It's almost as much fun as the matchup in the ring.
The bad blood got spilled again in the pre-fight media gatherings leading up to "The Battle of East and West" on HBO pay-per-view ($49.95) next month.
A special four-tier trophy standing more than 5 feet tall, with the inscription "No. 1 Pound for Pound Best Trainer in the World," was unveiled Monday at a Hollywood red-carpet news conference to promote the fight. It prompted both trainers to up the ante in their long-raging war of words.
As usual, Mayweather, of Grand Rapids, belittled Roach.
"They've got Roach in the hall of fame. He should be in the hall of shame," he told the international media. "Let's tell the truth like it is: You see Freddie Roach training and you see me training, it's night and day. Don't even compare. Don't even come close. Freddie Roach is a joke. And that's why I say his name is Freddie 'The Joke Coach' Roach, as far as I'm concerned.
Roach didn't hesitate to fire back.
He, after all, recently was named 2008 Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America -- for an unprecedented third time.
"Floyd can read some good poems. That he's all good at that I know of. What has Floyd Sr. achieved? His son's a natural-born fighter. His brother, Roger, trained him anyway. Floyd never trained his son for a world title fight," he said. "He tells me he's the greatest (trainer), but what has he done?
"He trained Oscar De La Hoya after Oscar has already won four world titles," he added, for emphasis. "Floyd is a legend in his own mind."
The feud flared up again during a private media luncheon.
The animosity between the rival trainers stems from when De La Hoya fired Mayweather in 2007 and hired Roach to prepare him for a fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
A transcript of their latest verbal exchange Monday, captured by Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times, appeared on BoxingScene.com. Some of the highlights:
Mayweather Sr.: My man is all those good things we were talking about. And then you went over to Freddie 'The Joke Coach' Roach.
Roach: Please change that. Get a new line. That one's old.
Mayweather Sr.: It's old Freddie, but it's got to be used because you is a roach. You is a joke, Roach.
Roach: You were the greatest. Just shut up.
Mayweather Sr.: Freddie, don't get upset. We are all just here talking. I know I get up under your skin, don't worry about it.
Roach: Can I borrow some of your rings?
Mayweather Sr.: You can buy them. Sure you can.
Roach: I can't afford them.
Mayweather Sr.: You can't afford them? We both (got) a lot of money. Is that what you're trying to say. It's like the stupid thing you said before. You are in the Hall of Fame. No, you belong in the hall of shame.
Roach: I'm in the hall of fame. Are you?
Mayweather Sr.: I have to stand up when I hear a guy like you is in the hall of fame. You have to be joking me. Everybody knows that you are a joke. You know that you don't belong in the hall of fame. You know the old guy that died, Eddie Futch. I'm saying that because you didn't get in the hall of fame yourself.
Roach: Why aren't you (in there)?
Mayweather Sr.: You didn't get in the hall of fame yourself. You don't know nothing. We all know that you're punch drunk anyway.
Roach: And you're not? And you're not?
The report concludes with Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, interrupting the affair: "Alright, we are going to put that on the undercard."
Hilarious stuff.
Perhaps more entertaining is what'll happen if Hatton defeats Pacquiao and lures Mayweather Jr. out of retirement for a rumored megafight in November.
Imagine the verbal sparring match between trainers Floyd Mayweather Sr. and his estranged brother, Roger, who replaced him in corner and helped guide "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather's rise to the title of pound-for-pound king.
If that happens, it'll be a Mayweather three-for-all leading up to that contest.
Source: http://www.mlive.com/boxing/index.ssf/2009/04/trainers_floyd_mayweather_sr_f.html
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