Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao?s chief trainer Buboy Fernandez and strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune have dismissed the notion that the 10-year age gap between their ward and Keith Thurman could be a big advantage to the latter when they meet on July 20 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
?No, it?s irrelevant with Manny. Age won?t be of any advantage to Thurman,? Fortune, who arrived in Manila on Sunday to join Pacquiao?s training team preparing the WBA regular welterweight titlist for his coming fight against the super titleholder, declared in an interview on Wednesday.
?Manny?s still fighting in the elite level at age 40 and has so far won twice quite convincingly,? Fortune told this writer in reference to the Philippine fighting Senator?s stoppage triumph over Lucas Matthysse and an almost shutout unanimous decision of Andrien Broner in his last two fights.
?On the contrary, I see Manny as having a great advantage over Thurman (30) because of his vast experience fighting the best in eight divisions from flyweight to middleweight and winning championships after championships in those,? Fortune reasoned out.
The former Australian heavyweight now based in Los Angeles as a trainer was referring to the Filipino icon?s, jumping as a junior flyweight campaigner as a neophyte and emerging world champion in the flyweight, super-bantamweight, featherweight, super-featherweight, lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight and middleweight in a 24-year pro career.
Fernandez echoed Fortune?s observation. Manny started his boxing career at age 16 and after 24 years lumalaban pa rin at tinatalo ang lahat ng magagaling at malalakas na kalaban sa walong dibisyon na wala pang nakagagawa sa kasaysayan ng boksing, paano mo masasabing matanda na siya? ?
Indeed, the Pacman is not only recognized as one of the best fighters in the entire universe today, but one of the sport?s all-time greats, as well. Twenty-four of his last 25 fights over the last nine years have been against world champions.
