HOLLYWOOD–the heavier, the better.
Manny Pacquiao intends to come in at an exact 130 pounds during the official weigh-in for his World Boxing Council super featherweight showdown against Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15.
That’s because he wants to keep his natural weight advantage over the Mexican champion.
“Ayaw ko nang magpababa ng timbang, kasi parang pinaparehasan ko lang siya (I don’t want to get any lighter because I would just be matching up to him),” said Pacquiao on Sunday.
Pacquiao, who checked in at 133 lb at a WBC-supervised weigh-in on Saturday, explained that Marquez, being a natural featherweight (126 lb), is expected to come in lighter for the actual fight.
“Para hindi na gaanong malaki ang idadagdag ko sa laban (So that I won’t need to put on much weight on fight time),” said Pacquiao, who had to scramble to make the weight limit of 130 lb against Marco Antonio Barrera last October.
After the regular weigh-in on Friday, Pacquiao expects to bulk up to 144 lb, which should easily make him heavier than Marquez on fight night.
In his recent win over Barrera, Pacquiao came to Las Vegas still 6 lb overweight.
Now, Pacquiao is in a relaxed mode.
After an early morning uphill jog and 2,000 sit-ups, he took a shower, ate breakfast and heard mass. He then took an afternoon nap before having a late lunch of scrambled eggs and bread, according to Filipino trainer Nonoy Neri, who doubles as Pacquiao’s kitchen supervisor.
“Kain pa rin ng kain, madadala naman sa ensayo ‘yan, (I still eat a lot since I can lose it during training),” said Pacquiao, who will wind up his sparring sessions at the Wild Card Gym with four more rounds Monday afternoon.
Then Team Pacquiao, its supporters and Los Angeles-based friends travel in a convoy later in the day to Las Vegas, Nevada, about 480 kilometers away.
Pacquiao whiled the time away Sunday afternoon strumming the guitar, playing darts, which he does with both hands, and watching the Sacramento-Los Angeles NBA game won by the Kings, 114-113.
“Excited na ako sa fight,” he said. “Basta pag laban ko, binibigay ko ang lahat (I’ll fight as if there’s no tomorrow).”
When wife Jinkee and twin sister Janet arrived from a stroll, the three had dinner. Pacquiao had fried salmon, chicken kebab and a scoop of rice with beef broth on the side, as well as pear slices for dessert.
After a telephone interview from Manila, he played another round of darts and then went up to the loft of his unit at the gated Palazzo residences to have another shower before retiring to bed.
Filipino trainer and Pacquiao buddy Buboy Fernandez said it has been lights out by 9 p.m. since Manny began his Los Angeles training on Jan. 16.
Asked for her gut feel on Pacquiao-Marquez II, Jinkee said she feels nervous as usual. “Magaling din kasi si Marquez (Marquez is also good).”
Pacquiao is still scheduled to do his morning jog on Monday before attending a joint press conference with Marquez at the Olivera, a predominantly Mexican area in downtown Los Angeles.
