By Nick Giongco
LOS ANGELES – Manny Pacquiao will address the brewing storm inside his camp following his decision to tap Freddie Roach ahead of his first defense of the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight crown against Adrien Broner in January next year in Las Vegas.
Roach’s inclusion was met by criticism by two key figures in the training camp: Buboy Fernandez and conditioning coach Justin Fortune.
“That’ll be okay,” Pacquiao told the Bulletin on Wednesday before he had his cardio examination.
“I will talk to them (Fernandez and Fortune),” said Pacquiao, who declared his wish to rehire Roach during the New York leg of a two-city press tour earlier in the week.
Fernandez was elevated to the role of chief trainer when Pacquiao beat Argentine Lucas Matthysse last July in Kuala Lumpur and Roach’s return didn’t augur well with him.
Fortune likewise lamented Roach’s impending return, saying that Pacquiao’s decision to bring him back “makes for a bad (training) camp.”
“It’s going to be toxic,” said Fortune, who was in the corner manned by Fernandez when Pacquiao battered Matthysse into submission.
Still, Fernandez swears it is Pacquiao who calls the shots since he will be the one fighting and he assures his long-time friend that he will do his best to work alongside Roach.
Roach told the Bulletin in an interview at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood also on Wednesday that a copy of a contract (boxer-trainer) has been forwarded to Pacquiao’s people.
Though the finer points of the contract were not revealed Roach said a copy has has been received by Joe Ramos, who heads MP Promotions.
“There’s been a contract each fight. It’s always been that way. Nothing different. I told my lawyer (Nick Khan) what to put in the contract and what Manny told me. They have the contract and everyone’s happy. No problem,” said Roach.
