Pacquiao's men lose weight, win cool cash

LOS ANGELES - Manny Pacquiao shelled out a total of $74,000 or roughly P3.6 million Sunday to friends who passed the weight reduction challenge hurled against them by the boxing superstar.

Pacquiao dared his male friends here in LA, including members of his team, to lose 10 pounds in two weeks. If they do, they win $2,000 each, and those who lose 15 pounds get an additional $1,000.

Sunday (yesterday in Manila) was the official weigh-in.

Of the 29 who took the challenge, only five did not pass the grade. Sixteen of them lost 15 pounds or more while the others were just too happy and as excited losing 10 pounds and taking home $2,000.

Alex Ariza, Pacquiao’s conditioning coach, emerged as “the biggest loser” by shedding off 20 pounds, from 184 to 164, and got $3,000. For his feat, Pacquiao awarded him an additional $10,000.

“Congratulations. You get an extra $10,000,” said Pacquiao before raising Ariza’s hands.

“It’s one thing asking fighters to lose weight and telling him how to do it, but it’s another thing doing it yourself,” said Ariza as he was interviewed by the HBO crew filming every Pacquiao move.

Ariza had nothing but apples and protein shake over the period, and appeared weak, but still managing to smile, after he was weighed in by Pacquiao.

Alex Oreto of LA lost 19 pounds (232 to 219) while Buboy Fernandez, the trainer, shed off 17 pounds (226 to 209) and was greeted by a big applause from those who watched the weigh-in at Pacman’s apartment.

“Easy money!” Fernandez shouted as his wife Claire cheered wildly before giving him a very big hug.

The others who lost 10 pounds and more were Winchell Campos, Nonoy Neri, Noel Lantergo, Miguel Salazar, Sonny Garcia, Jun Regalado, Mike Koncz, Ernel Fontanilla and Wild Card security officer Rob Peters.

A member of the HBO crew shook his head when told that $74,000 could buy a big house in the Philippines. All he knew, perhaps, is that it could buy a brand-new Mercedes Benz in the US.

“This is crazy,” said someone.

Last Thursday, during Thanksgiving, Pacquiao offered $200 each to anyone who could finish a plateful of rice and another plateful of chicken adobo, sweet and sour fish and beef stew. All eight who tried made it.

Pacquiao said next time, the “lose-weight-win-cash” challenge would involve the ladies, but this early, the boxer’s wife, Jinkee, who is eight months pregnant, is not too excited.

“Oh, no. That would be too hard for me,” she said.

Pacquiao said he put up the challenge so those around him would realize how difficult it is to be a boxer, and how hard, how huge the sacrifices are just to make weight.

“But what you did is still far from what I do. In my case, I try to lose weight, train everyday, and fight in the ring,” said Pacquiao, very happy that majority of his men passed the test with flying colors.

“The only thing is that I lost more than $70,000,” he said.

Dr. Allan Recto of philboxing.com played with the numbers and said that Pacquiao’s men lost a total of 357 pounds and were paid $207 for each pound shed. – Abac Cordero