Philippines, 29 Jan 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


PACQUIAO WEIGHS WAY BELOW THE LIMIT


PhilBoxing.com




Manny Pacquiao weighed in at a mere 144.6 pounds which was 9.4 pounds below the 154 pound super welterweight/light middleweight limit and 5.4 pounds below the stipulated catch-weight agreed upon while his opponent Antonio Margarito tipped the sc ales at the official weigh in at 150 pounds.

The weights gave Margarito an initial advantage of 5.4 pounds which is likely to grow to around 20 pounds at fight time which was an issue strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza had expressed his concern about several times in the recent past.

Ariza?s efforts to build Pacquiao?s body to be able to handle the bigger and stronger Margarito were scuttled by Pacquiao who claimed he felt sluggish even though the strength and conditioning coach wanted him to be around the weight at which he fought Miguel Cotto.

Even Pacquiao?s boyhood friend Restituto ?Buboy? Fernandez was against Pacquiao bulking up saying he is a boxer not a body builder.

The pound-for-pound king with a record of 51-3-2 and 28 knockouts will vie for his eighth world title in a battle with Margarito whose record is 38-6 with 27 knockouts for the vacant WBC title at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium on Sunday, Manila Time.

James Slater of East Side Boxing quotes Top Rank promoter Bob Arum as saying that Pacquiao will in the future fight only at welterweight where the maximum is 147 pounds. Arum said ?It?s just too much size difference fighting these bigger guys? which raises the question as to why Arum made the fight in the first place.

Arum predicted that Margarito will enter the ring at around 165 pounds which would give him a tremendous weight advantage .

Arum claimed that trainer Freddie Roach and Ariza were telling him that Pacquiao would weigh in at 149 or 150 pounds which didn?t happen because Pacquiao and his Filipino assistants Fernandez and Nonoy Neri were against the strength and conditioning program of Ariza claiming it made him sluggish which was evident when he sparred against Glen Tapia and WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan during his training camp in the Philippines.

But experts told us the reason was that Pacquiao, because of his many commitments and distractions which cut into his training hours, didn?t have time to allow the regimen to settle in before he regained his explosiveness as he did in previous fights against Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky ?Hitman? Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey.

While most boxing writers and fight fans have shown concern about the gaunt and emaciated look of Margarito who struggled to make the weight now concern is shifting to why Pacquiao came in so much lower than his expected weight of 148 despite eating heartily.

It also means that when he woke up in the morning Pacquiao was probably around 141 pounds.

Top photo: (L-R) Superstar Manny Pacquiao and three-time world champion Antonio Margarito weigh in at (Pacquiao 144.6 lb,Margarito 150 lb) for their superfight on November 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Pacquiao vs Margarito is promoted by Top Rank in association with MP Promotions and Cowboys Stadium. The Pacquiao vs Margarito telecast will be available live on HBO Pay Per View. -- Photo Credit : Chris Farina - Top Rank.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Open Workout: Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou Prepare For Saturday's Unification Showdown in Puerto Rico
    , Thu, 29 Jan 2026
  • Cabrera-Zapata Kicks Off All Star Boxing's 2026 Season
    , Thu, 29 Jan 2026
  • Manny Pacquiao Chess Philippines: Cash prizes, FIDE rating at stakes this Sunday
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 29 Jan 2026
  • IBP Fun Run & Family Day on February 15
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 29 Jan 2026
  • TEOFIMO LOPEZ AND SHAKUR STEVENSON FACE-OFF AT KNICKS GAME AS COUNTDOWN TO ‘THE RING 6’ ON SATURDAY BEGINS
    , Wed, 28 Jan 2026
  • Davao to sponsor P500K in IRONMAN 70.3
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 28 Jan 2026
  • JOSH KELLY SOUNDS WARNING TO WORLD TITLE RIVAL BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV AS HE TARGETS HISTORIC NORTH EAST HOMECOMING
    , Wed, 28 Jan 2026
  • Gallegos and Alvarez Shine Bright with Knockout Wins at Fontainebleau Las Vegas
    , Wed, 28 Jan 2026
  • Pedro Carrasco Remembered in Spain 25 Years After His Passing
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 28 Jan 2026
  • Gensan Outdoor, Gensan Educator support MFPI 5th Mindanao Summit in Mt. Apo
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 28 Jan 2026
  • Vitor vs Subkhankulov, Tapales vs Kalsynov in Double IBF Asia Title Fights in Moscow on Feb. 13
    By Dong Secuya, , Tue, 27 Jan 2026
  • “It’s about owning my own journey” Jeanine Brown retuns for Title Clash March 13 – Thunderdome 53
    , Tue, 27 Jan 2026
  • Long Boxing Journey settles in New Bedford, MA for Junior Featherweight prospect Joshua Alvarado
    , Tue, 27 Jan 2026
  • Steph Curry is 19th leading scorer of the NBA
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 27 Jan 2026
  • Ocum is WBC Asian lightweight champ
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 27 Jan 2026
  • Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh Believes he will stop Jarrell Miller this Saturday at Madison Square Garden
    , Tue, 27 Jan 2026
  • David Ray Sarmiento finishes second place in Cologne January Blitz 2026.
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 27 Jan 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 25 JANUARY 2026: Raymund Muratalla Edges Andy Cruz; Walsh Outpoints Ocampo
    By Eric Armit, , Mon, 26 Jan 2026
  • MFPI 5th Mindanao Summit at Mt. Apo on February 19-22
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 26 Jan 2026
  • OLYMPIC BOXING 8: 1948 OLYMPICS AT LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Mon, 26 Jan 2026
  • Golden Gloves Launches on Meta Quest Store, Establishing the First Official Esports Competition Pathway for Amateur Boxing
    , Mon, 26 Jan 2026
  • Andy Cruz vs Raymond Muratalla: Who Will Execute?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • Libranza to fight undefeated Tso for IBF Pan Pacific bantam
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • Filipino Cue Artist RJ Bautista Ready to Shine at the Las Vegas Open 2026
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • MURATALLA VS. CRUZ WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER
    , Sat, 24 Jan 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.