Ripping of Margarito Camp for mocking Freddie Roach will continue
If you want to be in the limelight, behind the podium, you’re going to have to respect its responsibilities. After all the flack over his fighters’s remarks, Robert Garcia (right) learned the hard way what his duties entail.
The harsh remarks heard:
“Rios, you and that Marga-cheato, act more like retards than anyone I know. And since the taping of that video about Freddie (Roach) was done in the Garcia Gym, did Garcia actually approve it? I always thought he had more class. It will all bounce back on the three of you. You can apologize all you want but believe me the damage has been done.”
“Only a stupid person who shoots himself in the head will survive, because that bullet won’t hit the target, the brain…because your brains are too small to get hit. Allowing that farce to air on the internet, mocking someone who is suffering from a debilitating illness, shows you have absolutely no class.”
“You go from being a top athlete to an illiterate dog in the street. What a great advertisement for the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy. ‘We not only teach you how to box, we teach you how to make a fool out of yourself.’”
“Even if Margarito gets lucky in Saturday night’s fight and lands that one big knockout blow, the principles in this mess proved to boxing fans that they lack class. And, since they are devoid of class, it’s best I explain the meaning of the word. It means having style, polish, sophistication, politeness, grace, good manners and good breeding. It appears they have none of these.”
Just like the Public Relations people hired by the teams in the NBA and National Football League, boxing trainers/managers like Robert Garcia are going to have to be more careful when their professional boxers are around the Media. Any derogatory remark can be repeated and often blown out of proportion to make tomorrow’s headline.
If we look back at Brandon Rios’s boxing career, he had an outstanding amateur career, but was often unable to refrain from throwing punches when he was not on the clock. It can also been noted he’s had several dust-ups with the law until his trainer introduced him to his wife, Vicky Lopez. Prior to their meeting, she had made a career of working with troubled youth. Here’s hoping she’ll be his salvation.
When looking back over Margarito’s career, especially his fight with Miguel Cotto, boxing fans have to wonder about the claims he hasn’t always been the most honorable of boxers. Ever since that Cotto fight people have been wondering whether his gloves were loaded for that fight and why was he allowed to get away with the late hit after Cotto’s knee was on the canvass. Everyone knows you are not allowed to hit a man while he’s down and Cotto’s knee was definitely down. That foul normally leads to a disqualification. Also, you have to wonder if they’ll be any follow-up to the latest incident where Margarito was seen receiving a last minute drink with an unknown powdery substance before Saturday’s bout. Rules are rules and why shouldn’t everyone observe them?
Freddie Roach has moved on after receiving the apologies from Garcia and Margarito for the stupid video that appeared to be mocking his trembling hands. “It affects a lot more people than me,” said Roach. “A lot of people have Parkinson’s.”
Roach has both Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s Syndrome, which can be caused by repeated blows to the head. During his illustrious boxing career in the ‘80s, Roach had a record of 40-13 while fighting 406 often brutal rounds. He has since won acclaim for training great fighters, like Manny Pacquaio, Amir Khan, etc., etc. In the works is a pilot for a reality show that will be based out of his Wild Card gym in Hollywood.
Roach is one of approximately one million people in the U.S. with this neurological disease. “I can’t control my tremors as much as I used to,” said the 50-year-old. “Before, I could by using my brain to stop them, but I can’t do that anymore.”
On Monday, after the Pacquiao/Margarito fight, Roach was at the UCLA medical center in Los Angeles, where he was scheduled for an MRI to check the advance of the disease.
