'The Wrestler' roots for planet's best fighter

HOLLYWOOD – Mickey Rourke, an actor, screenwriter, rock star and boxer all rolled into one, dropped by at the Wild Card Gym here Wednesday, and put his hard-earned money on Manny Pacquiao.

“No sweat. Manny Pacquiao,” said the 57-year-old Academy Award nominee for “The Wrestler” when asked how he views the coming fight between Miguel Cotto and Pacquiao whom he considered the best.

Rourke, who trained under Freddie Roach and went undefeated in eight professional fights from 1991 to 1994, came in unannounced, dressed like a mean rock star, and had a toothpick dangling from his mouth.

Inside the gym that was packed with mediamen, Rourke, who once recorded an album with David Bowie, got warm hugs from Top Rank’s Bob Arum and Bill Caplan. His first question was, “So, where’s the best fighter in the planet?”

He was led to the Filipino pound-for-pound champion who was working the speedball in one cramped corner of the gym. They tapped fists, and the actor who had been through turbulent times wrapped his arm around the icon.

They were separated, and Rourke, who went out of boxing with six wins and two draws, climbed the ring to be with Freddie Roach. Their closeness as former boxer-trainer was for all to see.

“We got to fight all over the world. We fought in Japan, Spain and Argentina. And I wouldn’t have gone undefeated if not for Freddie. They threw bottles at us in Hamburg, and Freddie said, ‘Come on Mickey, they’re gonna kill us with these bottles,’” said Rourke.

He was referring to his third-round stoppage of Thomas McCoy at the Sporthalle Alsterdorf in Hamburg. It was the last of his four knockout victories, and was so unpopular with the crowd they threw bottles at him and Roach on the way out.

“That’s how Freddie bonds with his fighter, those people he trains. And he won’t train everybody. There’s a lot of people with talent but if they don’t have the right attitude he won’t train them,” said the 5-foot-11 ex-light heavyweight.

“I remember Freddie slapped me in the face and asked me if I wanted to go back to acting and I said, ‘No.’ So, he told me to get up the ring and knock that guy out. And I knocked the guy out,” he added.

Roach returned the complement by saying if not for Rourke he wouldn’t have landed in Hollywood to put up what has now become probably the hottest place to train, considering that the best pound-for-pound boxer trains there.

“He’s my friend,” Roach said of Rourke, who added that it would be an honor if someday he gets to play the role of Roach in a movie, “even if I have to do it 20 years from now so I’d look as old as him.”

Rourke said Pacquiao’s speed will spell the difference.

“Speed kills. Manny is a southpaw and he’s got Freddie in his corner. And he trains like an animal. I think he will be able to offset Cotto’s power. Cotto will keep on coming and give Manny the angles. But I also don’t think Cotto’s gonna be a walk in the park.

“He’s a good boxer. He covers up high and he won’t be an easy target. What Manny has to do is to stay out of range. But Manny can take a punch,” said Rourke, who was asked if he sees the fight going the distance.

He paused and gave it some thought.

“That’s a good question. I think it’s fifty-fifty,” he said.

But that’s on whether the fight will go 12 rounds. As to who would win, it’s hands-down Pacquiao for Hollywood’s tough guy. – Abac Cordero