Ni Gilbert Espeña

Pacquiao, hindi pa rin nabayaran; gusot kay Roach itinanggi.

PINABULAANAN ni eight-division world titlist Manny Pacquiao na may problema sila ni Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach at napipintong matapos ang mahigit isang dekadang tambalan.

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Ayon kay Pacquiao, hindi isyu ang pera na ugat umano ng pagmamarkulyo ng American trainer, kasabay ang pahayag na maging siya ay hindi pa nababayaran ni Top Rank promoter Bob Arum.

Nabigo ang eight-division world champion na maidepensa ang WBO welterweight title kay Australian Jeff Horn sa kontrobersyal na ‘unanimous decision’ nitong Hulyo 2 sa Brisbane, Australia.

Nagsagawa ng review ang binuong independent panel ng WBO, ngunit lumabas na talagang nadomina ni Horn si Pacquiao sa kabuuan ng laban.

“I have no problem with Coach Freddie Roach. I’m not the one paying him, it’s Bob Arum. The trainer’s fee is automatically deducted by Top Rank from my purse,” pahayag ni Pacquiao.

“So, if Coach Freddie has not yet received his payment, we are in the same boat,” aniya. “My purse has not yet been released by Arum.”

Naunang inihayag ni Roach sa US interview na tila malamig na ang pakikitungo sa kanya ni Pacquiao matapos ang laban kay Horn, gayung hindi pa siya nababayaran sa kanyang serbisyo bilang trainer.

“I was trying to see where his head was at and I could not even get him to say hi to me. I don’t know if he was upset with me or what,” sambit ni Roach sa panayam nang Sports Illustrated.

“I really don’t know if he’s mad at me. But I can tell you this: I haven’t been paid yet. So who knows?”

“Manny wasn’t himself. He didn’t look like the Manny Pacquiao I’ve known for a long time. It was almost over in the ninth. One more round like that and, man … he just couldn’t do it,” pahayag ni Roach.

Ibinida naman ni Pacquiao na hindi pa napapanahon ang kanyang pagreretiro at kabilang ang rematch kay Horn sa kanyang planong gawin.