Solis: Barrera and Marquez combined

Jorge Solis is a combination of Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, which was why Top Rank chief Bob Arum picked the Mexican to fight Manny Pacquiao, current WBC world super flyweight champ. The boxing promoter made the explanation to John Whisler in an interview posted on March 31 at the website of the www.mysanantonio.com. Here's the relevant question and answer: No one seems to have heard of Pacquiao's opponent, Jorge Solis. Why is this going to be a competitive fight? "We've had him fight for us on several Las Vegas cards and he's wowed everybody. "He reminds us of a combination of (Marco Antonio) Barrera and (Juan Manuel) Márquez. He's that good. He moves well and punches off his movement with very accurate punches. He also takes a tremendous punch and is just the kind of guy who can give Pacquiao fits. "Plus, he has the DNA. His brother (Ulises), is a world champion. We felt that even if he ended up losing, it would enhance his career. He'd prove that he's a world-class fighter." How would you compare Pacquiao to some of the other great fighters you've had over the years? "The fighter he reminds me of most is one who never got his just due, but was one of the best fighters of the golden age of the 1970s and '80s, and that's Aaron Pryor. He was a much bigger fighter than Manny. But like Pryor, Manny's boxing ability surprises you and the intensity, the number of punches and different angles he throws punches from is a lot like Pryor." As fight fans are aware, Marquez took away the WBC world superflyweight title from Barrera by unanimous decision in their match last March. The WBC then ruled that Marquez must first take on Pacquiao before anyone else, and it was a challenge that the PacMan accepted. - GMANews.TV