As my wife and I took our seats beside where the ring announcer sat before the start of the boxing event I was assigned to judge, the ring announcer introduced me to the guy he was talking with. “Do you know Buboy Fernandez, Manny Pacquiao’s trainer?” he asked.
Of course I did! I told Buboy (the Filipino equivalent for Bobby) “you are darker in person than when you’re on TV.” Our conversation soon became animated and one-on-one in Cebuano (which happens when two bisaya meet in a non-bisaya speaking area).
While Buboy is known as Manny’s trainer, he is in reality his best friend. Friendship since their boyhood and poverty days came much longer before their trainer-fighter relationship developed. Buboy was designated as Manny’s trainer even before he learned to be one.
Learn he did at some risk. “With Manny as your fighter, a trainer has not the luxury of even a moment of inattention. I learned my lesson when I once woke up in a hospital. A punch accidentally landed on my chin while we were doing the mitts.”
Our talk soon sounded like an interview. Anyway, I told him I write for ringsidereport.com, and this is how our conversation went.
EA: In his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, at what point did Manny hurt his left hand?
I heard a crack when the first knockdown punch landed. Manny then confided to me during the one minute rest after the first round that his left hand hurt. It did not swell though as it was not yet exposed to the air with the glove still on.
EA: What about his foot problem?
After the second round, Manny also told me he could not use his foot as he wished, as it also hurt. The blister was so big a one-peso coin could be placed with more space to be spared. (1 Philippine peso coin is about an inch in diameter)
EA: What made the blister a problem?
It badly affected his foot work. Manny could no longer use his toes for the footwork needed in the fight plan. Marquez would not have lasted 2 rounds were Manny unhindered by those problems. The next day I happened to be in the elevator alone with Marquez. He recognized me as one of Manny’s seconds. He nodded to me with his thumb up saying, ‘Good boxer.’
EA: What if Manny fights In Jin Chi?
In Jin Chi’s come forward style is what Manny likes. Manny would knock him out. Look what happened to Barrera, who mixes up.
EA: What about Erik Morales?
Manny prefers to fight taller fighters. It would be a good fight.
Buboy attended the boxing event that night as one of his fighters was on the card. He was shouting instructions to his fighter as the fight went on. His boy won his fight. He has another fighter who will be fighting for the WBC world flyweight championship later this year.
Buboy is now an accomplished trainer, but between fighter Manny and trainer Buboy, each is more the other’s loyal and best friend.
