Philippines, 01 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


PACQUIAO'S CORNER GAMBIT


PhilBoxing.com




KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Now it can be told, there was a big gambit in the corner of Manny Pacquiao on the day that he wrested the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight crown from Lucas Matthysse.

That is, he fought without a cutman on his corner as head coach Restituto "Buboy" Fernandez opted to work in the ring with strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune and long-time co-assistant, Raides "Nonoy" Neri.

Dr. Ed dela Vega, the designated cut man picked by Pacquiao himself, did not climb to the ring, which surprised dela Vega himself.

"Ideally, there should have been clear definition of assigned functions," dela Vega told this writer alongside Nonito "Dodong" Donaire, Sr., another member of the Pacquiao coaching staff in the Gastro Sentral Bar of the Le Meridien hotel where Team Pacquiao was billeted during the duration of the fight.

For Donaire however, what was important was the victory of the new WBA welterweight king.

"Ang imporante daug si Manny (The important thing is the victory of Manny)," Donaire said who taped the fists of Pacquiao in the dug-out before the fight.

Both agreed that the move of not having a cut man could have been disastrous if Manny had suffered a cut from the punches of Matthysse.

Pacquiao had a contusion in the fourth round after Matthysse connected to his face but despite that De La Vega was still not instructed to climb the ring.

"I am always for the welfare of the boxer so that any injury will not worsen. I am also for preventive approach so that the boxer will not have an injury that will cause his defeat," De La Vega added, also a United States based orthodontist who is known for making the mouthpieces of Filipino boxers, including that of Senator Pacquiao.

In all the previous fights of Pacquiao a cutman is always on the ring. Miguel Diaz was Pacquiao's cutman, albeit unsuccessful, in his fight with Jeff Horn in July 2017 in Brisbane, Australia.

As of this posting, Fernandez is not immediately available for his reaction but a Team Pacquiao insider said that Pacquiao himself agreed that his cornermen in the ring would be the trio of Fernandez, Neri and Fortune.

Dela Vega according to the source is just on standby just in case Pacquiao will be inflicted with a cut, which did not happen.

Pacquiao won when referee Kenny Bayless saw that Matthysse spit out his mouthpiece at 2:43 of round 7. Matthysse also was knocked down in the 3rd and 5th.

"It was just okay, Manny did not have a cut during the fight," the Team Pacquiao source said.

Based on the WBA rules, letter E thereof (CONTEST RULES) no. 31 (SECONDS), as taken from the WBA OFFICIAL SITE, www.wbaboxing.com, it said, "Each boxer shall be allowed no more than (4) cornermen, one of whom shall be designated as responsible for behavior of all seconds/cornermen during the bout. Only one second/cornerman is allowed in the ring between rounds."

As the WBA rules has stipulated, De La Vega could then be called atop the ring as part of the four if needed. It was clear on the fight video also that only Fernandez was inside the ring in between rounds with Pacquiao as both Neri and Fortune stayed outside of the rope. De La Vega was just at ringside.

Having the trio of Fernandez, Fortune and Neri worked effectively as it led to the old form of Pacquiao, punching strongly with precision and blinding speed, moving with excellent footwork which made his ring generalship superb.

A fight fan who managed to have an audience with Pacquiao in his Le Meridien suite said that Pacquiao fought like he was young.

Pacquiao himself merrily told scribes in a post fight interview that he felt he was just "27" during the fight.

"He fights like he was 25 years. He has the hunger, it's the thing that you get from a junior person," Chris McGrath, an IT specialists from England told this writer.

McGrath who confessed that he watches Pacquiao in his fights theorized that the fighting senator wanted to prove something and that he "hungered" for a convincing victory to silence his critics.

So there you go, call it a gambit or a calculated risk, it worked marvelously for the rejuvenation of Manny Pacquiao. His critics and naysayers perhaps would now find it hard to taunt the senator-boxer. He is 39 remember, the trio of Fernandez, Fortune and Neri worked wonders for him, a gambit that paid off.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Tonton Alcos-Antogop.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • MARIO BARRIOS LAS VEGAS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES
    , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • CATTERALL AND EUBANK LAY THEIR 'CARDS ON THE TABLE' AHEAD OF MANCHESTER SHOWDOWN
    , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • Dumadag holds chess tourney
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • Manny Pacquiao's Case for the Greatest of All Time
    By Ace Freeman, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • DavNor Adventure Race 2025 set July 2
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Gumila rules Antipolo rapid chess tilt
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • FULL CIRCLE AT WILD CARD: Jhay Otamias’ Tribute to a Fighter and a Fanbase
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Vince Paras Wins by 4th Round KO Over Sarawut Thawornkham to Capture the IBF Pan Pacific Super Flyweight Title
    , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Team USA's Quest for Gold Set in Stone at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • SBA SEASON 2 DRAFT UNVEILS RISING STARS AND STRATEGIC MOVES AS TEAMS COMPLETE THEIR ROSTERS
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Filipino Elwin Retanal wins Saudi rapid chess meet
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Jake Paul Earns Boxing Legitimacy with Dominant Decision Over Julio Cesar Chávez Jr.
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Zurdo Ramirez Defends Cruiserweight Crowns with Unanimous Decision Over Dorticos
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Vince Paras Faces Sarawut Thawornkham Today at Venue 88 in Gensan
    , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • USA Elite High Performance Team Sets Sights on Gold at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Alekhine Nouri bags silver in blitz
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Paul vs. Chavez Jr: Can Julio Derail Jake Paul?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Dr. KO: Christian Mbilli Stops Maciej Sulecki in 1
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • GOLDEN BOY SIGNS UNDEFEATED MIDDLEWEIGHT BLUE-CHIP PROSPECT AMARI JONES
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Paul vs. Chávez Jr. is a Go: All Fighters Make Weight in Anaheim Ahead of High-Stakes Bout
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • IIEE Chessmasters Overall Champion in the International Bundesliga with GM Joey Antonio
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Kittipong of Thailand Battles Bhavesh of India in Brico Santig's Exciting Show in Bangkok
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Weights from Philadelphia
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Alekhine Nouri and John Jerish Velarde struck gold and bronze
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Would OKC Still Win the West If Dallas Had Not Traded Doncic?
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 27 Jun 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.