For a 129-pound super featherweight, Manny Pacquiao has a huge appetite. How else do you explain why the WBC International champion has so much else on his plate as he heads into Saturday’s fight with Jorge Solis?
Pacquiao faces the undefeated Solis while in the midst of a congressional campaign in his home country of the Philippines. He’s also battling promoters in court and coping with the absence of his trainer Freddie Roach, who left to train Oscar De La Hoya (the same promoter/boxer that sparked the lawsuits).
Oddsmakers took these distractions into consideration when setting numbers for tonight’s “Blaze of Glory” card in San Antonio, Texas. Books opened with Pacquiao (43-3-2 with 33 KOs) set as a -850 favorite against Solis, listed as a +500 underdog. Recent money has moved the challenger to +485 and bumped Pacquiao down to -685.
“The distractions were certainly taken into account,” says Joey Odessa, a boxing linesmaker. “He looked a little flat against Oscar Larios in July before dismantling Eric Morales. I think Pacquiao is overpriced and his name draws a lot of square action.”
With all the media attention on Pacquiao’s out-of-ring activities, it’s easy for bettors to overlook the 27-year-old Mexican challenger who has yet to taste defeat (32-0-2 record with 23 KOs). Solis will be fighting in front of what should be the closest thing to a hometown crowd in San Antonio, and is out to avenge the many Mexican fighters Pacquiao has punished throughout his career.
“I came to San Antonio to win. As the saying goes in my hometown, I am taking home all of the marbles,” Solis told reporters. “I hold the pride of Mexico in my two fists. Manny’s winning streak over my countrymen will end Saturday night. Be ready Manny, no excuses.”
Solis is nowhere near as experienced as his opponent but has tried to make up for that with six months of training, logging over 300 hours in tough sparring sessions. He also doesn’t have the big-fight savvy of Pacquiao.
But oddsmakers aren’t ready to dismiss Solis’ chances altogether, expecting the challenger to survive the earlier rounds.
“Despite the steady flow of money pushing the over/under (round total) down a good bit, I think Solis will be in this fight late and may make things really interesting down the stretch,” says Odessa. “Especially if Pacquiao’s training was not up to par. With 32 wins and no losses, Solis is certainly what you have to consider a live dog.”
Sportsbooks now have the total round count set at 8 ? with the under listed at -145 and the over paying out at +105.
