in one of the countdown shows calzaghe vs hopkins or hopkins vs wright (cant remember which one) Hopkins was talking about why he hired Roach, he said he hired him because he respected him and knew him from long time ago, he then went on to say how he would often come and train in wild card and was good friends with roach because of the "james toney situation". what did he mean by the james toney situation?
I don't know, but I'd really like to find out too. I know that Roach stopped training Toney because he said that Toney was embarrassing himself and Roach by turning up for the 2nd Peter fight in a horrible physical state and getting beaten up. Maybe this is something to do with it somehow?? Hopefully someone can shed some proper light on this.
last i remember roach told toney he wouldn't train him anymore because he thinks its time for him to retire.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/chris_mannix/03/12/pacquiao.quit/index.html It's a challenge persuading a fighter to retire. When Roach told Bernard Hopkins to walk away, Hopkins sniffed that Roach had just lost his paycheck. A similar conversation with James Toney ended with a snarling Toney telling Roach to "go f--- himself." :rofl:rofl:rofl Poor Roach, just being honest and trying to help these men and look how they responded
I think Roach was pissed at Toney before and after the Peter rematch because Toney didn't prepare himself properly for that fight. Toney was busy lifting weights and doing tae bo with that idiot Billy Blanks, and trying to get his weight down, instead of sparring countless rounds in the Wild Card gym, like he used to do before fights. The result was that Toney showed up 1 pound heavier for the rematch than he did for the first fight (though he was more muscular), and that he was stiff, totally out of balance and had no timing. That cost him the fight, and it was ugly. But Roach still was in his corner when he faced Danny Batchelder, and that was the last drop. Again, Toney didn't train enough and gave a poor performance in the ring. Plus he got caught with roids. I think Roach was right leaving him then. But it's also partly Roachs own fault, because he was more like a pal with James than a trainer. He had no authority at all over James. And James, being a difficult character, needs someone who keeps him in the gym. An old-school trainer like Bill Miller or Eddie Mustapha. Though it has been proven that old-school trainers like Bill Miller, Mustapha or Shadeed Suluki weren't able to control Toneys training and eating habits either.
Good post Frost. Now you are a massive Toney fan, and I don't know if you have noticed me posting on JT on the boards, but I consider myself a big fan and supporter of him too. Can I ask you please - what is your view of the whole Toney roids thing?
Money won't pay off to clear his reputation though. If Toney loses, Roach looks bad, that's how it is with the majority regardless of whether Toney or others are shot or not. The media pressure these trainers by asking them such questions about why don't they convince their guy, old or not, to retire when they're on a losing streak and late in their careers. I think you remember well how the Tyson/Williams fight affected Roach back then, even Roach admitted that accepting Tyson was a risky move but he could afford to do it back. A good example is McGirt, he's a good trainer and I'm sure many will agree but unlucky with fighters that don't listen to his advice yet the majority, who are casuals, blame him for it because he's the man walking these fighters in the ring and speaking in the corner.
