Fortune teller

Conditioning coach Justin Fortune has been spending so much time with Manny Pacquiao the last few weeks that he is not afraid to issue a bold prediction.

The Filipino eight-division legend is slated to challenge Mario Barrios for the World Boxing Council welterweight crown on 19 July at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I think it’s a stoppage. It won’t go the distance,” Fortune told ESNews while having a break at his gym in Los Angeles recently.

As soon as Pacquiao kicked off his training on American soil almost a month ago, Fortune, a former heavyweight campaigner, was right there with him.

And while just about everyone who have seen Pacquiao do his morning roadwork and afternoon training sessions at the Wild Card Boxing Club left mesmerized, Fortune is not among them.

“Listen, on the mitts and bags, they don’t punch back, but he (Pacquiao) looks the same as he did six or seven years ago. He hasn’t missed a beat,” said Fortune, noting that Barrios’ tendency to have facial swells is going to be vital.

“Barrios gets hit a lot, and (Pacquiao is) the last person you want to get hit a lot by. He (Barrios) puffs a lot. Once you puff up, once you swell up and this guy (Pacquiao) hits you in the head, he starts a cut,” he added.

At six feet tall, Barrios stands six inches taller than Pacquiao, who, at 46, is 16 years older.

Not only that.

Pacquiao hasn’t fought in nearly four years and he was not so impressive the last time he was in the ring, losing on points to Yordenis Ugas of Cuba.

Given these facts, oddsmakers have installed Barrios, a native of San Antonio, Texas, as the heavy betting favorite.

Still, Pacquiao remains confident that he can rise to the occasion once more and get the job done despite the tremendous odds.