Roach shrugs off Ariza’s Twitter taunt

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach countered the recent claim of Manny Pacquiao’s former conditioning coach Alex Ariza that the multi-awarded trainer’s best days as a cornerman is over, saying Ariza doesn’t deserve the media attention.

Roach fired Ariza as Pacquiao’s conditioning coach with Ariza moving over to Brandon Rios, whom the Filipino icon will be facing in November in Macau.

Ariza recently took a swipe at Roach on Twitter.

“Because Freddie physically can’t push the fighters anymore and it’s caused a 2yr losing streak and it’s getting fighters Knock Out!” tweeted Ariza, referring to Pacquiao’s losses to Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez.

In a report by Chris Robinson of hustleboss.com, Roach brushed off Ariza’s statement, daring reporters to ask the fighters he currently trains whether he has shown signs of slippage.

“You know, he (Ariza) can say what he wants,” Roach said. “All I ask you guys to do is, ask Ruslan Provodnikov, ask Miguel Cotto, ask Manny Pacquiao have I slowed down at all? Ask them that question. Do I believe in my fighters? Do I want them to win? Do I push them? Ask them that and they’ll give you the right answer.”

It was Roach’s turn then to take a swipe at Ariza.

“The thing is, the more I talk about him the more press he gets and I don’t want to give him any press. The thing is, I didn’t feel like he was doing anything for Pacquiao and I wanted Pacquiao to go back to the old ways,” said the bespectacled trainer.

It has been reported that Roach and some members of Team Pacquiao pointed to Ariza as the one responsible for the fighting congressman’s battle with cramps during his recent bouts.

The five-time Boxing Writers Association of America Trainer of the Year is set to arrive in the Philippines within the month to train Pacquiao in General Santos City for his fight with Rios on Nov. 24. – Dino Maragay/Contributor