BOXING MAN Rod Nazario could have gone ballistic upon learning that his pride and joy, Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, signed up Shelly Finkel as his new manager.
Instead of blowing his top, Nazario has decided to just remain calm and refuse to get involved in the mire that Pacquiao is in right now considering that March 19, the date of his megabuck fight with Erik Morales at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, is fast approaching.
“Let us all keep quiet and let Manny concentrate on this very important fight,” Nazario told the Bulletin yesterday while attending to domestic matters at his BF Homes residence in Para?aque.
Informed about the word war over the Internet revolving around Pacquiao, Finkel, Murad Muhammad and a few other fellows, Nazario just shrugged his shoulders and expressed the opinion that it would be better for those who have stakes in Pacquiao?s career to refrain from commenting on the fighter?s decision to replace Marty Elorde with Finkel.
A few days ago, several days after Elorde?s four-year contract expired, Pacquiao formally hooked up with Finkel, a New York-educated boxing man with strong boxing links stretching back to the early 1980s.
“They can talk all they want after the fight,” added Nazario, who is headed for the States on Feb. 20 after he accompanies Bobby Pacquiao, Manny?s younger brother, to Pattaya, Thailand, from Feb. 15 to 19. Bobby is scheduled to fight there on Feb. 18.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao has revved up for his scheduled 12-round battle with Morales by showcasing his vaunted punching power at the Wild Card Boxing Club owned and operated by his chief trainer, Freddie Roach.
Followers of the GenSan bomber have been allowed to watch his workout during Saturdays so Pacquiao can train without distractions.
