Pacquiao a meal and sweat beads away

LAS VEGAS – The old problems, the old fears are gone.

Meet the new Manny Pacquiao.

For the first time in his most recent fights, Pacquiao might just tip the scales Friday, the official weigh-in, with a little less than what’s needed for his super-featherweight clash with Juan Manuel Marquez.

The limit for this WBC title fight, a rematch of their controversial draw dating back in 2004, is pegged at 130 lbs, and Pacquiao, on the eve of the weigh-in, was just a meal and some sweat beads away.

Freddie Roach, the trainer, said Pacquiao was at 132.5 the other day, quite something as compared to his fight against Marco Antonio Barrera last October. Two days before the weigh-in then he was at 134.

“He skips dinner Thursday and breakfast on Friday and that’s it,” said Roach who expects Pacquiao to weigh in at exactly 130 lbs.

But Buboy Fernandez, the assistant trainer, said Pacquiao can even make it at 129 lbs.

“But it’s up to him. With his condition, 129 is very possible. He can do it if he wants to,” said Fernandez.

Pacquiao said he might come in at 130 lbs for the weigh-in and climb the ring on Saturday at around 144 lbs, the same weight he carried into the ring against Barrera at Mandalay Bay.

Marquez has never had any problems with his weight. And even if he makes it at 130 for Friday’s weigh-in, it’s not quite possible for him to weigh as much as Pacquiao would for the fight itself.

“I want to be bigger than him in the ring. Coming in lighter is like trying to even up things between the two of us. I want to be bigger than him,” said Pacquiao, who officially closed the book on his training Thursday.

Pacquiao only did six rounds with the mitts, worked on the speed ball and the rope, and did some stretching and shadow boxing before calling it off. It was two months ago when he started training, at a weight of 150 lbs.

“My training for this fight was longer and tougher,” he said.

“It meant a lot of sacrifices, most of which is being away from my family, and staying away from anything that had nothing to do with training. I stayed away from the distractions,” he said.

Pacquiao said he’s a changed man now.

For Marquez fans, it’s bad news.

Notes: Cris Aquino, the perennial flag-bearer in Manny Pacquiao fights in the US, has reported for duty. But the flag, the one that’s been waved in all of Pacquiao’s recent victories here, has yet to arrive. Aquino said it’s coming in today or tomorrow, by mail, since its keeper, Arnel Mendoza of New Jersey, couldn’t make it to the fight… Businessman Hermie Esguerra is also in town, saying he’s here to watch the fight with his friend, Erik Morales. Yes, Erik Morales the boxer... The stars have started coming in – both in politics, business and show business. Among those counted in, or soon to be counted in are Vice President Noli de Castro, House Speaker Prospero Nograles, Bacolod Mayor Bing Leonardia, Sen. Bong Revilla and lovely wife Lani Mercado, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza and son Ali Atienza, former Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson, Gov. Oyie Umali and wife, Rep. Czarina Umali, Ito Ynarez. Then there’s the wacky trio of Tito, Vic and Joey, Pops Fernandez, Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzalez, Nora Aunor, and Ciarra Sotto who will sing the National Anthem.