Philippines, 07 Sep 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Justin says Mikey for Manny makes sense


PhilBoxing.com




Los Angeles gym owner and strength/conditioning coach Justin Fortune said yesterday once the coronavirus crisis is over, he expects Mikey Garcia to emerge as super WBA welterweight champion Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s next challenger because “it’s the only fight that makes any sense.”

Garcia, 32, is fresh from scoring a win over Pacquiao victim Jessie Vargas by unanimous decision in Texas last February and has called out the Filipino for a showdown. He’s a former WBO featherweight, WBO superfeatherweight, WBC lightweight and IBF superlightweight champion with a record of 40-1, with 30 KOs.

“I think it’ll be an entertaining fight as long as it lasts,” said Fortune who began working with Pacquiao in 2003. “This will be Mikey’s chance to cash in. Everybody wants to fight Manny because of the payday. Mikey works hard and will give a good fight but Manny’s stronger and faster. It’ll be done in six or seven rounds. The way I see it, Manny can go back-to-back and still fight twice this year. Everything depends on the coronavirus. If boxing is back to normal by the end of June or in July, Manny can fight Mikey first then another challenger by December. Manny will be 42 by the end of this year. He can sit back and relax but knowing Manny, he’s got a lot of fight left in him.”

Fortune said he’s excited to work with Filipino featherweight contender Mark Magsayo who recently signed a contract with MP Promotions. Magsayo will leave for Los Angeles as soon as the pandemic is put under control. He will train with Freddie Roach and Fortune. “I’ve never met him but I’ve seen him with Freddie at Wild Card before,” said Fortune. “I’ve heard good things about him, that he’s strong, determined and heavy-handed.” Fortune said he’s familiar with Chris Avalos who knocked down Magsayo in the third round but was stopped in the sixth in a Cebu brawl in 2016.

Fortune said the coronavirus crisis is taking a heavy toll on the US economy. “I think 40 percent of Los Angeles restaurants will go bankrupt and imagine the people who will lose jobs,” he said. “This is destroying the economy. Gyms aren’t allowed to open and they’ll probably be the last to reopen.”

Fortune said the lockdown has meant adjusting training schedules for boxers with postponed fights. An example is WBO bantamweight titlist Johnriel Casimero whose triple unification duel with Naoya Inoue in Las Vegas on April 25 has been postponed indefinitely. “Casimero’s got to be careful not to burn out,” said Fortune. “He’ll need to adjust and slow down to train maybe, three or four days in a week. He should stay about 60 percent in shape then once the new fight date is confirmed, he’ll work to 100 percent in three to four weeks.”

Fortune said anything can happen in the fight. “Inoue’s tough and very talented but Casimero’s a real warrior, going around the world, winning and not afraid to fight anyone, anywhere,” he said. “(Nonito) Donaire beat up Inoue bad in their fight (last November) and it remains to be seen if Inoue has recovered completely. Inoue might not be the same anymore, he could get gun-shy. People think Donaire’s past his prime but look at what he did to Inoue. This fight could go either way.”


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Weigh-In Results: Oscar Valdez vs. Ricky Medina
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • WEIGHTS FROM LOS MOCHIS: Eduardo Nuñez - 130 Lbs., Christopher Diaz - 129.6 Lbs.
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • “THE HOMECOMING” OFFICIAL WEIGHTS
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • ‘SUGAR’ NUNEZ VS. ‘PITUFO’ DIAZ – PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • SUNDERLAND: WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • USA Boxing Nabs Perfect Outing on Day One of 2025 World Boxing Championships
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • Kelvin Watts Charged Up for 2025 World Boxing Championships
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • Legendary German Trainer Michael Timm Dies
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • 2X Olympic Champion, 4X Undisputed & 17X World Champion Claressa Shields Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo,
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • Boxers swing into action
    By Joaquin Henson, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • UBO Youth World Title Showdown: Aliya Soomro Fights Monika Singh in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • Battle of the Hawk Season 1 Finals on September 9; offers P600,000 to the winning team while P300,000 to the losing finalist team
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • Press Conference Notes: Oscar Valdez Motivated for Saturday's Homecoming Against Ricky Medina
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • SUNDERLAND PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES AS McCORMACK EYES BIG WIN
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • THE ROAD TO REYES CUP AND MOSCONI CUP | 2025 PLAYERS QUALIFICATION
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • Statement from World Boxing following reports in the French media about French female boxers at the World Boxing Championships
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • GenSan Is Our Version of Los Mochis - The City of Boxing Champions
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • Iglesias vs. Shishkin: Unsigned Hype
    By Chris Carlson, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • EDDIE HEARN PROVIDES AJ UPDATE AS PAT McCORMACK NAMES THE BIG FIGHT HE WANTS NEXT IN NEW MATCHROOM BOXING PODCAST
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • Team USA’s Path to Gold Set at 2025 World Boxing Championships in Liverpool
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • DACS signs up with Amesco Drug
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • India’s Monika Singh Battles Aliya Soomro of Pakistan for UBO Youth World 108 in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 04 Sep 2025
  • TEENAGE KICKS: WONDERKIDS LEO ATANG, ADAM MACA AND TIAH-MAI AYTON ARE READY TO LIGHT UP SUNDERLAND THIS SATURDAY
    , Thu, 04 Sep 2025
  • 150 to join Rotary Heritage Aquathlon
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 04 Sep 2025
  • Miguel Berchelt to Return in Reynosa, Tamaulipas; WBC Praises City’s Commitment
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 04 Sep 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.