Roach hits Manny pal in LA gym commotion

A commotion broke out at the Wild Card Gym the other day when one of Manny Pacquiao’s friends in Los Angeles was allegedly thrown out of the Hollywood sweatshop.

Greg Asuncion, in an e-mail forwarded to the media, claimed that trainer Freddie Roach hit him from behind after previously asking him to leave the premises.

Asuncion, known within Team Pacquiao as “The Sheriff” because he works at the LA County Sheriff’s Office, is planning to file charges against the two-time Trainer of the Year.

However, sports analyst Ronnie Nathanielz, who had talked to Asuncion on the phone after the incident, said he (Asuncion) agreed not to “rock the boat” as Pacquiao moved closer to his fight with Oscar dela Hoya.

“I told him if an apology would do and he said ‘yes,’” said Nathanielz.

But sources said Roach merely pulled Asuncion out of the dressing room, grabbing him by his jacket, as Pacquiao prepared himself for Wednesday’s two-hour workout.

They said Asuncion “was acting up” when he fainted.

Asuncion claimed otherwise.

“Suddenly Freddy hit me from the back of my neck… so powerful that I fell on my knees. He told me to get hell out of the gym and I said okay,” said Asuncion in his e-mail.

“On my way to the door I fell again because I felt dizzy. Slowly I got up again and proceed to go outside and I can hear his personnel yelling at me that I’m acting,” he said.

Asuncion said he called 911 for help and the paramedics and police arrived at the gym. He was put on a stretcher, and given a neck brace before being taken to the hospital.

Roach could not be contacted for comment.

The source, however, said Pacquiao’s workout went on as scheduled, and by the time the police came, Pacquiao and Roach were busy up in the ring.

The source said the police didn’t even bother to disrupt the training, but had to ask Pacquiao’s conditioning coach Alex Ariza a few questions because he saw what actually happened.

Roach wanted Asuncion to step out of the gym because there were too many people inside and wanted to give Pacquiao more space as he trained.

Asuncion said he arrived at the gym with Pacquiao and that they were on board the boxer’s two-door Mercedes. As he sat inside the gym, he was told by security enforcer Rob Peters to leave. – Abac Cordero