HBO's 'On Freddie Roach' Debuts Jan. 20
by Gautham Nagesh
HBO’s first televised card of the year isn’t until February 4th but fight fans will get a early present from the premium cable network with the debut of the new reality series “On Freddie Roach” on January 20.
The six-episode cinéma-vérité series from Friday Night Lights director Peter Berg will follow Roach, best known for owning the famous Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood where he trains the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Amir Khan, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and others. Roach’s ongoing battle with Parkinson’s disease, a result of his own fighting career, will also be a focus.
From HBO:
A native of Dedham, Mass., Freddie Roach has an extensive amateur boxing background. He fought as a professional under the tutelage of legendary Hall of Fame trainer Eddie Futch, ending his professional boxing career in 1987 with a record of 41 wins and 13 losses. Upon retiring, Roach became Futch’s apprentice.
In 1992, Mickey Rourke financed Roach’s first gym, the Outlaw Boxing Club. He has gone on to train more than 20 world champions, including Manny Pacquiao, Amir Khan, Oscar de la Hoya and Mike Tyson. Roach has been honored five times as Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America and has been inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame. On Dec. 6, 2011, he was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
I’ve covered Roach’s fighters many times but the only personal encounter I’ve had with him came after Lamont Peterson’s stunning upset of Amir Khan in Washington last month. As Anna and I were making our way to the front door of the convention center, well after the press conference and festivities had ended, there stood Roach with a small group of people waiting for their rides.
It was three in the morning and his second-best fighter had just suffered a major setback courtesy of some questionable refereeing, but Roach was still the same gentleman he always appears to be on TV. I knew he was exhausted so we eschewed a picture in favor of a simple handshake, after which I told him I was very much looking forward to a show focused on him.
Roach is often the target of criticism because he has won the BWAA’s Trainer of the Year award five times. While he is undoubtedly one of the sport’s premier minds there are others on the same level, most notably Emmanuel Steward and possible the Mayweathers. But unlike Floyd Sr. and Roger Mayweather, Roach gets a lot of credit for being a decent, nice guy in addition to a tremendous trainer (Manny Steward is a peach in person as well). Perhaps that’s not fair, but it’s something that happens in every walk of life.
I recently put out an open call for nominations and votes for our year-end awards, seeking input on who had the best 2011. While Roach got his share of nods, the most telling (and influential) vote for Trainer of the Year came from the man himself, unsolicited over Twitter.
So who does Freddie Roach think should be Stiff Jab‘s top trainer for 2011? Peterson’s mentor, Barry Hunter. There’s no better example of Roach’s class and sportsmanship, especially considering the bitterness Khan has displayed since the loss. That’s why I’ll be glued to my TV in two weeks when Roach finally gets the spotlight he has richly deserved for so long.