MANILA, PHILIPPINES
‘But still it will be up to the senator to decide,’ says Manny Pacquiao’s chief trainer Buboy Fernandez
The last chapter of Manny Pacquiao’s ring odyssey deserves a fitting ending. Not a shock defeat to Yordenis Ugas.
Chief trainer Buboy Fernandez gave this reason on Monday, August 23 (Tuesday, August 24, Manila time), as to why he believes Pacquiao shouldn’t hang up his gloves yet.
“You don’t let a legendary career end just like that,” Fernandez said in Filipino. “Losing to someone who’s hardly known. If that’s the case, all your hard work would go for naught. Your being world champion [is] gone.”
Fernandez, who worked Pacquiao’s corner with Freddie Roach when the eight-division world champion lost to Ugas in their battle for the World Boxing Association super welterweight crown, then paused.
“But still it will be up to the senator to decide.”
Fernandez then reiterated what happened in the ring.
“I was always asking him if his feet were okay. And he told me his legs were cramping. Meaning, he couldn’t move as he used to.” According to Fernandez, they agreed to let Freddie man the corner up to the fourth round although he was the head coach.
When Pacquiao’s legs started cramping in the second and third rounds, Fernandez could hardly control himself.
“In the fourth round I told Freddie I would come in, but he told me the commission must be informed first.
