Former heavyweight boxer Justin Fortune first worked with Manny Pacquiao in 2001, and the Los Angeles based trainer and gym owner has since served as the PacMan’s strength and conditioning coach for many of his greatest triumphs.
As rumours swirl concerning the identity of Pacquiao’s next opponent and the timing of his next contest – which will be the 42-year-old’s first since his July 2019 victory against Keith Thurman and 72nd in total – Fortune shared his thoughts with Boxing Social on some of Pacquiao’s potential opponents, and the extent of the Filipino’s pugilistic greatness.
“It won’t be Ryan Garcia,” the 55-year-old Australian said of Pacquiao’s long-awaited return to the ring. “I’ve heard it’s going to be Mikey Garcia or Errol Spence. But [Al] Haymon, Manny Pacquiao Promotions and [MP Promotions president] Sean Gibbons that’s for them to sort out.
“When we know who he’s gonna fight we’ll get him in shape and get him ready to fight. I stay out of that end of the business. That’s for the promoters and managers and so on to deal with. They do their job and we’ll do our job and it works out well.”
The 31-year-old Errol Spence Jr is regarded by some as the best welterweight in the world, but the no-nonsense Fortune dismissed the notion that the ‘The Truth’ (27-0, 21 KOs) would be a threat to Pacquiao (62-7-2).
“Did you see his fight against Danny Garcia?” Fortune asked. “There was nothing there that made me worry about fighting Spence. Obviously, the long lay-off and the car crash [Spence was involved in in 2019] has taken its toll. The residual effects of an accident like that are long-term. They’re not fixed in a year or a year-and-a-half.
“Spence is meant to be a power puncher but Danny Garcia came out of a 12-round fight against him and only had a black eye. How the fuck is this guy a power puncher? Most of the guys who fight Pacquiao go to the hospital or look like they’ve been put through a fucking meat grinder.
“And Spence wants to jump in with someone like Pacquiao? Someone who’s very fast, very strong and super awkward? Let’s go. We’d jump on Spence right now.”
Mikey Garcia is thought by many to be Pacquiao’s likeliest next opponent and Fortune also offered his take on a potential PacMan vs Garcia bout.
“Garcia’s too small. He’s a good fighter but it would be a 135-pounder against 147lb-er. Pacquiao would be too fast and too fucking strong. He’s not lost any step – which is pretty phenomenal. I don’t see anyone out there to beat him.
“Like they say – everyone’s got a game-plan until they get hit in the face and when you get hit by Pacquiao that hard and that fast then you’re in trouble. Crawford is a very good boxer, a great fighter but Pacquiao is a different kettle of fish.”
When Pacquiao’s career is finally over, Fortune believes that history will rate him extremely highly.
“Top three in history,” is his assessment. “If he gets a couple more wins and belts it will be what, 12 or 14 belts in eight different divisions? Who else has done that? Who else has been on top for like 19 or 20 years? How can he not be one of the pound-for-pound greatest and one of the top three fighters in history?
“No one else will achieve those feats ever again. Winning belts from 112lbs all the way through to 154lbs? And Manny has fought everybody and he’s never ducked a fighter.”
Quite a career, and Fortune admits it has been a privilege to be along for a lot of the ride.
“So many memories,” he grins. “He’s a good friend of mine so there are a ton of memories. Too many to mention one specific one. When he fought [Marco Antonio] Barrera in Texas and America woke up and thought: ‘who the hell is this kid?’ The super fight against Mayweather. Training out in the Philippines. So many great memories.”
Main image: MP Promotions.