And so, the four-time Trainer of the Year stressed to the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter to give priority to his boxing career as much as he’s been doing to politics. “I had a long talk with him. I told him, `Manny, you made a decision to run for Congress. You win this fight, you made the right decision. You lose this fight, it was the wrong decision," said the 50-year-old trainer. Roach had earlier signified the likelihood of Pacquiao hanging up his gloves sooner than expected to concentrate on his new-found calling. Pacquiao admitted to his long-time trainer how he missed his work at Congress while starting his training for the World Boxing Council (WBC) super-welterweight fight with Margarito at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. “Stuff like that scares me a little bit because we may lose him to politics someday," said Roach. “He really wants to help his country that badly." - KY, RCJ, GMANews.TV