LAS VEGAS, Nevada?Manny Pacquiao likened himself to a sponge after Friday?s weigh-in.
?Para akong foam (I?m like a foam),? said Pacquiao, who checked in at 129 pounds for his rematch against Juan Manuel Marquez. ?Mabilis lumiit, mabilis lumaki (I shrink fast, I bulk up fast).
With sips of water, spoonfuls of ampalaya with eggs and slices of pears and watermelon, Pacquiao continued the process of bulking his way up to 143-144 pounds for his World Boxing Council super featherweight title bout against Juan Marquez Saturday.
About 30 minutes earlier, Pacquiao jump-started that process had chicken tinola, beef kebab, chicken luleh, hard boiled eggs and rice.
He also drank Gatorade and took his daily requirement of four vitamins.
For the next hours leading to the bout at the Events Center of the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, all he?d need to do is eat, sleep with a little limbering in-between.
Having cut down on his food intake only on Thursday, Pacquiao was jolly and sharp, a sharp contrast to his demeanor in his bout against Marco Antonio Barrera last October, where he was cranky and irritable due to starvation as he was 5.5 lb off the limit one week heading to the fight.
Pacquiao even kidded Environment Secretary Lito Atienza and former Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson that they should take the ampalaya he?s eating as they were good for the health of older men.
Then he saw the banners hanging in the ring and wondered why MP Promotions was not among them.
Taking his time, Pacquiao finished his first meal of the day in about two hours before standing and leading Team Pacquiao out of the fight venue and to his suite at Mandalay Bay.
Pacquiao checked in at 129 pounds during the weigh-in while Marquez, who will try to defend his WBC super featherweight belt, checked in at 130.
But Pacquiao has proven in the past that he can easily regain the weight he sheds to meet the scales? limit.
In his third bout against Erik Morales, Pacquiao also checked in at 129, but was reportedly between 144 and 147 during fight night, giving him the advantage in heft against the Mexican, whom he knocked out in three rounds.
