LOS ANGELES — After getting valuable work from a clone of his 19 July opponent, Manny Pacquiao told sparring partner Saul Bustos that a bonus awaits him if he beats Mario Barrios and snatches the World Boxing Council welterweight crown next week in Las Vegas.
Moments after Bustos made Pacquiao work doubly hard for six intense rounds, the Filipino eight-division legend approached his young sparmate and made him smile.
“I will give you a bonus if I win,” Pacquiao told Bustos, whose style and physique is similar to that of Barrios.
Bustos, who stands a bit shorter than Barrios, gave the 46-year-old plenty of trouble owing to his reach and height in the first two rounds before Pacquiao stepped up the attack in the next four frames.
He was one of four sparring partners called in to help in the training camp but he wound up as the lead sparmate because he closely resembled the 30-year-old Barrios.
“He fights like Barrios. Bustos fights the same way,” said Buboy Fernandez, who will change places with Freddie Roach in this scheduled 12-rounder taking place at the MGM Grand where Pacquiao has fought 15 times since June 2001.
Fernandez said he will be calling the shots in the corner with Marvin Somodio as his assistant. Roach would still be there as a consultant, according to Fernandez, adding that strength coach Justin Fortune and a soon-to-be-picked cutman will round up the cornermen.
The game plan is already in place and he is looking forward to its perfect execution knowing that Pacquiao remains a force to be reckoned with.
“I understand why people are always expressing their thoughts and anxiety over this fight because they love Manny,” Fernandez said.
“But I want to reassure them that he is in shape. He still has that speed and the power. And why do I say these things? Because I am the one who catches his pinches every single day. I am on top of the ring with him.”
Fernandez also took the opportunity to send a message to the Barrios camp, especially trainer Bob Santos, who had bragged about his fighter sending Pacquiao “either to the hospital or the cemetery.”
“This is the only thing that I am going to say (to them): Wait for us. A storm is fast approaching.”
Barrios and Santos better prepare.
Once it hits land, Fernandez guarantees widespread destruction.