It’s official: Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring sans longtime trainer Freddie Roach.
Roach has been training Pacquiao since 2001 and the duo worked side by side for 34 fights.
Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KOs) will challenge WBA “regular” welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse (39-4, 36 KOs) on July 14 in Kuala Lumpur.
“Manny has told me Buboy (Fernandez) will be handling the training on this fight,” Pacquiao’s manager, Michael Koncz, told ESPN. “What’s important to Manny is that he has one voice to listen to in the corner that he trusts, and that’s Buboy for this fight.”
Fernandez is Pacquiao’s best friend and assistant trainer.
The bout will be Pacquiao’s first since a 12-round decision loss to Australian Jeff Horn last July at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.—INTERNATIONAL BOXING SCENE