WHEN Restituto “Buboy” Fernandez Jr. talks, expect boxing icon Sen. Manny Pacquiao to listen.
And for Pacquiao’s next fight that’s shaping up as the biggest in this Covid-19 pandemic era, mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor poses a threat even to the eight-division world champion.
“We just cannot underestimate [Conor] McGregor. We just can’t say up to what rounds he will last because he can also punch,” Fernandez told the BusinessMirror in a phone interview on Monday from his home in Polangui, Albay, where he sits as vice mayor.
“In God’s will, as long as he won’t run and his style suits with us, I think we can go back to the Philippines early,” added Fernandez, whose friendship with Pacquiao is traced to their much younger days when, as they roamed General Santos City, neither thought they would ever become this big and famous.
Negotiations are ongoing for a blockbuster Pacquiao-McGregor fight either in December or January and in a venue in the Middle East—fingers pointing to the ultramodern city of Dubai. Both fighters agree to the fight and asked their camps to seal the deal immediately.
The duel will be much the same way as the McGregor-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight in August 2017 where the 32-year-old UFC star agreed to boxing rules—no kicks, no elbows, no knees and no grappling.
Fernandez admitted he longs for the Pacquiao-McGregor fight to happen even before the Irish fought and lost to Mayweather via a 10th round technical knockout at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
“I am dreaming for this fight to happen a long time ago even before he fought Mayweather. I am hoping this fight will materialize. At the same time, McGregor also wants to fight us because of Pacquiao’s popularity,” said Fernandez, who this early is doing his homework by watching McGregor’s fights on YouTube.
“This is going to be a good fight, but the question is where’s the venue?” he said.
A possible epic fight against McGregor next year in Dubai after the pandemic had resurfaced last month. And the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion was belittled by Pacquiao’s long time trainer and now his consultant, Freddie Roach, has his money on the 41-year-old Pacquiao.
“If this is true, Manny Pacquiao will have an easier time with you Conor McGregor than when he fought Ricky Hatton,” Roach posted in his Twitter account last September 26, referring to Pacquiao’s devastating second round technical knockout win versus “The Hitman” Hatton in 2009.
Even Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning Coach Justin Fortune said McGregor doesn’t deserve to fight the Filipino boxing legend.
But Fernandez is sticking with his view on McGregor.
“We just cannot underestimate him, but our senator has the edge in speed and reflexes despite his age,” he said.
Pacquiao (62-7-2 win-loss-draw record with 39 knockouts) vowed to donate a portion of his purse to Filipinos who fell victim to the Covid-19 pandemic.