Head coach of Manny Pacquiao and long time assistant coach and personal friend, Buboy Fernandez, has let slip what Pacquiao’s exact game plan will be for tonight’s fight against Lucas Matthysse.

It’s a strange one, too.

All week Pacquiao has been speaking about how he chose Matthysse due to his exciting fight style and the likelihood of the fight creating a lot of action in the ring.

Suggesting that he’ll be bringing the fight to the Argentinian big hitter tonight in Malaysia.

Not the case according to his trainer however, who’s leaked the game plan to Phil Star ahead of the bout:

“But I don’t want Manny to rush. I’m sure Matthysse will try to fight like (Juan Manuel) Marquez. He’ll wait for Manny to come in then counter. Manny won’t do what Matthysse wants him to do.”

He continued to say:

“Manny won’t stand still, he’ll go 1-2 then step out. On defense, Manny will go under Matthysse’s punch so he’s not standing to get hit with an upper. Manny will be patient.”

This counter punching strategy ultimately worked for Marquez when he landed what can only be described as a nuclear right hand of a counter:

For Pacquiao’s trainer to let slip the game plan so close to the fight makes one wonder what Matthysse and his coach and Joel Diaz will now look to do.

Matthysse is not to be written off in tonight’s fight, a dangerous puncher who’s clearly trained ferociously for the bout.

One would hope that if Matthysse does land on Pacquiao at some point that it could spark the Manny of old to come to life and fight fire with fire and excite the fans in what could be one of his final appearances in the ring.

Don’t blink as long as this one lasts.