One of Manny Pacquiao’s former entourage members is accusing the boxer’s trainer of striking him in an attempt to get him to leave their Hollywood training facility.
Gregorio Asuncion is suing the Filipino champion’s trainer, Freddie Roach, and the Wild Card Gym Boxing Club in a California court.
Asuncion alleges that Roach knocked him to the ground as Asuncion was trying to clear out the Hollywood training facility so Pacquiao could train in October 2008.
“Somebody hit me from the back, it was so strong immediately I knelt down and it felt like the roof was falling over me,” Asuncion said. “I saw Mr Freddie Roach behind me. He said, ‘I told you already to leave this gym, to get the hell out of here.’”
Asuncion told his lawyer, Robert McNeill, during questioning it had to be Roach who hit him because, “He was the only one behind me.”
Asuncion said he was notified by another member of Pacquiao’s camp to leave the gym so Pacquiao could begin a training session.
“He said Freddie did not want me to watch the practice,” Asuncion said.
Asuncion then said he walked up to Roach to ask if he could stay.
“I asked whether I could watch the practice of Manny because it was my day off at that time,” Asuncion said. “He said, ‘I don’t want you here, there’s a lot of people here already.’”
Asuncion said moments later Roach approached him and allegedly hit him on the shoulders with both fists from behind.
Asuncion, 52, testified he was stunned, and then someone else pushed him out of the gym.
According to court documents, Asuncion was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for a neck sprain and a contusion to the head.
Roach denies striking Asuncion and says he put his hands on the plaintiff’s shoulders in a “friendly gesture.”
■TAYLOR TAKES A REST
AP, LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
Jermain Taylor withdrew from the Super Six World Boxing Classic on Tuesday, although the former middleweight champion stopped short of announcing his retirement.
The decision had been widely expected after Taylor was knocked out in the 12th round by Arthur Abraham in October, his second straight late-round stoppage. Taylor (28-4 with one draw) was also knocked out in the final round by Carl Froch in April.
“I’m going to take some time off from the sport of boxing,” Taylor said in a statement. “It’s important that I give my body and mind some much-needed rest, because I have been boxing for nearly 20 years. I plan on keeping myself in shape and making a return to the sport sometime in the future.”
Taylor has lost four of his last five fights, including three by knockout, and was hospitalized after the loss to Abraham in Germany.
The 31-year-old Taylor was scheduled to face WBA champion Andre Ward on April 17 in the second leg of Showtime’s modified round-robin tournament.
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