SAN ANTONIO–Fernando Beltran is sort of a young, Mexican-based version of Don King or Bob Arum. He built his promotional company, the Tijuana located Zanfer, mainly with a superstar named Erik Morales. Morales and Beltran grew up together in the big-time boxing scene.
Now Beltran and Zanfer dominate the promotional/managerial scene throughout most of Mexico.
So naturally, since he is usually eating, sleeping and breathing boxing, when Beltran takes a short holiday he wants to completely get away from boxing and everything about boxing. So it was when Beltran took a Royal Carribean Cruise Lines trip.
But, no sooner than the Freedom Of The Seas had set sail, Beltran got reminded of his profession when he ran into PNP, which stands for (Manny) Pacquiao Pinoy Power. Beltran was in the casino on the ship when he came across a Filipino worker.
“The guy sees me and he starts shouting, ‘Your the guy with Morales! Morales! Morales!’ Then, everytime he sees me walking around anywhere on the boat, he starts yelling out ‘Morales, Morales’ again and again. It was really funny. There were a lot of Filipino guys working on the ship.”
Beltran was the connection who brought Pacman’s Saturday night opponent, Jorge “Coloradito” Solis, to promoter Top Rank. After careful vetting by veteran matchmaker Bruce Trampler, Solis was approved as a “safe” opponent for this date.
Beltran, however, is thinking that Solis might upset the considerable odds.
“I think Manny is really distracted for the fight,” Beltran said. “He did not have any distractions for the three fights with Morales but I’ve seen some recent video of Manny sparring and I am not impressed.”
Arum, of course, disputes the distraction theories.
“Nothing bothers Manny like that,” Arum said. “Manny will turn his attention to his political campagin when he goes home after this fight. Pacquiao-Solis will be a much better fight for the fans that De la Hoya-Mayweather will be.That May 5 fight may be brutal to watch.
“Floyd is just too smart and too fast for Oscar, It will be ping, ping, move and ping, ping,.move every round for Floyd. This is a real figt where Manny and Solis will stand toe to toe.”
