Pacquiao’s trainer sued by friend of boxer

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Pacquiao’s trainer sued by friend of boxer

Freddie Roach, the trainer of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, is being sued by a friend of Pacquiao's, claiming the trainer assaulted him at the Wild Card Gym in October 2008. (Photo by Gary McCarthy)

By WIRE SERVICES

A friend of Manny Pacquiao, who is suing the boxer’s trainer/coach for allegedly punching him from behind, wants a judge to keep out any evidence during trial of any alleged infidelity by the plaintiff.

Gregorio Asuncion along with his wife, Allyson, sued Freddie Roach and his Wild Card Gym Boxing Club in Los Angeles Superior Court in November 2008.

The suit’s allegations include assault, battery, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligence, premises liability and loss of consortium.

Roach — denying Asuncion’s claim that he hit him in the back of the neck — maintains in his deposition that he put his hands “softly” on the plaintiff’s shoulders, calling it a “friendly gesture.”

A final status conference is set for Jan. 6, when Judge Kenneth Freeman is scheduled to hear several pretrial motions. Among them is a bid by Asuncion’s lawyer, Robert H. McNeill, to keep out any allegations that his client broke any of his marital vows.

“Specifically, [the Asuncions] anticipate that [Roach] will attempt to introduce evidence that ... Asuncion was involved in an extramarital affair and engaged in sexual relations with a prostitute at a motel in Hollywood,” McNeill’s court papers state.

During a deposition last August, Asuncion denied being unfaithful to his wife, according to McNeill’s court papers. In any event, McNeill argues, the allegations are not relevant to Asuncion’s case, which deals with an alleged assault.

But Roach’s lawyers maintain the subject is fair game and that they should be allowed to present related evidence to a jury. They say it is relevant to the Asuncions’ claim that their sexual intimacy has decreased as a result of the alleged injury.

“Based on [Asuncion’s] loss of consortium claim ... the probative value of ... Asuncion’s extramarital affairs and sexual relations with prostitutes is very high and outweighs any prejudice to [the couple],” the Roach court papers state.

Both sides also are at odds over whether some witnesses should be able to testify that they believe Asuncion was faking his injuries.

Meanwhile, Roach’s lawyers want to bar evidence of any prior violent conduct by their client, saying it would be prejudicial to his case.

But McNeill wants the information about Roach’s alleged hotheaded past to be allowed. The lawyer’s court papers state that Roach admitted he paid money to settle a man’s claims that the trainer assaulted him at a Kinko’s store about five years ago.

McNeill also argues that another of his clients, writer Alex Pantinos Vidal, alleges in a separate lawsuit that Roach assaulted and battered him in Las Vegas in July 2008 and threatened to kill him if he wrote another story about the trainer.

The plaintiffs’ complaint alleges Gregorio Asuncion had just picked up Pacquiao and dropped him off at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood on Oct. 20, 2008, when Roach and a number of his associates “intentionally, willfully, wantonly and maliciously threatened to harm him.”

“Because of [Roach’s] skill as a boxer and his occupation as a boxing trainer, a reasonable person in [Asuncion’s] situation would have been offended by the threat of violence by Roach,” the complaint states.

Roach allegedly asked the 52-year-old Asuncion to get out of the gym because he did not want too many people inside. When Asuncion was about to leave, Roach allegedly hit him at the back of the neck, causing him to fall face first on the floor.

Asuncion was treated at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital for a neck sprain and a contusion to the head, according to his court papers. He is known as “Sheriff” within Pacquiao’s circles because he has worked for more than 25 years with the Sheriff’s Department.

Tuesday, Dec 22 at 12:23 PM PACMAN wrote ...

Asuncion tama na tinulungan na kita..hwag naman sobra-sobra..halos lahat kunin muna..hwag naman kaibigan..asuncion gusto mo gawin kitang siopao?tad ka pala e...money eater?...common...lets meet in the ring!!!"

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Tuesday, Dec 22 at 7:00 AM kissjonez wrote ...

Typical Pinoy...Money Hungry!

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Tuesday, Dec 22 at 7:00 AM kissjonez wrote ...

typical pinoy..money hungry!

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Tuesday, Dec 22 at 5:09 AM xxx wrote ...

Asuncion huwag kang magpapakita sa iyong ugaling corrupt. Parang Mayweather fans ka yata, o natalo ka lang noong kay miguel cotto at wala kanang pera.Nako isa kang taong swapang.

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Tuesday, Dec 22 at 2:35 AM kulapu wrote ...

nakakahiya ka asuncion.. isa ka sa mga pasaway na pinoy na pakalat kalat sa wild card gym pag may training si pacquiao! gimagawa nyong palengke ang wild card! putang-ina mo!!! kung si pacquiao ipagmamalaki ng pinas kayong mga walang disiplinang pinoy na gingawang palengke ang wild card, kahihiyan kayo ng pilipinas!!

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Tuesday, Dec 22 at 12:30 AM ron wrote ...

he"ll have a barrel of cash soon but he"ll have to suck it off all the way to shame!, the sheriff was not a filipino ! for christ sake! hes an alien !

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Tuesday, Dec 22 at 12:26 AM john wrote ...

so funny the sucking ganghook creature really wants to squeeze out money desperately from the poor parkinson -ridden master

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Tuesday, Dec 22 at 12:17 AM Puki_Eater wrote ...

Roach assaulted me too. Now I'm going to sue him for half a mill

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Monday, Dec 21 at 8:31 PM eaglepeak wrote ...

Ang kapal nang mukha mo Asuncion. Ganya ka na ba ka gutom?

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Monday, Dec 21 at 6:57 PM ramborge wrote ...

how much you need? you old fool asuncion! i think this guy is mayweather's puppy!

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Monday, Dec 21 at 6:44 PM pinoy ako wrote ...

What ? roach, he can punch? shecking both arms? stpid asuncio. Listen/understand to RULE? ok!

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Monday, Dec 21 at 5:54 PM guesting wrote ...

The man just wants to cash in on the windwall. it's not like he was mauled out of his senses, but rather his senses was awakened by the reality of money pouring in. Poor reporter.

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Monday, Dec 21 at 5:34 PM Miguel Hatton wrote ...

Ah yes, now that word is out that Roach makes one percent of Pacquiao's winnings, every Tom, Dick, and Harry now wants to sue Roach.

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Monday, Dec 21 at 4:53 PM aaa wrote ...

roach is not all that

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Monday, Dec 21 at 4:48 PM loreto maka wrote ...

sounds like a couple of Filipinos who are trying to get a quick payday.

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Monday, Dec 21 at 4:45 PM money wrote ...

This Asuncion probably one of the suckers in Team Pac.

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Monday, Dec 21 at 4:39 PM kc garcia wrote ...

hopefully the guys is just not trying to get money. its another distraction for pacquiao http://www.sportzhypeboxing.com/2009/12/most-avoided-fighter-aint-paul-williams.html

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Monday, Dec 21 at 3:49 PM Chris wrote ...

Do you have to use Manny,s name to published this article? It's between them two right?

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Monday, Dec 21 at 3:26 PM ASUNCION NAMEMERA wrote ...

I want to huthut Roach's money! By using the old "HE PUNCH ME AT THE BACK OF MY HEAD" Trick! I might get a few $$$,$$$ out of it! hehehe!!!

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Monday, Dec 21 at 3:14 PM B. MARLEY wrote ...

I WOULD'VE SHOT THE SHERIFF

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Monday, Dec 21 at 2:49 PM Huna wrote ...

Roach "I karate chopped the Sheriff" but I didn't punch out the deputy

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