"SUPERMAN WILL FLY AGAIN"
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 16 Apr 2016
"Lilipad uli si Superman (Superman will fly again)."
Filipino ring legend Manny Pacquiao might have betrayed himself on the issue as to whether he will make true his promise to retire for good following his impressive disposal of Timothy Bradley Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) last week at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
Those four-word sentence Pacquiao uttered to boyhood friend Buboy Fernandez, only meant one thing: "The now 37-year old Congressman from Sarangani will fight again," the portly assistant trainer himself asserted in an exclusive interview Tuesday, the day Pacquiao and his team left for Manila from Los Angeles.
"If you will read between the lines, iyon na 'yun, lalaban pa uli si Manny," Fernandez, who claimed he knows Pacquiao by heart than anyone being his bosom friend and neighbor at Barangay Labangal in General Santos City, assured.
"We were, actually wrapping up with our equipment right after the fight when he told us "Haplas (brother Roger Fernandez) and myself, to keep those equipment, save them and take care of them," Buboy relayed. "I told him, siyempre naman, magre-retire ka na at dapat lamang pag-ingatan namin ang mga ito."
"Manny then uttered those words," Buboy said. "Tapos sabi pa niya, papaimbuyog na naman si Superman upang pasayahing muli lahat ng boxing fans, lalo na ang mga Pilipino."
"We have been friends since our childhood, magkapit-bahay at barkada kaya masasabi kong kilalang-kilala ko si Manny. Sa body English pa lang niya alam ko na kung ano gusto niya. Except for his parents, perhaps, brothers and sisters, ako na ang nakakikilala sa kanya nang lubusan," Buboy said.
"As of now, he's retired until such time that he decides with finality kung anong buhay ang gusto niya after boxing," he explained.
"Understandable naman kung babalik siya sa boksing. Boxing is his life. Boxing gifted him, his parents, siblings, wife and children a good, good life. He loves the sport so much."
"And he, too, loves the fans to whom he dedicates all his fights. Of course, time will come na maiisip mo kelangan na mag-retire," he related. "He's no longer getting any younger. Then he thought about his family, Jinkee and children na hindi niya nakakasama pag may laban. Kaya he announced his plan to hang up his gloves before the Bradley fight," Buboy narrated.
Buboy said that the overwhelming unanimous decision result of he showdown that tilted in his favor must have led his boss to think otherwise. Which is why he is now asking those who want him continue with his career time for him to enjoy first a life in retirement before finally deciding. "
"Naging napakaganda kasi ng laban at ng resulta. Nakita nating lahat na bumalik ang dati niyang lakas at bilis. Na kaya pa talaga niya lumaban. So, let's give him what he wants. Let's allow him to enjoy a life in retirement, Buboy said. "Matagal na rin naman si Manny sa boksing. Two decades plus na," Buboy recalled.
"Manny's already fighting long before he married Jinkee. And longer before Jimuel, Michael, Psrincess, Queenie and Israel came to life. Kailangan talaga niya malasap ang buhay na walang inaalalang laban. Walang ensayo at walang biyahe sa malayong lugar para siya mawalay sa pamilya," he quipped.
"But what I can say is, Manny will be back. Huwag kayong mainip. Sabi nga niya, Superman will be back."
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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