LOS ANGELES ? Manny Pacquiao drove his way to the Pound-For-Pound gym on Thursday afternoon on a flashy Mercedes two-seater with music blaring from its high-end sound system.
Jorge Solis, the unheralded Mexican who faces the daunting task of beating Pacquiao on April 14 in Texas, came in with his entourage on board a large SUV that was provided by Top Rank.
While Pacquiao arrived in style, Solis came in without fanfare.
Had it not been for the presence of Top Rank officials who were on hand to guide him inside, Solis would have been mistaken for somebody else ? somebody who would have certainly not made lots of heads turn.
But since he was going to clash with Pacquiao, Solis was given importance with photographers clicking away even at his slightest hand movement.
Looking amused with the attention, Solis also took the time out to sell himself and warn those in attendance that he was going “to shock the world” even though nobody seemed to really care.
“I don?t care what everyone says about me,” said Solis, who comes to the fight with a 32-0 win-loss card with 23 knockouts.
“I have prepared hard. I spent six weeks in the mountains and I am ready to go. I have sparred with left-handers like Pacquiao and I don?t have any worries. I come to win,” said Solis, who immediately headed to Tijuana to resume the final phase of his training.
The huge disparity in the two boxers? lifestyles came to the fore just before they both headed separate ways.
As Solis came out of the gym en route to the waiting SUV, he saw Pacquiao hop inside his expensive wheels with people saying their goodbyes and cheers, the expression on Pacquiao?s face was that of a fellow who was about to take the prom queen on a date.
