YOU?D think Manny Pacquiao had never been into the big fights if you saw him yesterday morning at the official weigh in.
Pacquiao looked nervous and pale as though he was a fighting cock which had only fought in illegal hackfights and never been into the derbies.
Though Pacquiao flexed his muscles a few times to reveal his six-pack after conquering the scales, his facial expression and even the manner with which he acted in front of the crowd in attendance at the Serendipity Lounge of The Discovery Suites paled in comparison with the man who got into the nerves of his detractors in San Francisco, Memphis, San Antonio, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
The Pacquiao that showed up was devoid of color and zest for energy and even if he momentarily played with the photographers, TV crews and scribes, by showing off his chiseled body, Pacquiao did not resemble the fearsome puncher who was not cowed by the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales When Pacquiao tipped the scales, there was a hush and somebody even shouted 131 (lbs) to say that the Filipino was one pound over the limit but the officials declared that he was officially 129 1/2 lbs.
While the mood was Hitchcock-like when it was Pacquiao?s turn to be weighed, Larios hardly looked bothered and it showed when it was announced that he had weighed 129 lbs.
After the crucial stage of the promotion, Pacquiao and Larios posed together with the Mexican smiling and the Filipino wearing a smirk before going separate ways.
Pacquiao was escorted into a room just a few meters away from the podium immediately after the weigh in and it was there that the heavily-favored Filipino banger was served steamed fish, bulalo, rice, juice and fruits by his training assistants.
Larios did not stay long and just went back to his suite to rest with his handlers in tow after the checkup, his head held up high as if he was just waiting for his coronation.
After the routine medical checkup, Pacquiao stayed for an hour resting at one of the plush rooms at the 12th floor before heading back to the Aguinaldo Suite at The Manila Hotel where he will be coming from en route to the Big Dome.
Pacquiao?s convoy will leave the hotel around 7 a.m. with police escorts showing the way to where everything will be settled.
The main event will be at exactly 11 a.m. to accommodate US TV fnas on pay-per-view. Gates at the Araneta Coliseum will open at 6:30 a.m. and the first preliminary bout will bet 8:30 a.m.
Late yesterday afternoon, after getting some sleep, Pacquiao said he was fine and he even shared a laugh with a scribe on the phone to prove that everything?s under control and that he?s ready to rumble.
??He?s ready to go,?? said Pacquiao?s trainer Freddie Roach.
Wakee Salud, a major mover of today?s promotion billed “Mano a Mano,” was earlier concerned with the way Pacquiao looked but after having a private moment with him, his worries vanished.
??He was in a jolly mood inside the room and was cracking jokes a lot,?? said Salud. ??I don?t know what he?s up to but he was really in a good mood.??
Pacquiao?s World Boxing Council (WBC) International super-featherweight crown will be on the line in the scheduled 12-rounder.
