MAKING the superfeatherweight limit of 130 lbs is expected to be a breeze this time for Manny Pacquiao.
Unlike last year when he experienced difficulties getting rid of excess baggage, Pacquiao assured his fans and followers that he will easily make the weight on the eve of his March 15 rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico, who makes the second defense of the World Boxing Council (WBC) crown at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
"I am right on it," said Pacquiao in Pilipino yesterday after another round of intense training at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.
A representative from the Mexico-based WBC will visit the Wild Card on Thursday to check if Pacquiao’s weight is being monitored as per the governing body’s rules that Pacquiao and Marquez should not weigh more than 142 lbs one month before the scheduled 12-rounder.
Marquez will also be subjected to the same procedure sometime this week when a WBC representative drops by at the Romanza Gym where he has been sweating it out since December.
Seven or 10 days before the fight, the WBC will again come and visit the two boxers to check if their weights are within the allowable margin, a rule that prevents the fighters to lose so much weight in such short a time.
Pacquiao spars thrice a week and whenever he doesn’t he trades bombs, he logs an average of 30 rounds hitting the mitts, shadowboxing, striking the heavy bag, double-end bag and speedball and engaging in calisthenics as well as skipping rope.
Pacquiao, 29, said his training is right on track as he and trainer Freddie Roach are carefully mapping out their daily program.
"There’s no need to rush things because I did not report for training late. I came in at the right time," said Pacquiao, who admits that this is the first time in quite a while that he decided to spend all eight weeks under Roach’s supervision.
Pacquiao showed up for training on Jan. 16.
In his last fight against Marco Antonio Barrera, Pacquiao had to take off a couple of pounds a few hours before the afternoon weigh-in.
Pacquiao has a history of weight problems although the most noteworthy ones happened when he was still in the flyweight class of 112 lbs, long before he invaded US shores.
Pacquiao was knocked out cold by Filipino journeyman Rustico Torrecampo in 1996 after he was compelled to use a pair of bigger gloves for failing to make the 112-lb limit. Tragedy struck anew in 1999 when he could not make 112 in the second defense of the WBC fly title against Medgoen 3K Battery in Thailand and Pacquiao lost the title on the scales.
With Pacquiao and Roach and key members of his team aware of what happened in the Barrera bout, they are all optimistic that there won’t be a repeat of the incident in about a month’s time.
Unlike last year when he experienced difficulties getting rid of excess baggage, Pacquiao assured his fans and followers that he will easily make the weight on the eve of his March 15 rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico, who makes the second defense of the World Boxing Council (WBC) crown at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
"I am right on it," said Pacquiao in Pilipino yesterday after another round of intense training at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.
A representative from the Mexico-based WBC will visit the Wild Card on Thursday to check if Pacquiao’s weight is being monitored as per the governing body’s rules that Pacquiao and Marquez should not weigh more than 142 lbs one month before the scheduled 12-rounder.
Marquez will also be subjected to the same procedure sometime this week when a WBC representative drops by at the Romanza Gym where he has been sweating it out since December.
Seven or 10 days before the fight, the WBC will again come and visit the two boxers to check if their weights are within the allowable margin, a rule that prevents the fighters to lose so much weight in such short a time.
Pacquiao spars thrice a week and whenever he doesn’t he trades bombs, he logs an average of 30 rounds hitting the mitts, shadowboxing, striking the heavy bag, double-end bag and speedball and engaging in calisthenics as well as skipping rope.
Pacquiao, 29, said his training is right on track as he and trainer Freddie Roach are carefully mapping out their daily program.
"There’s no need to rush things because I did not report for training late. I came in at the right time," said Pacquiao, who admits that this is the first time in quite a while that he decided to spend all eight weeks under Roach’s supervision.
Pacquiao showed up for training on Jan. 16.
In his last fight against Marco Antonio Barrera, Pacquiao had to take off a couple of pounds a few hours before the afternoon weigh-in.
Pacquiao has a history of weight problems although the most noteworthy ones happened when he was still in the flyweight class of 112 lbs, long before he invaded US shores.
Pacquiao was knocked out cold by Filipino journeyman Rustico Torrecampo in 1996 after he was compelled to use a pair of bigger gloves for failing to make the 112-lb limit. Tragedy struck anew in 1999 when he could not make 112 in the second defense of the WBC fly title against Medgoen 3K Battery in Thailand and Pacquiao lost the title on the scales.
With Pacquiao and Roach and key members of his team aware of what happened in the Barrera bout, they are all optimistic that there won’t be a repeat of the incident in about a month’s time.
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