If Marquez stuns Mayweather, Beristain may edge Roach

There’s a good chance that Coach Freddie Roach will take a fourth Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) “Trainer of the Year Award.”
The trophy shelves of Roach is already sagging from the weight of Eddie Futch-John FX Condon Aawards given out by the fight scribes.

I’d say that Roach may be the leader at the halfway pole for 2009 but there is also some sentiment favoring Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, the great Mexican trainer, and Nazzim Richardson, trainer of Sugar Shane Mosley.

The virtual shutout victory of Roach protégé Amir Khan over WBA junior welterweight champion Andreas Kotelnik Saturday night gives the Bostonian a leg up. I would say that, assuming Manny Pacquiao vanquishes Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14, Roach may be sitting in the proverbial catbird’s seat. The two round blitz by Pacman of Ricky Hatton and a victory over the hard hitting Puerto Rican might make Khan’s stellar showing just frosting on Freddie’s cake.

But I am wondering it Beristain can take plaudit. If his guy, Juan Manuel Marquez stuns unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Sept. 19, that shocker plus Juan Ma’s scintillating effort in busting up Juan Diaz might just be the winning ticket for the Nacho Man.

Richardson deserves special honors from the writers if only for his trying ot preserve the integrity of boxing.

The Philadelphia trainer caught the Antonio Margarito camp trying to cheat against Mosley in January with loaded handwraps.

That brilliant effort might be forgotten if Juan Ma stuns Mayweather.

Right now, though, I would not want to bet against Roach adding to his hardware collection.