Freddie Roach's Presence at Apex of Boxing Is a Testament to His Legendary Skill

As Manny Pacquiao readies himself to take on Chris Algieri on Saturday in Macau, it seems appropriate to salute the continued work of Freddie Roach. The 54-year-old continues to demonstrate why he deserves a place at the table among boxing's most legendary trainers.

While he works with a handful of different fighters, the relationship between Roach and Pacquiao will serve to be the most memorable and arguably the strongest indicator of Roach's excellence.

According to Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times, the two have worked with one another for 30 fights, counting the Algieri bout, which is an incredible tally given how quickly fighters often discard their trainers. Roach helped turn Pacquiao into one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, and he keeps on working to make sure Pacquiao remains there.

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Pugmire spoke with Top Rank's Bob Arum, who went so far as to compare Pacquiao-Roach to the partnership of Muhammad Ali and Angelo Dundee.

"It's different, in that Manny still relies on Freddie as a pupil, while Ali in the end relied on Dundee almost as a cheerleader," said Arum. "That says a lot about Manny, that he realizes Freddie's knowledge is much greater, and how Manny's still willing to learn."

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Roach's legacy will stretch beyond Pacquiao as well. He's covered the entire spectrum of fighters, whether it was promising young stars looking to elevate into the upper echelon or once-great stars who were on the downswing of their careers, like Mike Tyson. Roach even worked with Oscar De La Hoya before De La Hoya fought Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2007.

In terms of pure star power, few can match Roach's extended tree of pupils.

But what stands out the most is the more paternal attitude Roach takes with his fighters. Each guy isn't just a paycheck; he's somebody who needs tutelage and whose health and personal well-being take precedence over everything.

Joe Brescia of The New York Times asked Roach in January 2012 what one skill helped him become such a great trainer.

"The relationship and the trust I have with my fighters," Roach responded. "They know I’m there for them 1,000 percent."

ESPN.com's Dan Rafael also described Roach's refreshing approach:

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Roach isn't the kind of trainer to blow smoke at his fighters. He tells it like it is and serves the truth to them, whether the fighter wants to hear it or not. He has no qualms about telling a guy he should retire when he thinks he has taken too many punches. He did it with Israel Vazquez and James Toney.

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Good guys in the sport of boxing are few and far between. Roach is a good guy.

Of course, you can't talk about Roach without bringing up the fact that he's still working an extremely rigorous schedule despite battling Parkinson's disease. Roach never let the diagnosis impede his work. To the contrary, he believes that boxing helps to keep him sharp.

"Rigidity is the key," Roach said in June, per Bob Velin of USA Today. "You know, people slow down and let it take over. I refuse to do that. I work my ass off every day. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and don't feel so good. But once I get to the gym everything's OK."

Roach can serve as an inspiration for anybody in terms of making the most out of each and every day.

Roach will likely never be considered the best trainer ever. Dundee and Emmanuel Steward are the two who immediately come to mind at the top of the class. But when highlighting the most skilled of this era, Roach should be the jumping-off point in that conversation.