Freddie Roach will make sure that Manny Pacquiao climbs the ring against David Diaz just as fit, just as heavy as he should be.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
In a recent chat with fightfan.com, the two-time Trainer of the Year said Pacquiao should not fall into the same mistake of putting on too much weight after the official weigh-in.
?The one thing I?m concerned about goes back to the (Juan Manuel) Marquez (rematch). Manny weighed 130 pounds for the fight, and then entered the ring at 146 pounds.
?I think he put on too much weight,? said Roach. He must have forgotten that Pacquiao actually weighed 129 lbs on the eve of the fight, which he won via a close decision.
In his previous fights as a super-featherweight, Pacquiao had entered the ring, after weighing 130 lbs or just a fraction less the day before, at around 142 to 144 lbs.
But against Marquez last March 15 at Mandalay Bay, Pacquiao stepped into the ring at 146 lbs, enough for the 29-year-old Pinoy sensation to fight as a welterweight.
Roach was asked by fightfan.com if it was just a case of ?re-hydrating? considering that Pacquiao trained for eight full weeks trying to make the weight.
?No. I think it was over-eating. I think food makes you sluggish and slows you down a little bit. There?s less reaction time and it slows the body down,? he said.
?There?s a fine line between gaining enough weight and gaining too much. I?m a firm believer you should never put on more than 10 pounds. For Manny to gain 16 pounds in a 24 hour period is a lot of weight.?
Roach said this might have affected Pacquiao?s speed during the fight where he had great difficulty against Marquez? counter-punching style, and moving away from the Mexican?s right hand.
?Of course. The food intake makes you sluggish. That?s why in the military they always do maneuvers in the early morning on an empty stomach because you?re sharper that way.
I?m not saying I want to starve Manny, but I?m going to monitor that a lot more closely for this fight with Diaz,? said Roach of the coming fight, actually Pacquiao?s debut as a lightweight.
