Freddie Roach has punch- induced Parkinson's Disease. The boxer-turned-elite trainer suspects the last five bouts of his 53-fight pro career caused him to develop the disease, which also afflicts former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali.

Roach, 45, knows as well as anyone the risks a fighter takes, particularly an attacking, offense-oriented fighter. That's why, Roach said, he is no longer training Las Vegan Wayne McCullough.

McCullough, a 35-year-old former bantamweight champion, wants to fight again. His medical suspension was lifted by the Nevada Athletic Commission on Wednesday, but McCullough still must prove he is fit to box.

Several of the commissioners questioned whether McCullough has enough skills left to compete at the highest level. He has lost three of his last four fights.

Roach has no doubt. The trainer said he asked referee Richard Steele after the 10th round to stop McCullough's July 15 fight against Oscar Larios. Roach said McCullough has no business back in the ring.

"Honestly, I don't think he should fight anymore," Roach said. "After his last fight, when I stopped it, he was upset. But I had to do it because it was in his best interests. He's a great guy and he's had a great career, but it's time to call it quits."

McCullough concedes he was being hit by Larios but said he was moving his head and many of the punches didn't land flush.

Roach, who was trained by late Hall of Famer Eddie Futch and then served an apprenticeship under Futch, remembers things differently.

"The round before I stopped it, I told him in the corner, 'Wayne, if you don't go out there and show me you can win, I'm going to stop this,' " Roach said. "And he went out and took a lot of punches and didn't land any. I know Margaret (Goodman, the ringside physician) was going to stop the fight, anyway, but I told Richard that was it because it was clear the end was there."

Roach said Futch told him to retire after he was knocked out by Greg Haugen on Aug. 22, 1985.

But Roach felt he could still compete and fought five more times, losing to Hector Camacho, Darryl Tyson, Andrew Nance and David Rivello and beating Amel Arrozal.

He said he wakes up these days and wonders how his life would be different had he listened to Futch.

"I can't prove it, but I wonder if I had listened to Eddie and not taken those last five fights, would I have gotten Parkinson's?" Roach said. "I took a lot of shots in those fights. That takes its toll on you.

"I don't wish this on anyone. I definitely don't want to see Wayne end up like this. I don't see him doing well in the future and I told him it's time to retire. He won a world championship, and that's something not a lot of people do. It's a one-in-a-million thing. I just worry about what might happen."

While McCullough was under medical suspension, he was barred by federal law from fighting in the United States.

Now that his medical suspension has been lifted, he is free to apply anywhere for a license.

He said he wants to fight in Nevada and vowed to sue if denied a license.

McCullough said he wants to fight WBO super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon or IBF-WBC champion Israel Vazquez and that he will be trained by Joe Goossen.

• REMATCH AT SAM BOYD -- Top Rank chief Bob Arum has reserved Sept. 16 at Sam Boyd Stadium for the third match between Erik Morales and Manny Pacquiao.

Pacquiao stopped Morales on Jan. 21 to avenge a unanimous decision loss March 19.

Arum said the stadium could be configured to hold 30,000 fans.

• HARD HITTERS -- Oscar De La Hoya is promoting a Feb. 25 fight at Mandalay Bay between two men he has fought, Shane Mosley and Fernando Vargas.

De La Hoya, who is also training for a super welterweight title fight against Ricardo Mayorga on May 6 at the MGM Grand, said they are powerful in different ways.

"Vargas is not as fast. But when he hits you, it feels very heavy," De La Hoya said. "It's kind of thudding. Mosley, he's got such fast hands. When he hits you, there's such a snap because they are quick, crisp shots that really sting. They both punch well, but they're just different."

• NICE GESTURE -- Lightweight champion Jesus Chavez, who will defend his title March 25 at the MGM Grand against Marco Antonio Barrera, said the family of late champion Leavander Johnson will be his guests at ringside.

Johnson died five days after suffering brain injuries in a Sept. 17 fight with Chavez.

Chavez said he might wear a tribute to Johnson on his trunks but wants to discuss it with Johnson's family.

• NEGOTIATIONS -- Richard Schaefer, chief executive of De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, was in New York last week negotiating with promoter Joe DeGuardia and HBO for a June 10 fight between former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins and light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver.

"Bernard wants to do what Sugar Ray Robinson tried to do and go from middleweight to capture that light heavyweight title," De La Hoya said. "He has nothing to lose, but this is a big challenge that will really motivate him."

De La Hoya said he was optimistic a deal would be done, noting "talks are going good and it wouldn't surprise me if that fight is made."

• WEIGHT LOSS -- Winky Wright fought at middleweight for the first time only last year, routing Felix Trinidad in May, and has fought just twice in the 147-pound division. But promoter Gary Shaw said it is unlikely the former undisputed super welterweight champion will return to the 154-pound class.

"He'd definitely do it if he could get a fight with De La Hoya and he'd probably do it if he got a fight with (Floyd) Mayweather, but that's about it," Shaw said.

Promoters are closing in on a deal for a June 17 fight between Wright and middleweight champion Jermain Taylor.

• NEW TRAINER -- Las Vegan Samuel Peter returned home last week after spending six weeks in his native Nigeria. When he goes into the gym, the heavyweight contender will have a new trainer.

His promoter, Dino Duva, said he's negotiating to hire a new trainer to assist Peter's current trainer, Pops Anderson.

"No doubt in my mind, Sam has the potential to be the best and most exciting heavyweight in the world. We want to bring in a top-notch trainer who can assist Pops and get him to the next level," said Duva, adding that he's talking to HBO and Showtime about a fight in April for Peter.

• INTO A TRAP -- Roach is preparing former WBA heavyweight champion James Toney for his March 18 fight with WBC champion Hasim Rahman.

Roach acknowledged Rahman will be the bigger and stronger fighter but said the champ could be vulnerable if he takes an aggressive approach.

"Rock has a real good jab and a strong right hand, but James can pretty much take that away with head movement, slipping shots and countering," Roach said. "Rahman is probably going to come at James and force the issue, but the way James knows how to fight and counterpunch, that's playing right into our hands."