Buboy Fernandez was caught flat-footed when Manny Pacquiao made a startling announcement about his retirement from boxing a few days ago.
“I was stunned because all the while, I thought he still wanted to fight one last time,” Fernandez told Daily Tribune in Pilipino.
“Based on what we talked about the last time, he considered fighting one more time.”
Fernandez, who has known Pacquiao since their childhood days in General Santos City, was looking forward to guiding his friend to make up for the shocking loss to Yordenis Ugas of Cuba last August in Las Vegas.
“I really wanted him to score a win before he hangs up his gloves but we’ll respect his decision (to retire),” said Fernandez, who celebrated his birthday yesterday by seeing Pacquiao at the Comelec.
Now that Pacquiao has called it quits, Fernandez, who is the incumbent vice-mayor of Polangui, Albay, said he will fully support him in his bid to win the presidency next year.
“I know that he wants to serve out of the goodness of his heart so I am behind him 100 percent,” he said.
Fernandez said he was teary-eyed when he watched Pacquiao deliver his farewell speech, knowing all too well that his era had indeed come to an end.
Pacquiao and Fernandez strengthened their bond when they both trained at the L&M Gym in Sampaloc starting in the mid-1990s.
When Pacquiao came to the United States in 2001, Fernandez was heartbroken.
But the handlers of Pacquiao then, the late Rod Nazario, facilitated his papers and after missing the Lehlo Ledwaba and Agapito Sanchez fights in 2001, Fernandez made his debut in America as a cornerman, That fight was against Jorge Eliecer Julio in Memphis in June 2002 as one of the main supporting bouts during the Lennox Lewis vs Mike Tyson showdown.
