Justin Fortune, the strength and conditioning coach for WBA "regular" welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, is backing IBF world champion Errol Spence to turn back Mikey Garcia on Saturday night in Texas.
Garcia, who holds the WBC lightweight title, is heading up by two weight classes to face Spence at AT&T Stadium.
"Spence is a big 147-pounder,” said Fortune to The Philippine Star. “He’s scheduled to fight Mikey Garcia and he’ll win. Garcia’s too small and Spence will overpower him. I honestly don’t know why Garcia took the fight.”
Pacquiao was in action back in January, when he dominated Adrien Broner over twelve rounds of action.
The next opponent and the next date is still being worked out.
Fortune said the final decision will come down to Pacquiao and Premier Boxing Champions CEO Al Haymon.
“It also depends on who’s available,” Fortune said.
“Right now, I have no idea when Manny’s next fight or who his opponent will be. Manny and Al will determine all that. I’m on the training side so I don’t know what’s going on in the business or promotional side. I stay in touch with Manny. We exchange texts from time to time. I know he’s busy with his work as senator and campaign manager in the coming elections.”
“Eight weeks should be enough [to get ready]. Manny’s always in shape so it’s not hard for him to get back in fighting condition. We’re all back together as a team and I’m sure whomever he fights, we’ll do a solid camp and the result will be what we want. It’s worked before, it’ll work again.”
As far as options, Fortune would like to see Pacquiao face Danny Garcia or the WBA 'super' welterweight champion Keith Thurman.
“It’s not my call but I like Danny because he comes to fight,” Fortune said. “It’ll be an exciting war. Danny’s an easy sell because his father (Angel) is a loudmouth. Thurman is another option but didn’t look too good in his last fight (against Josesito Lopez). If Manny wants to fight Thurman, now’s the time.”
