http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...22769420110507

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

LAS VEGAS | Sat May 7, 2011 2:07pm EDT

LAS VEGAS May 7 (Reuters) - Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach has formed a partnership with the United States Olympic Committee and USA Boxing to help prepare American boxers for the 2012 London Games.

Roach, a former lightweight fighter who has been the cornerman for 17 world champions at the professional level, will put the Olympic hopefuls through their paces at his Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles.

"It's going to be a privilege to work with the Olympic boxers," Roach, 51, told a news conference at the MGM Grand on Saturday hours before Filipino Pacquiao was scheduled to defend his WBO welterweight title against American Shane Mosley.

"I had the chance to experience the Olympics in '76. We stayed in the Olympic village and we fought in the Olympic rings. Just being there and being part of that was unbelievable.

"I always dreamed about being an Olympian and being a gold medallist but I wasn't quite at that level at that time."

Roach, who was honoured by the Boxing Writers Association of America on Friday with a record fifth trainer of the year award, said he would start his new Olympic role "as soon as possible".

The bespectacled trainer added: "This partnership is an exciting new chapter in my career and I can't wait to get started. I want to help the Olympic team get back in form and get some gold medals back here in America.

"I have had success in training but I don't have any secrets. I want everyone to learn. I've been boxing since I was six years old. This is my life and this is what I do."

Roach will work with up to 10 medal-potential boxers at his Wild Card gym, along with their personal coaches and USA Boxing's national coach Joe Zanders.

His first duty, however, will be to join USA Boxing's coaching team for a high performance retreat at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado later this month.

"Give me talent and I know what to do with it," Roach said. "I can make someone who is already good, with fine tuning, even better."