'Nacho’ is main man in de la Hoya's corner
BUSINESS MIRROR | 12/02/2008 10:30 AM
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Famed Mexican trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain clarified he will be the man in charge when Oscar de la Hoya climbs the ring against Manny Pacquiao this weekend.
Beristain was interviewed by the BusinessMirror on Monday morning and made it clear he will be the main man in de la Hoya’s corner on December 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I will be responsible for whatever will happen to De la Hoya,” said Beristain through interpreter Jaime Quintana, a well-known Mexican promoter.
Beristain made the reaction when asked about his relationship with American trainer Angelo Dundee, another legendary trainer who handled Hall of Fame fighters Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard.
Several insinuations came about as to how the two legendary trainers could work hand in hand and avoid any clashes in giving instructions to de la Hoya.
“We are going to meet this week in Los Angeles and discuss some more matters to ensure Oscar’s victory,” said Beristain.
Dundee was asked by de la Hoya to help him map out a plan that will derail Pacquiao’s bid at boxing immortality. Dundee spent some time at de la Hoya’s training camp in Big Bear, California.
“Oscar called me and asked me to be an adviser,” Dundee told HBO’s four-part 24/7 television special of the match.
“Nacho is the head trainer, he’s the head honcho and he’s in charge. He is the man. Why not bring in the legendary trainers of our time?” said de la Hoya in the same HBO special.
Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum told the BusinessMirror in a separate telephone interview that the presence of Beristain alone, a known disciplinarian, will screw up de la Hoya’s training.
“Nacho Beristain will serve only one purpose, and that is to screw up Oscar. Nacho is a control freak and when he has a fighter from the beginning, like one of the Marquez brothers, he’s a terrific trainer,” said Arum.
“If he’s gonna try to impose his style on Oscar who is not a quick learner, all Nacho’s gonna do is screw him up. [Wait till you see.] Oscar’s gonna change his style and it’s not going to work.”
Beristain is credited for honing the skills of hundreds of Mexicans fighters, more than a dozen of them became world champions that include Ricardo Lopez, the Marquez brothers Juan Manuel and Rafael, Daniel Zaragoza and Humberto Gonzalez to name a few.
“I’m really confident, I’m not just saying this. I’m very confident that Manny will win this fight and win it by late round stoppage,” said Arum in the same interview.
De la Hoya concluded his training camp in Big Bear over the weekend and is now in Los Angeles preparing for their move to Las Vegas.
De la Hoya meets Pacquiao in an intriguing 12-round welterweight clash.
