Pacman, Solis meet to hype showdown up

Manny Pacquiao and Jorge Solis, who will lock horns on April 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, will come face to face tomorrow during a news conference in Los Angeles.

It will be the first time that Pacquiao, considered the best pound-for-pound boxer today, and Solis, a Mexican who has gone undefeated in 32 fights, will be under one roof.

The 12:30 p.m. meeting will take place at the Palm Restaurant in West Hollywood. From there, Pacquiao will report for training at the nearby Wild Card Gym owned by his trainer Freddie Roach.

It will be a perfect chance for Pacquiao and Solis to size each other up before the media. At 5-foot-10, the Mexican enjoys a three-inch height advantage over the Filipino.

But Pacquiao, a certified knockout artist, is unfazed despite the fact that it will be the first time in his career that he’ll be pitted against someone that tall.

"Yes, he’ll be my tallest opponent so far. But once I start hitting him in the body and he lowers his head, then we’re of the same height," he said in Filipino.

Before the news conference, Solis will hold a media workout along with Brian Viloria and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., who are part of the undercard, at the Pound-4-Pound gym, also in LA.

The undefeated Mexican will fly in from Mexico just for the news conference. He is currently training up in the mountains of Otomi, the breeding ground of Mexican champions.

Pacquiao arrived in Los Angeles Saturday evening from a three-week training in his native Gen. Santos City. He showed up at the Wild Card Gym Monday afternoon.

Pacquiao logged 57 rounds of sparring back home, and his Pinoy trainer Buboy Fernandez wants eight or 10 no later than Wednesday. They are looking at 100 rounds of sparring.