SALUD SAYS ARUM LOOKING FOR MEXICAN TO BEAT PACQUIAO

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 30 Mar 2007

WBC founding secretary general, lawyer Rudy Salud, said yesterday he is convinced Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is "looking for a Mexican to beat (Manny) Pacquiao" and pointed to Arum’s protégé Humberto Soto as the possible choice.

Salud noted that Arum’s request to the WBC to have Soto declared mandatory challenger to newly crowned super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez indicated his intentions. Salud said Pacquiao, for all Arum’s statements, was not really his fighter and that since Arum depends largely on Mexican fighters and the fans they draw, he would look for a Mexican to end Pacquiao’s domination of the 130 pound division.

Arum said in the past when Erik "El Terrible" Morales was to begin his epic trilogy with Pacquiao that he would always support the Mexicans and nobody else until Pacquiao demolished Morales and Arum was left with no attractive fighter to draw the crowds and help him make money. Salud said he believes Arum wants "to stop Golden Boy from getting the Mexican fighters" even as Oscar De La Hoya only recently signed up another top ranked super featherweight contender Rocky Juarez, another Mexican.

Salud also indicated that Arum was probably a little wary of Pacquiao and his tendency to move from one camp to another having first signed a seven-fight deal with Golden Boy Promotions in mid-September and then two months later signed a four-fight deal with Arum, in the process receiving a $1 million bonus which was twice as much as De La Hoya gave Pacquiao. Salud said that because of this uncertainty, Arum was probably protecting himself.

Pacquiao’s close friend and confidant Rex "Wakee" Salud, no relative of the former WBC official, agreed with Salud's observations and indicated he too was concerned about Arum’s pushing for a Marquez-Soto mandatory title fight when Pacquiao himself was the mandatory challenger and had agreed to maintain that status in response to an inquiry from WBC president Jose Sulaiman.

IN-FORM PACMAN SPARS 12, SURPRISES OBSERVERS!

PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 31 Mar 2007

Showing tremendous conditioning and resolve, Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao resumed his sparring sessions yesterday, taking on three different sparmates for a total of twelve rounds as he declared himself to be raring and ready to go the full route if needed when he defends his WBC International superfeatherweight title against Mexican Jorge Solis on April 14.

This came two days after Pacquiao suffered a one-inch scratch after a sparring session, which was blamed on a thin headgear he had been using.

PACMAN GOES 12 ROUNDS Yesterday's sessions also brought Pacquiao's total hovering around the 100-round mark in his preparation for Solis, and he should have about 120 rounds under him before he flies to Texas.

Sources at the Wild Card Gym, however, also point out that Pacquiao's mind seems to be on his political plans, which was solidified the other day when his lawyer Franklin Gacal formally filed his certificate of candidacy for Congress in General Santos City.

After the 12-round sparring session yesterday, Pacquiao even had the stamina to hit the heavy bags for three rounds, spent ten minutes hitting the double-end bag, ten minutes with the speedball, and 12 minutes skipping rope.

"Excellent talaga ang lakas at resistensya ni Manny. Kundisyon na kundisyon talaga," a source at the Wild Card said, indicating that both Justin Fortune and Buboy Fernandez seemed impressed by their ward's performance at the gym.

After the heavy workout, Pacquiao did five rounds of shadow-boxing, and topped it off with a series of abdominal exercises.

"The only thing he needs to do right now is put himself in the right frame of mind, because it seems his mind is fully occupied with politics at this time," said another source.

After the heavy sparring sessions, Pacquiao and his entourage took their late lunch at the nearby restaurant, where the Filipino boxing icon had some shrimp soup, beef brocolli, salmon, chicken chopsuey, white rice and fried chicken. He did not order any soft drink, but drank mineral water instead.

Barrage of punches awaits Pacquiao – Solis

By NICK GIONGCO

THE VOICE on the end of the line was loud, crisp and clear. It even sounded determined.

At the end of the line was Jorge Solis, the Mexican fighter whom Pacquiao will meet on April 14, who was talking from his high-altitude training camp in the Otomi mountains.

And his message for Manny Pacquiao was that the Filpino icon must be prepared to accept a defeat.

Solis, the 27-year-old underdog from Guadalajara, said yesterday morning that an upset is going to take place on April 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

"I am going to come out firing lots of punches," Solis told the Bulletin in a conference call that was arranged by ace Top Rank publicist Ricardo Jimenez, who served as the interpreter in the 15-minute conversation.

"It’s not a question of me hitting Pacquiao with just one punch. I am going to hit him with lots of punches and you would all going to see who I really am," said Solis, who was unperturbed that a lot of people, most especially those from the Philippines, see him as a serving of a tasty Mexican dish that Pacquiao will feast on.

"I am not bothered by what they’re saying because they don’t know me," said Solis, who has and impressive record of 32-0 win-loss with 23 knockouts and a No. 2 ranking in the featherweight division by the World Boxing Council.

Solis began training for the fight as early as January around the same time when Pacquiao, who holds a mark of 43-3-2 with 34 stoppages, was still fulfilling commitments and pondering over his political plans.

"I have sparred 300 rounds and today, I did 10 rounds," said Solis, who works out with four men including teenage phenom Humberto Gutierrez and the wiry but crafty Tomas Rojas, who lost to Gerry Peñalosa last year.

Assisting him in training are his father Aurelio and brother Ulises, who is also an active fighter.
In charge of his conditioning is Raul Robles, who had also worked with Erik Morales.

In contrast, Pacquiao has logged more than 80 rounds of sparring at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood under the watchful eyes of Australian conditioning coach Justin Fortune, subbing for Freddie Roach, and training assistants Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri.

A father of two kids, Jorge Jr. and Dominique, Solis bragged that "Pacquiao hasn’t faced anyone like me."

Long-armed and an owner of a potent right straight punch, Solis is listed at 5-10 and will be the tallest foe thus far Pacquiao will face in his storied career.

"I am very excited about this fight and I know it’s going to be tough but I have prepared well and hard and I won’t let this slip away," added Solis just before hanging up.

Morales tells Pacman: Be wary of Solis

By June Navarro
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- A priceless tip for Manny Pacquiao from a man who had come face to face with Jorge Solis in the ring: Don’t take him for granted.

This advice came from Erik Morales, whom Pacquiao defeated in a thrilling WBC super featherweight fight in Las Vegas last year.

Morales revealed that Solis was one of his spar mates while preparing against Pacquiao in 2005.
“He’s (Solis) a good fighter,” said Morales yesterday in an interview on the 25th floor of the Diamond Hotel in Manila, where the Mexican star held a mini press conference.

“He (Solis) is fast and strong, so Manny needs to take him seriously.”

But Morales revealed a weakness that Pacquiao could pounce on.

“There’s only one problem—his fighting spirit,” said Morales of his countryman. “He gives up easily in a tough fight.”

Morales is in the country for a series of promotional gimmicks for San Miguel Beer.
Pacquiao will stake his WBC International super featherweight title against the unbeaten Solis on April 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Asked if he has a prediction on the Pacquiao-Solis fight, Morales said: “I don’t have any. No prediction.”

Morales also feels that there is nothing more in store for him in the super featherweight division.
After tucking three world championships under his belt, Morales is now moving up to the 135-pound division in a bid to become the first fighter to capture four boxing titles in different weight categories.

Morales won’t predict on Pacquiao bout

By Abac Cordero
The Philippine Star 03/31/2007

There’s no prediction coming from Erik Morales regarding the Manny Pacquiao-Jorge Solis fight on April 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. "No prediction.

No prediction," Morales, who’s in the country for a quick promotional tour for San Miguel Beer, told scribes in a 30-minute interview at the 25th floor conference room of the Diamond Hotel.

Morales has known the undefeated Solis for some time. In fact, they’ve sparred a few times, including a few rounds as Morales prepared for his third match with Pacquiao last November.

"Solis is a good fighter. He’s strong. But Manny is hard and strong, too. Manny has more experience in big fights. But he has to put one hundred percent against Solis," added Morales.

Asked more about Solis, Morales had a hard time saying: "But Solis gives up easily. He has never lost (in 32 fights), but there’s only one problem – his fighting spirit."

After talking about the coming Pacquiao fight, Morales said he can’t wait to throw his next punch as he aired his confidence for a June 16 showdown with WBC lightweight champion David Diaz.

"That’s the only thing I have – confidence," Morales.

Morales, who had held the titles in the 122-, 126- and 130-pound divisions, will try to become the first Mexican to win titles in four different divisions when he faces the 135-pound Diaz on June 16.

The venue of the fight, Morales said, is still being finalized. It could be in Chicago, Las Vegas or Texas. The only thing certain, he added, is that the fight between the two Top Rank boxers will push through.

Morales, 30, said he’s very comfortable at 135 pounds, although he looked much, much heavier than that during the interview. He came in casual clothes, accompanied by two Mexican friends.

"I really like the weight. Everything is fine. I think I can stay long in this division. Some people say Erik Morales has nothing left in him. I don’t think so," said the newest SMB endorser.

"I feel very strong. I like my stamina. But how many people think I can win a fourth title? Only myself. But I know I can do it. I will not fight if I can’t put up a good fight.

"I’m not doing this fight for the money. I already have the money. I can just go home. I have businesses. This is not for the money. This is for my honor. This is for prestige," he added.

Morales laughed when asked about the possibility of a fourth fight with Manny Pacquiao who might just end up campaigning in the lightweight division in a year or two.

Pacman’s supporters tear down his posters

By Joseph Jubelag

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Political supporters of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao have started tearing down posters with his commercial endorsements around the city to comply with election rules after he was declared a candidate for the First District of South Cotabato.

Members of the People’s Champ Movement led by Pacquiao’s younger brother, Ruel, started removing the posters a day before the March 29 deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy for local positions.

“This shows that we are following the election guidelines set by the Commission on Elections,” the younger Pacquiao said, referring to regulations that limit campaign posters to designated areas.

Lawyer Franklin Gacal, Pacquiao’s legal and financial adviser, filed Pacquiao’s certificate of candidacy on Thursday at the Comelec provincial office in Koronadal City.

Pacquiao, in training in the United Sates for his April 14 bout against Mexican fighter Jorge Solis, called up Gacal on his mobile phone to know if his certificate of candidacy was in order.
Provincial election officer Lilian Radam said his documents were in order.

“Now that Pacquiao has officially filed his [certificate of candidacy], we expect him to follow all election rules and regulations,” Radam said.

“This is the biggest sacrifice of my life. I’m doing this in all sincerity to help the people in the first district of South Cotabato,” Pacquiao said on speakerphone.

In Metro Manila, officials said they were worried that the heated political rivalry in a number of cities would lead candidates to violate the poster ban.

Roberto Esquivel, chief of the Metro Manila Development Authority’s sidewalk clearing operations, said he foresaw problems in Caloocan, Pasay, Quezon City and Manila.

“I am pretty sure that illegal campaign posters, advertisements and streamers will proliferate in these places,” he told Standard Today.

He said his group would step up cleanup efforts and gather evidence against candidates defying election rules. With Rio N. Araja