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Roach not keen on training deposed champ Hatton


MANILA, Philippines – Freddie Roach is not inclined in training Ricky Hatton at this point of his boxing career. Instead, he’s advising the Manchester, England native to do what others had also been suggesting before him – hang up his gloves. Roach said the kind of beating Hatton got from Manny Pacquiao in their 12-round fight last Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is so devastating that this should be the perfect time for him to retire. Roach is the third boxing expert to offer his two cents worth on the 30-year old Briton after his very own trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. and father Ray Hatton both suggested it earlier. “I think he should retire. I don’t want him to get hurt." Pacquiao won the 12-round title fight via technical knockout after landing a brutal left hook on Hatton’s jaw just as the second round was coming to an end, sending him down to the canvass where he laid motionless for a few minutes. Roach didn’t hide his concern about Hatton following the knockout. “A knockout like that is not good. That was a dangerous knockout. It was a little scary, he was like out cold. His eyes….he had no clue where he was." Pacquiao’s trainer also denied reports that he’ll be taking Hatton under his wings on his next fight in the aftermath of the English boxer’s supposed rift with trainer Mayweather Sr. “I heard that story. A lot of people are asking will I train Hatton? At this point, I don’t think I can help him. So will I train him? Probably not. I just saw the guy and I don’t think I can help him at this stage of his career. He is what he is. Not at this late of his career," said Roach. The famed owner of the Wild Card Gym added that one big fight out there for Hatton is against countryman Amir Khan. That should even make more impossible for Roach to train Hatton since Khan as he said is “my guy." As for Mayweather’s insulting remarks on him leading into the fight, Roach said he had his payback against the outspoken trainer just shortly after the fight. “The thing is I just stood in the middle of the ring, stared at him until he looked at me and I just raised my hands over my head," Roach, whom Mayweather referred to as Coach ‘the joke’ Roach, recalled about the incident. “That was the moment. I was just waiting for that moment." – GMANews.TV
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