– In this Aug. 6, 2013 file photo, Boxer Manny Pacquiao speaks to reporters during a news conference in New York. Manny Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, was involved in a physical altercation with the entourage of opponent Brandon Rios on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
MANILA, Philippines—After a highly talked about scuffle between Manny Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach and Brandon Rios’ camp Wednesday morning, things seemed to have calmed down.
And the calmest of all was Pacquiao, who only had one thing to say: no trash talking.
Speaking at the final press conference ahead of “Clash in Cotai” on Sunday in Macau, Pacquiao advocated that trash talking is not good for the sport of boxing.
“Let everybody finish in the ring, no trash talk before the fight. It’s not a good example to people who admire boxing,” Pacquiao said Wednesday night.
The Filipino boxing champion, who’s looking to end his two-fight losing skid, also said that part of their job as boxers is to “perform and entertain. It’s nothing personal.”
This came just hours after Roach, Pacquiao’s longtime head trainer, Brandon Rios’ trainer Robert Garcia and conditioning coach Alex Ariza came to blows during training at the gym.
Expletives were thrown at each other as both sides exchanged tirades. Roach later on was quoted as saying that Ariza kicked him in the chest.
Garcia, who also had his time at the dais, addressed the scuffle and wondered out loud why none of the media who witnessed the altercation “are printing out exactly what happened.”
Roach, meanwhile, just brushed off Garcia’s comments and just talked about how Pacquiao “is in the “best shape of his life.”
“Every day is a good day, we do a lot of hardwork. He did a great job. I expect him to have a performance of his life Sunday, no problem.”
While the tension is still high among the people surrounding the two fighters, both Pacquiao and Rios just looked more focused than ever.
“He’s hungry, I’m hungry too because I lost twice in the last year. I’m doing my best to win the fight, especially after what happened to my countrymen,” Pacquiao said.
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