ARLINGTON, TEXAS—IT’S EASY TO UNderstand why Manny Pacquiao was all smiles when he climbed the scale on Friday during the official weigh-in of The Event just outside the main entrance of the gigantic $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium here.
The World Boxing Organization welterweight champion was sure he was well within the 147-pound limit of his title defense against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
Pacquiao waved to the crowd of around 2,500 that endured the chilly wind when it was announced that he weighed 145 3/4 pounds, 1 1/4 lb less than Clottey, who registered the exact welterweight limit of 147 amid talks that he might have crammed to make weight.
The 5-foot-6 Pacquiao was still trying to bulk up in the morning so as not to appear like a wimp side by side with the 5-8 Clottey.
Never having had to diet throughout his seven-week training camp at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Pacquiao woke up at 144 lb and even had a full breakfast of eggs, grilled pork, beef and steamed rice.
After walking around the confines of the Gaylord Texan Hotel to loosen up, Pacquiao’s weight fell to 142, prompting conditioning trainer Alex Ariza to let him take another heavy meal of steak, steamed asparagus and rice, washed down by lots of water.
In contrast, Clottey was seen jumping rope and running wearing a thermal suit on Thursday, an indication that he was still overweight.
The suspicion got confirmed when Clottey underwent an unofficial weigh-in an hour before the official proceedings.
Already at his heaviest in a 15-year career, Pacquiao is expected to gain weight further, perhaps breaching the 150-lb barrier for the first time.
Pacquiao weighed in at 144 lb against Cotto last Nov. 14 then climbed the ring at 149.
Clottey’s trainer, Lenny DeJesus, had earlier announced that his ward will climb the ring at 155 lb, but there were reports that Clottey will bulk up to as heavy as 165 lb on fight night.
“The heavier he comes in, the happier I will be,” said Roach, a four-time Trainer of the Year, explaining that “a rapid gain of more than 15 pounds will make a fighter sluggish.”
And if that happens, Pacquiao’s vaunted speed, power and volume punches will wear down Clottey’s defense and make the Ghanaian susceptible to ripping body blows.
After studying tapes of Clottey’s previous fights, Roach noted some fundamental mistakes, prompting him to predict a knockout in the later stages.
But after watching Pacquiao breeze through the seven-week training camp and dominate his spar mates, Roach lowered it to six or seven rounds.
DeJesus contradicted Roach, saying that his ward will beat Pacquiao and take the crown to Ghana.
