Khan: Parkinson's affected Freddie Roach's training

Amir "King" Kahn seems to have a lot of excuses after he loses a fight.  If it's not the referee and judges like his loss to Lamont Peterson in December, it's the pre-fight taunts from Danny Garcia's trainer Angel Garcia — whom he attributed the fourth-round knockout in July. During Tuesday's press conference at the Los Angeles Sports Arena to promote his upcoming Showtime fight against Carlos Molina (17-0-1, 7 KO's) on Dec. 15, Khan took his blame game to a place where nobody should go. Instead of pinning the loss on himself, Khan (26-3, 18 KOs) said the reason he replaced Freddie Roach with trainer Virgil Hunter after the Garcia loss was because Roach's Parkinson's disease was affecting his ability to coach. "Freddie's illness, it's very hard to see him as he's getting older.  I believe that he's getting worse, and I wish him all the best.  Freddie is still, with the Parkinson's disease, doing a great job working the mitts and working with fighters day in and day out.  I just believe that I need someone who is going to work me that bit harder and get the best out of me." The 25-year-old British boxer has never faulted his glass jaw or defensive lapses and might just be miffed that Roach — one of the world's most sought after trainers — didn't stop working with Manny Pacquiao or any of the other boxers he trains to spend all of his time with Khan. That's fine.  But don't diss the man because he is ill. "Freddie, with the Parkinson's disease, he was struggling with instructions and couldn't move." Still, it was Khan who went to Roach fully knowing that the successful trainer has battled Parkinson's for years.  You aren't named Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America five times if the only thing you can do is work the mitts. Khan has a chance to redeem himself with Hunter in his corner, but a loss to Molina — in the 12-round 140 lb. bout — could end his career as a a big time draw. The skilled Khan had every right to switch trainers but laying blame on Roach's illness is just a low blow.

Original Story: http://ihatelupica.blogspot.com/2012/...