Manny Pacquiao is not ruling out the possibility that Freddie Roach will be back as chief trainer.
But in the meantime, it appears that preparations and cornerwork needed for the Lucas Matthysse fight on July 15 in Malaysia, will be handled by Buboy Fernandez, who was present during yesterday?s press conference at the City of Dreams.
?I am not closing the doors on Freddie,? said Pacquiao, noting that ?Freddie and I have a good relationship, we?re like family.?
Still, even if Roach won?t be in the corner for the Matthysse fight, Pacquiao believes his childhood friend is capable of stepping up to the plate.
?I believe Buboy can do that, he can handle the training. He knows what we?re going to do because we?ve worked together since the beginning.?
Roach began working the corner of Pacquiao in June 2001 in Las Vegas, a time when Fernandez?s papers were still being fixed by Pacquiao?s former management team.
Fernandez was not in the corner when Pacquiao beat Lehlo Ledwaba and drew with Agapito Sanchez in November 2001 but made his US debut when his boss stopped Jorge Eliecer Julio of Colombia in Memphis in June 2002.
Since then, Fernandez has been in the corner providing Roach a helping hand.
