Here We Go! ROACH SUING ARIZA FOR ASSAUL

By Eddie Alinea
www.philboxing.com
MACAU, China – “Good!”
This was the immediate reaction of Hall of Fame promoter and Top Rank bossman Bob Arum when informed that
Manny Pacquiao’s chief trainer Freddie Roach plans to seek legal redress against conditioning coach Alex Ariza for
the latter’s assault on the former in last Wednesday’s ugly confrontation at the practice gym of The Venetian Macau
Resort Hotel here.
Arum, in an interview, told this writer the incident, which happened last Wednesday that saw Ariza kick Roach at the
height of verbal and physical altercation between members of Team Pacquiao and Team Rios is, in the long run,
bad for boxing.
“The incident might look good for the fight because of the impact it can create as far as pay-per-view and ticket
sales are concerned, but it can also spell trouble in our desire to foster friendly relations with China through boxing,”
Arum said.
“China and, for that matter, the Chinese are still not familiar to the sport of boxing so that they, too, are not used to
what boxing is all about,” he said. “Violent incidents such as this are not what boxing needs at a time when we are
still introducing the sport in this part of the world.”
“Had the incident happen in the U.S., well, the Americans could consider that as part of the game,” but here, it’s
against Chinese culture,” Arum, a lawyer, reasoned out.
Arum welcomed Roach’s decision to seek intervention of the court even as he said that he and the entity he
represents doesn’t have the power to even sanction Ariza and those concerned.
“We just don’t have the power and authority to punish those who would be found guilty of acts of violence outside of
the ring, he explained. “ Not even WBO, WBC or any sanctioning body in boxing. Freddie would be doing the right
thing by going to court.”
Asked how the ppv sales are going, Arum declined to comment except to say “it’s too early to talk about that. Maybe
you can ask me tomorrow.”
Ticket sales though is “doing great. All seats (at the Cotai Arena inside the Venetian Macau Resort Hotel) are
practically taken.”