From the Thursday, 15-Apr-99 Albuquerque Journal:
http://www.abqjournal.com/sports/1sports04-15.htm

Tapia's Trainer Still Fighting

Roach Has Tough Opponent in Parkinson's Disease

By Dennis Latta
Albuquerque Journal Staff Writer

RUIDOSO -- Freddie Roach was embarrassed, and that made him
uncomfortable. He had just been asked about Parkinson's disease. He
doesn't deny that he has it. He just doesn't like to talk about it.

Roach, a former boxer who acknowledged he has taken his share of
shots, has suffered from the disease for the last 10 years.

''They call mine induced Parkinson's. It's the result of trauma,''
says Roach, trainer for Albuquerque fighter Johnny Tapia.

''It's more embarrassing than anything. People stare at you, but
that's just people's nature."

Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the muscular system that
reduces muscular control. Instead of letting it dominate his life,
Roach is controlling the disease.

He's using his problem as a plus by making certain that other boxers
don't suffer the same fate.

Roach and Tapia are secluded in this mountainous community in
southern New Mexico to prepare for Tapia's April 24 bout against
Sergio Rafael Liendo at Tingley Coliseum.

No one can demonstrate better than Roach the importance of defending
against punches. He talks from personal experience when he tells a
boxer about the dangers of taking too many punches.

''I had 54 pro fights,'' says Roach, 39, whose speech is somewhat
slurred. ''I was 27-1 at my best. I was one of those guys who would
take two punches to give three. Later in my career, I started getting
hit. I was a little on the downside. I had a good but short career.''

As a boxer, Roach had no signs of Parkinson's. It was after he
became a trainer that he showed the symptoms suddenly. It's the same
disease that has slowed Muhammad Ali, but Roach doesn't have it as
seriously.

''I don't know that much about Parkinson's,'' Roach says. ''I've had
it for 10 years, and it's gotten no worse. I went to the University
of British Columbia where they studied me."

Don't expect him to be bitter about it.

''Boxing is a tough sport," he says. "I chose it, and now I can deal
with it.'' Roach does watch boxers from a different view.

''I can pick up signs of the disease quickly and tell when fighters
need to retire," he says. "I can tell when it's time for them to
quit.''

At 45-0-2, Tapia has had a successful career. He's 32, which is on
the higher end of age for fighters, especially in the lighter
weights.

''He doesn't have any of the signs,'' Roach says, after studying
Tapia for indications that he should be considering retirement.
''He's never taken a beating. He's very healthy.''

Parkinson's causes Roach to stretch out his neck, and he walks with
an impediment. But it doesn't hinder him from doing his job. He still
climbs in the ring and works the mitts with Tapia or whomever he's
training. He's able to keep up the regimen that's necessary to train
a fighter.

''It doesn't slow me down at all," Roach says. "I refuse to give in.
I've decided that the best thing to do is fight the Parkinson's.''

He has built quite a reputation as a trainer. Tapia, who has gone
through a long list of trainers, had wanted Roach in his corner
earlier. But Roach had obligations with other boxers and wasn't
available. He was busy working with Virgil Hill and Michael Moorer.

''I like Freddie," Tapia says. "I was supposed to pick up Freddie a
long time ago, but he couldn't do it."

Says Roach of Tapia, ''He's listening to me. He's very capable.
We're working on a few things, like pivoting and his balance.''

Boxing fans in New Mexico remember Roach from a classic fight he had
with Albuquerque's Tommy Cordova for the ESPN title on June 12, 1984.
Cordova won a split decision, with both fighters taking and giving a
lot of hard blows.

''We only fought once," Roach says. "We really didn't like each
other much at that point."

Roach is only too familiar with what boxers go through when they
stop fighting. Most are lost souls who aren't trained to do anything
else.

''I didn't have a dime when I quit," Roach says. "My biggest
paycheck was for $13,000. The IRS was standing there when I got the
check. I just signed it and gave it to them. I owed it all to them.

''I tried doing some telemarketing, and then I drank a whole lot for
a year. For everything I put in it (boxing), I didn't get nothing out
of it. You find out who your real friends are."