HOLLYWOOD—If it were up to Buboy Fernandez, he prefers that his best friend Manny Pacquiao gives it just three more fights before calling it quits.
But, of course, not before fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the second time
“I don’t decide on that (Mayweather-Pacquiao 2),” said Fernandez in Filipino. “But we all want that to happen.”
Fernandez admitted it’s going to be a tough job for him as chief trainer to devise tactics against the undefeated American, who is currently in retirement.
Fernandez is 2-0 at the helm of Team Pacquiao following wins over Lucas Matthysse last July and against Adrien Broner on Saturday night for the WBA regular welterweight title.
Almost immediately, the camp of Pacquiao’s 2017 tormentor, Jeff Horn, called out the Filipino superstar for a rematch.
Horn promoter Dean Lonergan said Pacquiao needs to face the Australian anew in order to prepare things up for a second megafight with Mayweather.
Against Mayweather, they will have to work thrice as hard.
“Triple-time hard work,” Fernandez said.
However, there appears to be no concrete indication that the highly-anticipated rematch will actually take place.
Instead, several other names like young guns Danny Garcia, WBA super welterweight king Keith Thurman and Errol Spence were being floated as next possible opponents.
“You don’t run out of opponents, there are plenty out there,” said Fernandez. “But what would Manny do, fight them all?”
While he’s confident that even at 40 years, Pacquiao can mow down the welterweight ranks, Fernandez is concerned about what it would make of his career if he loses to up-and-coming fighters.
“He has nothing to prove anymore,” said Fernandez.