Pacquiao leaves for San Antonio

FILIPINO boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao is set to leave Los Angeles for San Antonio to acclimatize himself with the Texas weather barely a week before his scheduled 12-round super featherweight clash with Jorge Solis of Mexico at the Alamodome.

The Alamodome, home of Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, is the site of Pacquiao's career-defining triumph over Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera in November of 2003.

Now, over three years later, the Filipino southpaw will be back again in the place of that memorable victory against an undefeated boxer in Solis.

Pacquiao had his last sparring session at the Wild Card gym Saturday and his trainers, led by Justin Fortune, declared the boxer ready to fight.

If plans push through, Pacquiao is scheduled to watch the Spurs play in a home game, before the fighter takes care of his own battle atop the ring on April 14 (April 15 in Manila).

Pacquiao and Solis met for the first time Thursday when the Filipino bomber visited the Mexican during training at the Pound4Pound Gym in Los Angeles.

Pacquiao thought Solis is not that tall as the Mexican was earlier described to be.

Solis, who is 32-0 with 23 KOs, had earlier vowed to beat Pacquiao and shock the world.