Jorge Solis Finally Shows Up!
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 07 Apr 2007
Canoga Park, CA -- I received Top Rank?s email last night indicating that Jorge Solis, the Pacquiao foe from Mexico will be at the Pound4Pound Gym today (Thursday, April 5th, LA time) to meet the LA Press Corps for a ?media workout? at 1:30 PM. The gym is located along South La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles, about 4 miles east of the Wildcard Gym.
My gut reaction upon reading the e-mail was: I will believe it when I see Solis at the gym! I say these because Solis was a no-show in two previous announced press meeting.
Solis is in LA? Geez, what took people so long to secure a visa for him?
Being a Thursday and a day of work, I had to choose between going to the Pound4Pound Gym to take photos and staying at the office to work on the patients in today?s schedule. Yes, you got it right, I opted for the former!
The staff once again took care of re-arranging my schedule that gave me a few hours of free time. It was not too difficult for them to change my day?s schedule as it was Maundy Thursday and the schedule was not too heavy. However, none of that could be possible if I did not have those great people who can take care of business for me on short notice and loyal patients who would readily agree to change schedule to allow me to follow my passion for boxing.
Lo and behold, Top Rank finally came through. Solis indeed is in town!
What was so amazing is Ricardo Jimenez of Top Rank drove in to the parking lot with Solis at exactly 1:30 PM. That was the time Top Rank said Solis would be at the Pound4Pound gym.
The press people immediately went to work and started interviewing Solis as soon as he settled down in one corner of the gym. From my perspective, which is no less than 4 feet away, Solis did not appear to be 5?10?. In fact, we asked Abac Cordero, the writer from PhilStar who confessed he is just 5?8? to stand next to Solis. They were just about the same height. Perhaps it was Solis? former hairstyle that made people think he is 5?10?. Solis is more like 5?8?.
When the Pinoy media?s turn came up, I asked Solis if he felt training in the highlands of Otomi really helped in his training. Through his interpreter, he replied: ?I feel that my stamina has dramatically improved and I know I can go 12 rounds if I have to.?
Then, I asked him how he felt about fighting a ?future Philippine Congressman.? Everyone have a small laugh at the question including Jimenez who was interpreting for Solis. In reply, Solis said: ?I hope when he loses he will not use that as an excuse.?
We also had a short talk with Bob Arum and asked him why Solis had so much trouble with his visa. Arum without even blinking an eye said: ?It?s the f******g bureaucracy?
After the media interview, Solis changed to his training outfit and got on the ring to shadow box.
I am not an expert in gauging fighters but I have seen enough to form an opinion. I think Solis is not on the level of Pacquiao. He does not even come close to the body form of Eric Morales or Barrera. If these two great Mexican boxers fell when they fought Pacquiao, I see no reason for Solis to even come close to winning against Pacquiao.
Unless of course, Pacquiao does not show up on fight night.
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