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Pacquiao cornerman's chilling advice for Jeff Horn: if you go down, stay down.

Andrew Webster
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Manny Pacquiao's Australian conditioner Justin Fortune has some blunt advice for Jeff Horn: if he knocks you down on Sunday afternoon, stay down.

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Pacquiao: Nothing personal about knocking Horn out

The Philippines Senator will enter the ring as a strong favourite against Jeff Horn.

And a warning: if you are sensitive about the F-bomb, please look away now.

"He knocks you down and you get back up, he will really f--k you," Fortune advised ahead of Sunday's WBO welterweight title fight at Suncorp Stadium. "He's got that killer in him. If he sees you hurt, then you are f--ked. Manny beats Triple A fighters. This guy Horn doesn't. He doesn't have that f--king backing. He can't pull it off. I don't think he can even reach down to his f--king boots and pull it up. He's been knocked down a few times, he's gotten up – great – but they are against much lesser opponents."

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Fortune, a former Australian heavyweight champion, first worked with Pacquiao for his bout in 2003 with Marco Antonio Barrera, the Mexican legend Pacquiao bashed into submission to put himself well and truly on the world stage.

He was highly entertaining when your humble correspondent cornered him for his thoughts.

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When he wasn't dismissing Horn, he made the stunning claim that Floyd Mayweather somehow knew that Pacquiao was carrying a shoulder injury into their 2015 "Fight of the Century", which Pacquiao lost via unanimous decision.

"Mayweather knew his shoulder was f--ked up before they fought," Fortune said. "Don't ask me how, but he knew. He just didn't know which one, that's why he was targeting both shoulders. If Manny had strapped it up and had all that novocaine stuff and crap, he would've torn his shoulder off completely. It tore another half a centimetre during the fight. He couldn't pull out. Freddie [Roach, Pacquiao's trainer] tried to pull him out because he couldn't. This fight brought $600 million into Vegas. If he pulled out, Mayweather would never have fought him again. They fight again, Manny wins."

Whenever, wherever

Speaking of Freddie Roach, he says he knows the "Old Manny" is back because he has Shakira blaring in the gym.

Pacquiao is a massive fan of the Columbian-Lebanese singer-songwriter-dancer responsible for such hits as Hips Don't Lie and Whenever, Wherever.

Says Roach of the difference between Pacquiao before and after he rediscovered God a few years ago: "The one before was much more vicious, a knockout artist. The one now is a little bit too nice and feels he doesn't have to knock them out, he just has to beat them. I think that's starting to change back. This camp was the first when he started to knock down fighters in sparring. And Shakira's back on the radio."

Roach also gave an insight into why Pacquiao is so obsessed with his phone, something that was clear for all to see at Wednesday's media conference when Pacman kept thumbing away at his mobile phone as people were speaking.

Fuming: Jeff Horn, far right, says the team of Manny Pacquiao, right, has been disrespectful.

Obsession: Manny Pacquiao taps away on his phone during a press conference for the Brisbane fight. Photo: Getty Images

As Pacquiao explained to this column in Manila a few weeks ago, he has three mobile phones – one for his business as a Filipino senator, one for family, one for boxing.

"I'd say it's what he is used to from the old days – he needed three phones back then," Roach said, referring to Pacquiao's chequered past. "He's a changed person and he and his wife are very happily married at this point in his life. He made a lot of decisions in his life that didn't help his boxing but helped his lifestyle: he doesn't gamble, he doesn't drink, doesn't chase girls. All of that's gone. I think that's why he has three phones. It reminds him of his past."

Roach, who has prepared no fewer than 49 world champions, also paid homage to Australian boxing legend Johnny Lewis, who earlier this month was inducted in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

A life in the gym: Legendary trainer Johnny Lewis.

Homage: Freddie Roach says he has utmost respect for legendary Australian trainer Johnny Lewis. Photo: Sylvia Liber

"Johnny trained Justin Fortune, who taught me a few of his conditioning drills," he said. "I respect Johnny Lewis, he's a great trainer and I'm glad he got in the Hall of Fame."

As Roach chats away, a buzzer goes off in his pocket. He pulls out a packet of pills. It's a reminder for him to take medication for the Parkinson's Disease that is ravaging his body.

"I like working," he said. "I love my job. I have the best in the world by far. I train 12 hours a day. It keeps me going, it keeps me alive. I don't like being on the road because I only get to work with one fighter." 

Roach will stop for long enough on Friday night to attend the NRL clash between the Storm and Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.

Ringside attractions

There will be some big names sitting ringside at the fight, although no Henry Winkler as promised a few weeks ago. One of the greatest boxers of all time, Roberto Duran, will be joined by actress Amber Heard – Johnny Depp's ex-girlfriend – and actor Ludi Lin. They're in town filming Aquaman.   

Amber Heard will return to the Gold Coast to film Aquaman.

Ringside: Amber Heard is on the Gold Coast to film Aquaman. Photo: Getty Images

You can also bank on a stack of NSW and Queensland State of Origin stars, past and present, being on hand as well as Queensland coach Kevin Walters and his NSW counterpart Laurie Daley.  All Blacks star Liam Messam will also be in attendance, as well as NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg.

Alas, he's no Fonz

Sunny by name

Fine and sunny is the weather forecast for BrisVegas on Sunday afternoon, which is handy considering the ring will be in the middle of Suncorp Stadium.

Legendary trainer Bob Arum reminded us of the time "Marvellous" Marvin Hagler fought John Mugabi outside Caesars Palace in 1986.

"And there's 'The Beast' over there," Arum said at the pre-match media conference, pointing out Mugabi, who lives in Brisbane.

The heavens opened up that night and some fast-thinking locals started selling garbage bags worth a quarter at $10 a pop.

"And suddenly you had Jack Nicholson wearing a garbage bag," said Arum. "Harrison Ford in a garbage bag. Bo Derek in a garbage bag …"

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