Famed boxing coach Freddie Roach is the man tasked with making sure Georges St. Pierre is ready for the boxing skills of Michael Bisping, when the two square off in next weekend’s UFC 217 headliner.
He will also serve as cornerman for the former UFC welterweight champion, in his bid for a middleweight belt.
Freddie though, never one to mince words, just told ESPN not to worry, they won’t be fighting like Ronda Rousey.
The boxing coach stated, “Believe me, we’re not going to be like Ronda Rousey, where someone told her she was a good boxer when she was winning every fight of her life on the ground. I’m not going to lie to my fighter. We’ve been working on everything and will take advantage of everything.”
The legendary coach also told ESPN, “I’ve never been an elite MMA trainer, but Georges made me promise I would work his corner and I’m holding up to that.”
“This might be a little different than boxing, but it is combat sports and I know how to fight. I used to be a wrestler in high school. I was never a great wrestler but I have an idea on it and watching it during camp has given me a better idea. Everyone in the corner is real friendly with one another and I will give the best information I can in there on fight night, and it won’t be strictly boxing.”
“McGregor is a cocky kid and he did OK in his fight against Floyd Mayweather. I would just say OK. I would enjoy that fight and I would like to see that fight happen. It’s possible.
“Right now, we’re just concentrated on this fight. The thing is, we have a three-fight contract with [UFC president Dana White] and we have to win every one for the contract to go on. If everything goes well and Georges wants to retire at the end, that’s up to him. If he still has fight in him, and if I still have fight in me, we’ll go on from there. I’m sure he’ll receive many offers. Bigger and better offers.
“Everyone is talking about Bisping’s size, but I say, ‘Hey, I love fighting big guys. Tall guys give you a bigger target obviously, and are a lot slower. I think this guy is made for us. He says he doesn’t think we can outbox him. We can and we will outbox him.
“If a [standup fight] happens, then is happens. But the thing is, if we have other opportunities to do things Georges is more accustomed to doing, we will do that.” he said of former UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.
This year’s return trip to Madison Square Garden is proof the UFC can still deliver a stacked mega-card, with all the bells and whistles.
Set to headline next week’s MSG card, Georges St. Pierre returns to the Octagon for the first time in over four years. He will face off against the UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping in the UFC 217 main event, live on pay-per-view.
Also on the night’s fight card is a long-awaited title fight between Cody Garbrandt and T.J. Dillasaw. And a strawweight title fight between Joanna Jedrzerjczyk and “Thug” Rose Namajunas.
