Remember the Pacquiao that demolished Hatton? He’s back, says trainer

HOLLYWOOD, USA – Buboy Fernandez’s mitts-draped right hand shook as soon as it dropped to his side.

It was an involuntary muscle contraction caused by the impact of a solid left hook Manny Pacquiao landed on Fernandez’s palm during their mitts session Thursday afternoon, January 10 (Friday, January 11, Manila time) at Wild Card Boxing Club here.

Fernandez swore he didn’t notice the shaking Filipino sportswriters saw, but said he felt pain surged up to his spine and the back of his neck.

Though already used to Pacquiao’s power punches since becoming head trainer for the Lucas Matthysse title fight last July in Malaysia, Fernandez, despite his super heavyweight built, said he always needs an upper body massage after each mitts session with the eight-division world champion.

More so in Pacquiao’s training camp for his first defense of the World Boxing Association welterweight crown against Adrien Broner on January 19 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

“He’s even stronger now,” said Fernandez, comparing the 40-year-old Pacquiao’s present form and movement to his condition when he fought Briton Ricky Hatton and Mexican-American Antonio Margarito.

Pacquiao, who was at the apex of his career then, brutally knocked out Hatton in the 2nd round in 2009 while sending Margarito into retirement with a dominant unanimous decision in 2010.

Motivated by his 7th round stoppage of Matthysse, his first in 9 years, Pacquiao is pining for another knockout on his 70th pro fight (60-7-2, 39 knockouts).

Reason why, according to Fernandez, he and Pacquiao worked on several lethal combinations to be used against Broner in their camps in General Santos City and will unravel them on fight night.

Fernandez said the emphasis is to pounce on Broner’s flat-footed stance and eventually take him out with a punch or punches similar to what Pacquiao unleashed on him to culminate Thursday’s workout. – Rappler.com