SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Australian Justin Fortune is worried of three things going into Manny Pacquiao’s encounter with Mexican Jorge Solis this Saturday (Sunday morning in Manila) at the Alamodome.
“I am worried that Manny trips on his way to the ring, gets tied up between the ropes (when trying to enter the ring) or he steps on a banana peel,” Fortune, smiling, told three Manila reporters Tuesday night at the bar of the Radisson Market Square.
With a bottle of his favorite brew neatly placed in front of him, Fortune expressed confidence that Pacquiao will get the job done in “six rounds” or less.
With four days remaining before the scheduled 12-rounder, Pacquiao was brought to the Jesse James Leija Gym which is about 25 minutes from his hotel and worked out in the presence of the media, fans and even Solis, who patiently waited for his turn to work out in the city for the first time since his arrival late Monday night.
During their chance meeting, Pacquiao acknowledged Solis’ presence as he tapped his unheralded opponent as the Mexican was standing beside ABS-CBN sportscaster Dyan Castillejo waiting to be interviewed.
Fortune, who will be subbing for Wild Card guru Freddie Roach if the revered cornerman opts to stay in Puerto Rico with Oscar De La Hoya, says everything is proceeding smoothly as far as Pacquiao’s training enters the final two days, including the boxer’s weight, most delicate matter in the days going into the fight.
“Manny’s weight is okay,” said Fortune, who will be assisted in the corner by Filipinos Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri. “When I checked on his weight, he was 132 lbs. By fight time, Manny will be 138 lbs and he’ll be big for Solis, who is a natural featherweight (126-pounder).”
Pacquiao and Solis should not weigh more than 130 lbs on the eve of the bout that will see the Filipino stake not only his World Boxing Council International crown but his future as well.
Still, Fortune, a former heavyweight during his prime, is not taking chances, knowing that Solis “trained very hard for this fight because he’ll be up against Pacquiao.”
General Santos City businessman Rey Golingan, another avid supporter of Pacquiao, said he doubts whether the frail-looking Solis would withstand the impact of Pacquiao’s paralyzing blows.
“Solis’s body appears to be not designed to cushion the impact of a heavy blow,” said Golingan, who was also at ringside in Nov. 2003 when Pacquiao mauled Marco Antonio Barrera also at the Alamodome.
