Roach to join former mentor Futch in Hall of Fame

Freddie Roach, eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao's long-time trainer, has finally gotten his long-deserved place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBOHF) as he will be one of 13 personalities to be inducted in Canastota, New York during its annual banquet dinner on June 10, 2012.

Roach, 51, is in the company of such esteemed boxing greats like multi-division world champion Tommy 'The Hitman' Hearns, two-division champion Mark Johnson, ring announcer Michael Buffer, broadcaster Al Bernstein, and journalist Michael Katz.

A five-time Trainer of the Year winner, Roach was naturally honored with the award.

"I started my professional boxing career with Eddie Futch and now, we will be enshrined together in the (IBHOF) with the greatest legends of the sport. I am truly honored and humbled,” said Roach on his Twitter account.

Futch molded the legendary boxing careers of champions like Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Ken Norton, Riddick Bowe, Michael Spinks, Alexis Arguello, among others. He took Roach under his wings shortly after the soft-spoken owner of the Wild Card gym retired as a fighter with a professional record of 40 wins and 13 losses.

Like Futch, Roach became a champion trainer himself and handled the likes of Virgil Hill, Mike Tyson, Israel Vazquez and James Toney

But it was his partnership with Pacquiao cemented his legacy as one of boxing's all-time great trainers, with the Filipino boxing icon winning eight titles in as many weight divisions in their 10-year collaboration.

Yet, Roach still remains very humble.

"The award is based on the fighters I've worked with and not on me,” added Roach, a five-time Trainer of the Year awardee by the Boxing Writers Associaiton of America (BWAA). He won the award in 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Pacquiao also sent his congratulatory message, via Twitter, to his so-called 'Master Trainer.'

Congratulations to Freddie Roach for his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame,” Pacquiao tweeted Roach.

Aside from Pacquiao, Roach also trains current world light-welterweight and light middleweight champions Amir Khan and Julio Cesar Chavez, respectively.

The rest of the 2012 Hall of Fame Class are posthumous honorees Cocoa Kid, Newsboy Brown, Leo Houck, Jake Kilrain, Hugh D. McIntosh, Rip Valenti, and James Wharton (Young Molineaux). —

source JVP, GMA News

Posted in: Boxing, Freddie Roach, Mayweather, Pacquiao