SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Six weeks of training, including 300 rounds of hard sparring, will propel Mexican Jorge Solis past Filipino favorite Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night at the Alamodome.
‘’That’s enough to beat Pacquiao,’’ Solis told Filipino scribes when he finally set foot at the Radisson Market Square past 12 midnight Monday.
At the airport, Solis was quoted as saying by Top Rank Publicist that he ‘’holds the pride of Mexico in these two hands,’’ with the unbeaten Mexican raising both fists.
‘’I have the skill and the power to knock him out. I will use my reach and height advantage,’’ said Solis, whose statements were translated into English by an equally-capable Top Rank publicist in Ricardo Jimenez.
‘’He is a complete fighter,’’ said Jimenez, who believes Solis is the best 126-pounder (featherweight) in the world today.
Ranked No. 2 by the World Boxing Council, Solis claimed to have prepared six weeks and crammed 300 rounds of sparring and that would be sufficient to score an eye-popping upset over a puncher many believe is the finest in the world regardless of weight class.
Unmindful of Solis’ confident remarks, Pacquiao was in a relaxed mood at the same building where he stayed while revving up for the legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera four years ago.
“Kung gusto nga niya eh wala na lang gloves (It’s okay with me if he wishes to fight without gloves),” Pacquiao told a Manila scribe who visited him at his suite after a workout held outside the downtown area.
That was the exact words Pacquiao made on the eve of his sensational victory over Barrera.
“Gusto ko nga lumaban sa UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) eh,” said Pacquiao, sounding as if he’s bored with boxing.
Before the conversation over mixed martial arts could get out of hand, Pacquiao showed off his six-pack abdomen, an indication that he’s raring to get the job done.
Even super flyweight Jorge “Travieso” Arce of Mexico believes Pacquiao is too powerful for his compatriot.
‘’Manny wins this fight easily,’’ said the bemoustached Texan who was outside a gym on Travis Street waiting for Pacquiao to arrive. ‘’Manny Pacquiao gets him in five, six or seven rounds. And I am even being nice about this (prediction). Manny doesn’t even have to train to beat this guy Solis. Who’s he?’’
Arce didn’t get to meet Pacquiao who went to a different sweat shop.
When the Filipino finally got back at the Radisson at around 5 p.m. he was already too tired to head out to watch the San Antonio Spurs game at the AT&T Center.
Still, the a semblance of the Spurs could surface on fight night as Pacquiao associate Jake Joson unveiled a Tim Duncan jersey that the boxer will wear in his ring walk.
Pacquiao also wore a Duncan jersey when he faced Marco Antonio barrera in late- 2003.
NOTES: Jorge Solis was brought to the Radisson on board a white airport taxi after a straight flight from San Diego, California. He was joined by his father Aurelio, brother and active fighter Ulises, another brother Eduardo, 18, and Wilevaldo Arroyo, who will help in the cornerwork….Promoter Bob Arum said over million sales in tickets have been earned as of Friday. ‘’Virtually all the expensive tickets are sold,’’ said Arum. Prices range from a low of to a high of 0. ‘’Ticket sales are sensational,’’ added Arum…Manny Pacquiao was mobbed by fans when he worked out at the Jesse James Leija gym in the afternoon. Some of them drove as far as Houston, according to Top Rank publicist Lee Samuels.
