Buboy declares: Game over in 3 rounds

LAS VEGAS – Buboy Fernandez dropped the bomb Wednesday saying the fight won’t last the distance.

Boldly up on stage, he declared that Manny Pacquiao would knock Mario Barrios out in three rounds.

“First three rounds? Eh di knockout,” said Pacquiao’s lead trainer for this WBC welterweight title showdown.

“Uwi na agad tayo. Simpleng salita,” he added.

Pacquiao is the underdog in this fight, and the odds of Pacquiao stopping Barrios in the first, second or third round are quite unthinkable at 100/1, 80/1 and 80/1.

But Fernandez must have seen something in Pacquiao as he began tapering down in training.

“Ibibigay natin ‘yung pinakamagandang gyera sa kanila sa Sabado,” he said.

Fernandez is not even looking at the age difference (Pacquiao at 46 is 16 years older).

“Huwag niyo bilangin ‘yung edad na 46. Bilangin niyo ‘yung suntok kung ilan. Lalampas sa 46,” he said.

Fernandez thinks Pacquiao will overwhelm Barrios with his speed and power the way he did against Hall of Fame fighters in the past.

“Para kayong nanood ng laban natin kay (Oscar) Dela Hoya,” Fernandez said of the fight that took place in 2008.

His American counterpart, Bob Santos, said it may or may not last the distance. But he said they’re ready for anything Pacquiao might bring on the table.

Santos, past winner of the Trainer of the Year award from the Boxing Writers Association of America, said they’re not clueless on Pacquiao.

“I know Manny very, very well. We did a lot of sparring sessions with Manny back at the Wild Card Gym,” said the former trainer of Robert Guerrero.

“I know a lot of Filipinos took issue when I said, ‘hospital or cemetery’ but I tell you, if that’s not our mindset against Manny Pacquiao, we’re gonna be in a hospital or cemetery because he’s an absolute assassin, he’s an absolute killer,” he said.

“The nicest guy. Manny has never disrespected me or Robert Guerrero but once you step into the ring, you better get ready,” Santos added.