Australian Justin Fortune, serving as Manny Pacquiao’s main trainer in the United States, belittled the claim of Jorge Solis’ camp that he could throw 250 punches per round on Thursday (Friday in Manila).
“If he does 250, then Manny does 500,” said Fortune, who has been honing up the Filipino superstar since last month in the absence of celebrated trainer Freddie Roach.
And, this early, Fortune is convinced that Pacquiao is in great shape for his defense of the WBC international super featherweight crown against the Mexican Jorge Solis.
“He (Pacquiao) is as physically and mentally prepared now as in his fights against (Juan Manuel) Marquez, (Marco Antonio) Barrera and (Erik) Morales,” said Fortune, a former heavyweight boxer who serves as Roach’s top assistant at his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
Roach is currently in Puerto Rico, supervising Oscar de la Hoya’s training for his blockbuster showdown against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5, but will arrive Saturday afternoon in time for the “Blaze of Glory” PPV (Pay-Per-View) fight card at the Alamodome.
“I’ve been working with Manny for four years and, basically, we’re doing the same things,” said Fortune, noting that they are approaching the unbeaten but largely unknown Solis with the same cautious way they gave the other Mexican ring icons.
Fortune, who was elated with the way Filipino trainers Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri handled Pacquiao’s early training in Gen. Santos City, bared that they have watched the tapes of Solis’ last six fights.
“He’s good,” said Fortune, “and he’s not a dirty fighter.”
Fortune added that Solis, at his best, will not still win, because “Pacquiao is the world’s best 130-pound fighter.”
For all his handlers’ claim of their ward’s fitness and fastness, Solis will not go beyond the sixth round, Fortune predicted.
