Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao clarified that he has not made any decisions on who will be his trainer for his upcoming fight against WBA welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse yet.
Pacquiao made the clarification in a social media post on Monday, April 16, amid reports that he has cut ties with Freddie Roach, who’s been his trainer since 2001.
“Contrary to statements which I personally did not make that are circulating in the media, I have not made my final decision who will be my head trainer for my July 14 (U.S. time) fight with (Lucas) Matthysse,” Pacquiao said.
“My advisor Mike Koncz has been in contact with Freddie’s people to keep them informed. I will make a final decision within the week,” he added.
In earlier interviews, Koncz told media that Pacquiao has replaced Roach with Buboy Fernandez, the Filipino boxer’s lifelong friend and the career-long assistant trainer.
According to Koncz, Pacquiao “wasn’t very pleased” with some of Roach’s statements to the media during Pacquiao’s fight against Jeff Horn in July last year in Brisbane, Australia.
Roach, in response, said he did not hear personally from Pacquiao about the split up, and was hurt by the news.
“Manny and I had a great run for 16 years—longer than most marriages and certainly a rarity for boxing,” Roach said in a statement last week.
“I wouldn’t trade any of it. Inside the boxing ring and the political ring, I wish Manny nothing but the best,” he added. “I would be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t hurt that he didn’t contact me personally about his decision, but the great times we enjoyed together far outweigh that.”
But Pacquiao on Monday clarified that he has not made a final decision on who will be his trainer yet.
“When that decision is made, Freddie will be the first one to be informed, and then I will advise the media,” the Filipino boxer added.
