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2010 Trainer of the Year

Boxing’s Best Trainer of the Year for 2010

Trainers are often overlooked in boxing outside of the hardcore fan community. To the mainstream public, maybe one or two big name trainers are known and that’s it. While for some fighters the trainer’s identity won’t make much of an overall difference in their performance, for others the difference can be as large as career revival and championships or stunning failures to utilize the physical tools one has, train properly or develop appropriate game plans. Here’s a look at the boxing Trainer of the Year for 2010, Freddie Roach.

2010 Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach

Credit: Rafael Soto / Top Rank

One way to earn trainer of the year is to do the steady work that advances one or more charges to the forefront of the sport, which is exactly what Freddie Roach has done with two of his boxers. First, Amir Khan solidified his place at the forefront of the red-hot 140 lbs division with wins of Paulie Malignaggi and Marcus Maidana.

The bout with the powerful Argentine Maidana in particular put the tutelage of Roach on display. While Khan slipped a bit at the end of the fight by not grabbing onto Maidana while hurt, it was otherwise a masterful display that put the ghost of Breidis Prescott to rest. Roach showed that he had been earning his pay with that win.

This year also saw Manny Pacquiao solidify his grasp on the welterweight division, with solid wins over Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito. Pacquiao owes much to the evolution that his fighting style has undergone during the nine years he has worked with Roach, and despite the Filipino’s brilliant talents, it is hard to imagine him having achieved what he has at 147 lbs without the able, long-term assistance of Freddie Roach. That relationship paid real dividends in 2010.

Roach has also been working with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. amongst his other fighters, working to boost his status and turn him into a real contender as opposed to simply a popular fighter with a great name and heritage. For some, Freddie Roach is simply the obvious choice for the 2010 Boxing Trainer of the Year, but sometimes, the obvious choice is such because it’s the best option. Roach consistently develops fighters, brings out the best in them, and gives them successful game plans that they can use to win even challenging contests. Congratulations to Freddie Roach on winning the 2010 Trainer of the Year!

Thanks for checking out this installment and be sure to check out the complete list and collection of the ProBoxing-Fans.com 2010 boxing awards!