by James Slater – Old-school trainer Freddie Roach has spoken up about the recent large number of big fights that have fallen foul of postponements – with two delayed fights in particular getting Freddie’s goat up. Roach is very angry at the fact that WBA light-welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik had to delay his defence against his fighter Amir Khan for three weeks due to toothache, and the great trainer has also expressed how dismayed he is that Floyd Mayweather Junior pulled out of his July 18th bout with Juan Manuel Marquez with a rib injury..
Roach spoke with Setanta Sports about the fight that should have taken place on June 27th, but is now going ahead on July 18th.
“We’ve had a great training camp, we peaked in sparring, I’m very disappointed this opponent pulled out with a toothache,” Roach said. “I remember when champions fought. If he [Kotelnik] can fight two weeks later – come on! I’m a little ticked off because we peaked. Now we have to go back to America to get the sparring partners intact and make the preparations again.
“It’s very disappointing of course but these things happen. Mayweather pulled out with a bad rib – I remember when fighters fought. Kotelnik said he’d knock us out quicker than the last guy Prescott but then he gets a toothache and pulls out of the fight. I think it’s bullshit.”
There do seem to be more and more fights being postponed and delayed these days, that’s for sure. And when Freddie talks about remembering when fighters fought, he is likely referring to guys like Joe Frazier and other tough guys from a different era. Frazier not only fought most if not all of his pro career virtually blind in one eye, he also fought in the Olympic games with a busted thumb. No way do fighters do things like that today, and no way would they be willing to even if it were allowed.
Are fighters less tough today than they used to be? Or are they smarter and more able to control their destiny? These questions and others like them could make up a full article by themselves. An argument for another day, then.
As for Khan, he says the delay will not trouble him when the fight comes on July 18th, and that he is looking forward to becoming world champion for the first time.