EXCLUSIVE NEWS REPORT FROM MANNY PACQUIAO'S TUMULTUOUS INNER CIRCLE
Manny Pacquiao agent Michael Koncz, the Canadian who attached to the Piny Idol like a barnacle to rotting pier, has committed a sacrilegious, blasphemous act.
And the furtive agent did so within earshot of one of my top Pinoy "hearing aides" so I am able to report the remarks from the impeccable source exactly as it happened.
On or about Sept. 10, give or take a day or two, Pacman was in his show biz mode and wrapping up some shooting in Manila on the set of his "Show Me The Money" TV program.
Somehow, a conversation between Koncz turned to the status of revered Coach Freddie Roach.
This was, keep in mind, that time period when Roach, sitting in Hollywood, was getting more and frustrated about his lack of phone contact with his prized pupil.
Koncz was speaking to a man and he informed him that Roach's fee for the Nov. 14 bout in Las Vegas against Miguel I'm No Angel Cotto was being price chopped by the fighter.
"Roach is not getting the 10 percent on this one," Koncz said. "Manny cut Freddie down by $200,000 so he will get $1 million. They agreed to that."
A few seconds later, Koncz looked pensive. Without any solicitation, he then delivered this rap on Roach
"I told Manny to dump Freddie, I really did," Koncz said. "It's an unnecessary expense at this juncture of Manny's career. He doesn't need Freddie. Freddie needs Manny.
"I told Manny that he trains himself anyway so why pay Freddie so much money. I am always looking for ways to save Manny money and that expense is unjustified."
Now I suppose you want to know what the auditor, the man being spoken to, said.
So did I.
I'm told, though, that the listener was completely stunned and stood silent and slackjawed.
"He couldn't believe what he just heard," a third party told me. "He made no comment and Koncz then went on to another topic."
Roach has criticized former law student Koncz and told many people the agent does not know the difference between a left hook and a fish hook.
"He brought in a sparring partner for Manny once and the guy weighed 168 pounds," Roach told me when Team Pacquiao was in New York for the Yankee Stadium Cotto press conference.
Roach wanted Pacman to train in high altitude Toluca, Mexico, but Pacman got his way and the team continues to work in Baguio.
Roach warned there would be too many "distractions" in Baguio and nothing the Coach has seen since he got there has changed his opinion.
Roach did praise Pacman's sparring effort Saturday against Shawn Porter and has said the fighter is "about 40 percent" primed for Cotto.
Roach continues to warn that the once beaten Cotto will be tough and durable and said that the Puerto Rican may be more difficult for Manny than a Floyd Mayweather bout would be.
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