GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Manny Pacquiao is neither blind nor clueless about his next opponent – the undefeated Jorge Solis of Mexico.
The other day, the slugger from Mindanao caught a glimpse of the 27-year-old Mexican by way of a fight video, which Pacquiao watched at the entertainment room of his 2,300-sq meter mansion here.
On the tape was Solis, a native of Guadalajara, pounding out a fifth-round technical knockout of Fernando Omar Lizarraga at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
On hand watching the tape with Pacquiao were his long-time trainers and life-long friends Buboy Fernandez, Nonoy Neri and Patrick Patricio. It was the first time Pacquiao saw Solis on tape.
But it didn’t take long for Pacquiao to know and size up his opponent, get an idea of how he moves, how he throws his punches, and how he tries to cover up when under attack.
Pacquiao needed less than five minutes to do all these.
“Manny stood up in the middle of the second round. He said ‘that’s it’ then left the room,” said Fernandez who had watched the videotape with Neri a number of times already.
Fernandez keeps the videotape close to him most of the time.
“This is the opponent. He can’t get away,” said Fernandez yesterday, feeling the videotape in one of the pockets of his cargo pants.
Asked how he sees Solis, the bubbly trainer gave just a very brief description of the Mexican, undefeated in 32 pro fights, 23 of them by way of knockout.
“Walang masyadong galaw. Nakatayo lang (He hardly moves. He’s just there standing),” said Fernandez. “Pero sigurado ako nag-aaral na tumakbo yan (I’m sure he’s now learning how to run).”
Or else?
“Eh di tatamaan ni Manny (Then Manny will get him),” said Fernandez.
In less than two rounds, Pacquiao may have found the way to get rid of this Mexican.
