Pacman, Clottey make weight limit

Source: By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star)

DALLAS – Until the day of the official weigh-in Manny Pacquiao had food on his table.

“Yes, he had eggs for breakfast and fish for lunch,” said trainer Freddie Roach, adding that it was a joy to watch his boxer, whom they needed to feed five times a day during the training camp, making it way inside the weight limit.

“I’m happy when he eats and when he doesn’t need to starve himself,” he told scribes moments after Pacquiao tipped the scales at 145 and 3/4 lb and looked all set to climb the ring against Joshua Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium Saturday.

Pacquiao got up from bed at 144 lb Friday and found no need to really hold back on his food intake. Just before he left his suite at the Gaylord Texan Hotel for the 5 p.m. weigh-in, he still managed to take a few bites of steamed asparagus.

Then he tipped the scales, only in his gray boxers and white socks. He could have finished a quarter-pounder inside the vehicle that took him to the stadium and still make the welterweight limit of 147 lb.

“He’s really happy where he is. He didn’t starve himself,” said Roach.

Now he said he has to make sure Pacquiao doesn’t eat too much of everything because they don’t intend to go heavier than 150 for fight night.

“We’ll come in at 49-ish because that’s the way it’s been in the last few fights. And that’s his perfect fighting weight. Now, we’re right where we want him to be,” said Roach.

Clottey, according to the four-time Trainer of the Year, did have problems making 147 because the other day he was seen working out so hard inside the gym, running along the hall in his sweat suit.

“I knew it when I saw him working out yesterday in two layers of suits,” said Roach.

Thirty minutes before the official weigh-in, Clottey went up the stage for what Bob Arum said was an “unofficial” weigh-in because the 33-year-old just wanted to make sure with his weight.

Clottey was surrounded by his team members and as he tipped the scales there were thumbs-up signs from a few of those who were around him, meaning he had made the weight.

He came in at exactly 147 lb and said days ago he plans to climb the ring at 155 lb and be the bigger guy during the fight.

Roach said he doesn’t mind at all.

“The heavier he gets, the happier I will be,” he said.

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