Mula sa pagiging flyweight hanggang sa pag-akyat sa welterweight division ay hindi kinakitaan ni Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez ng paghihirap sa kanyang timbang si Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.
“Yes, and I know Manny’s weight well. I have been bringing him the scale since 1998,” wika ni Fernandez sa panayam ng Boxing Herald kahapon sa Wild Card Gym ni Freddie Roach sa Hollywood, California. ”His weight is good, he’s 150lbs with his T-shirt and pants.”
Matapos agawin kay Mexican-American David Diaz ang dating suot nitong World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight crown via ninth-round TKO noong Hunyo 28, sasagupain naman ni Pacquiao si Oscar Dela Hoya sa isang non-title welterweight fight sa Disyembre 6 sa MGM Grand Arena sa Las Vegas, Nevada.
Kumpiyansa si Fernandez at Freddie Roach na lalagay sa tamang timbang ang 29-anyos na si Pacquiao isang linggo bago ang kanilang upakan ng 35-anyos na si Dela Hoya.
“No real diet. Manny still eats his usual food. The Filipino food and the American food is a little bit different. Manny maintains what he likes to eat, you know,” wika ni Fernandez kay Pacquiao, naghari na sa flyweight, super bantamweight at super featherweight division.
Ilang mga light middleweights, middleweights at welterweights ang kinuha ng 48-anyos na si Roach, kabilang na ang mga 5-foot-10 na sina Aaron Robinson, Rashad Holloway at Marcus McDonald, bilang sparring partners ni Pacquiao.
“He is doing good. He is doing some heavy training, and we are working on his movement. It’s a big difference going up to 147lbs,” ani Fernandez sa kanyang kababatang si Pacquiao. “I always tell Manny to maintain his speed, so we are working on his speed.”
Para manatili sa kanyang maigting na preparasyon, ipinasara na ni Roach sa mga fans at photographers ang silid sa Wild Card Gym kung saan sila nagsasanay ni Pacquiao.
“Previous camps there were many people that would come and see Manny. It’s good this way because Manny is always generous with his time, and he always wants to talk with people. It’s good this time with the gym being locked so he can focus more, it’s good,” dagdag ni Fernandez. (RCadayona)