Keith Terceira
Contrary to reports printed elsewhere on the internet, strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza’s job with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is secure.
MP8 contacted Julio’s manager Billy Keene this morning in regards to reports that not only was Ariza no longer training Amir Khan but was out from Julio’s camp.
Keene confirmed today via email that the report was false.
“News to me. Alex is in.”
Ariza , who technically was not even with Khan while Khan was in the Phillipines, notified us in an interview a few weeks ago that
“Khan and I never had a contract completed and signed to train for the Peterson fight, and I have no hard feelings , I wish them luck.”
The whole incident stemmed from Manny and Alex, not disclosing to Freddie Raoch that Alex would be returning to the USA to train Julio for the Andy Lee bout and would pick up training upon’s Pacquiao’s return to the Wild Card.
Roach rather than take offense with Pacquiao not informing him , decided to hold Ariza accountable for the slight, unfortunately for Freddie , Alex works for Manny and not Roach , so there was no need for Ariza to seek anyone’s permission but Pacquiao’s to leave.
Ariza had no working contract with Khan who was training with Freddie in Baguio and had permission from his employer Pacquiao.
The whole incident was overblown by media, Arum, and Roach.
“His head has gotten too big and we needed to calm him down a little bit.” Roach is quoted as saying , the “We” was not explained and one needs to wonder if the “We” stands for Roach and Arum, rather than Manny Pacquiao, who has a firm friendship with the coach, that tells him what the scoop is rather than what he wants to hear.
“Well the thing is, I had Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao, my two top fighters there. Alex wanted to go work with Chavez Jr. and I told him ‘I think it’s a bad move.’ People make decisions and I think it was the wrong one. He’s a grown man and he will have to live with his decision, not me,” Roach said.
Unfortunately for Roach , he may have had two fighters there but only one had an agreement to pay Ariza to train him .
While the Freddie attempts to undermine Ariza’s involvement with Pacquiao, the fact remains that the “Boss” has the final say
“Ariza, they are making a big issue of that, but Alex asked permission to me – if I’m okay that he goes back to LA. But if I don’t agree, he’s not going to leave. I gave him permission to leave,” Pacquiao said.
The only drama that really remains, is the “Why”!
Why, if Freddie agrees that Ariza is good at his job would he risk replacing him, with someone that might not be?
“One thing about Alex, he’s very good at what he does, but he overdid it. He wants to be a strength coach, a cutman, and everything else. His head’s gotten too big and we need to calm him down a little bit. I think he’s bullsh***ing a little bit and I don’t apprectiate that and I’m going to suggest to Manny that we get rid of him or I get a new strength coach,” Roach said.
Sounds more like a power-play on Freddie’s part than anything else, perhaps Alex’s closeness and honesty with the press and Manny is to much for Arum and Roach?
0 comments:
Post a Comment