Freddie Roach believes Virgil Hunter cannot change Amir Khan’s character – Boxing News
Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach believes Virgil Hunter cannot change Briton fighter Amir Khan’s career. According to Roach, Hunter is definitely a great coach but he will not be able to help Khan, as you can never change a person’s character.
Roach is currently in Los Angeles, hoping for a win of his fighter Manny Pacquiao against nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao has always been Roach’s number one fighter while Khan was his second, until the latter left.
“They told me if I fire Manny Pacquiao and [Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.] that they’ll keep me on as trainer, and they wanted to be number one,” said Roach when asked about why he and Amir Khan parted ways. “I said ‘Right now I can’t do that’ and they said ‘We’re
going to go in a different direction then’. So I said ‘Good luck and I wish you the best’.”
“Can (Hunter) he change Amir Khan? I don’t think that’s possible; people can’t change their character, he is what he is,” Roach added regarding Khan.
Khan decided to part ways with Roach following his knockout loss to American unbeaten fighter Danny Garcia on July 14 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, Khan believed that his loss came due to Roach, who was unable to give him
enough time.
For Khan, Roach was giving more attention to Filipino fight king Manny Pacquiao. Moreover, Khan also revealed that one of his reasons to leave was that he had to travel too much to fit in the fitness regime. Khan is now working with three-time trainer of
the year Virgil Hunter to revive his career.
The Briton believes he has all the skills to be on the top but his defence was never polished by Roach, something that Hunter is working on now. Khan also has asserted that Hunter is training him mentally as well as physically.
For Roach, Khan can never change and he can never face punchers. Roach has previously challenged Khan to meet his fighter, Pacquiao, in the ring to see where the Briton stands. Of course, Khan would never deliberately go for another knockout loss.
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