Roach earns nod for Trainer of the Year

Manny Pacquiao would be one of the world’s great fighters had he never met Freddie Roach. He would be the idol of millions in the Philippines if he’d hired any reasonably competent professional to coach him back in 2001.

Pacquiao is so physically gifted, he overwhelms opponents with sheer natural ability.

But there is no doubt that as great as Pacquiao is, he’s benefitted immensely from having chosen Roach.

In seven years, Roach methodically molded Pacquiao into the world’s greatest fighter. And the world’s finest fighter had his finest year in 2008, thanks in large part to Roach’s work in the gym and in the corner. For that, Roach is the easy choice as the Yahoo! Sports Trainer of the Year for 2008.

Roach’s fighters didn’t win every one of their fights. Super welterweight Vanes Martirosyan improved markedly after ditching Roach for Ronnie Shields.

On a day-to-day basis in the gym, however, there are few better at preparing a fighter and fixing his weaknesses than Roach.

Pacquiao was brilliant in 2008, winning a split decision over Juan Manuel Marquez and stopping David Diaz and Oscar De La Hoya.

The Pacquiao of 2008 is unquestionably the sport’s top dog – he was a unanimous 30-for-30 choice as the pound-for-pound king in the December Yahoo! Sports rankings – in no small part because of Roach’s work.

Pacquiao was already an accomplished fighter when Roach began to train him in 2001. He’d already won, and then lost, the WBC flyweight title before meeting Roach. He was gifted with exceptionally fast hands and extraordinary power.

The Pacquiao of 2001, though, would not have stood a chance against the Pacquiao of 2008, however, because of the way Roach has developed and refined his game.

Whereas Pacquiao was once strictly a one-handed fighter who was not difficult to hit, he’s now dangerous with the right as well as the left and he’s no longer eating the big blows he took earlier in this career.

Roach helped Pacquiao improve his balance, increase his defensive awareness, develop his right and tighten his punches.

Roach is almost a master game planner as well as a sharp eye in the corner. He’s able to suggest subtle changes during a fight that can make the difference between winning and losing.

Roach wasn’t the only trainer who had a good year. Javier Capetillo helped Antonio Margarito to a pair of significant stoppage wins, over Miguel Cotto and Kermit Cintron.

Capetillo, whose training camps are no different than Marine boot camp, urged Margarito to be more aggressive after his July 14, 2007, loss to Paul Williams. Margarito overwhelmed Golden Johnson in his next outing, stopping the ex-champion in the first round on Nov. 10, 2007.

Then Margarito dismantled both Cintron and Cotto in 2008, and he readily credits Capetillo for his brilliant work.

There are few trainers, if any, who are better in the gym, particularly when given a long time to work with a fighter, than former U.S. Olympic team coach Kenny Adams.

Adams has been working quietly with power-punching Edwin Valero in his Las Vegas gym, closing the many big holes in Valero’s game.

Enzo Calzaghe, the 2007 Yahoo! Sports Trainer of the Year, led his son, Joe, to a pair of big wins in 2008 and continued to do good work.

But no one was as good consistently or had as much impact in 2008 as Roach.

For that, Roach is the 2008 Yahoo! Sports Trainer of the Year.