INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines—Manny Pacquiao, it turned out, should also be watching his weight like Oscar De La Hoya.

As stipulated in the Dec. 6 fight contract that was signed over the weekend, Pacquiao is also required to pay $3 million per excess pound of the 147 lbs catchweight, the same penalty he had earlier sought against his taller, bigger and richer opponent.

“It also applies to Manny, but there’s no worry,” Pacquiao’s lawyer Franklin Gacal told the Inquirer.

“Oscar just wants it to apply to both of them,” added Gacal, who also bared that they both agreed to the day-before-the-fight weigh in.

De La Hoya was quoted by Fightnews.com recently as saying: “Make that $5 million, because it’s never going to happen. I can make 140 lbs, 144 lbs is my natural weight.”

However, De La Hoya has fought as high as 160 lbs and last entered the ring (against Steve Forbes last May) at 154 lbs. He won by decision but suffered cuts and bruises in his face.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, had difficulty making the 135 lbs lightweight limit against David Diaz last June, according to his famed trainer Freddie Roach.

But there could be danger when he puts on additional weight as he usually balloons to 155 lbs when not in training.

He starts his camp Oct. 1 in time for the six-city promotional tour of their megafight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, De La Hoya said it’s definite that Floyd Mayweather Sr. will be by his side on fight night.

That despite the heavy schedule of Mayweather, who has also agreed to prepare British star Ricky Hatton for his fight against Paulie Malignaggi in November.

Hatton, who suffered his first and only loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year, is fighting under De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.