Weight issues hound Margarito

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS—Trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning coach Alex Ariza insisted yesterday that Antonio Margarito is having trouble making the 150-pound limit for his Nov. 13 fight with Manny Pacquiao.

Disputing the declaration of trainer Robert Garcia that Margarito was already close to the weight limit for the showdown at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Ariza said the Mexican was seen jogging Tuesday night.

Ariza said it was a clear indication that Margarito, the former two-time world champion, is still shedding off pounds.

During the prefight conference Thursday, Ariza noted that Margarito wore sunglasses so he wouldn’t look gaunt and emaciated.

“He looks terrible,” said Ariza, who estimated that Margarito, a natural super welterweight, was still eight pounds overweight.

“He’ll still make weight, but he’s gonna kill himself doing it,” said Ariza, the Colombian trainer who joined Team Pacquiao after the second Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez showdown.

During the open workout on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), Garcia said Margarito was already down to 152 lb.

But Roach insisted that boxers make weight “on the day of the fight,” not a week before it.

“Don’t give me that crap,” said Roach, noting that Margarito still wore a sweat suit during the open workout held at the Longhorn Exhibition Hall of the Gaylord Texan Hotel here.

While the extra weight continues to hound Margarito, the opposite is happening with Pacquiao, who’s eating as he pleases and has no trouble keeping his weight at between 147 and 148 lb before the official weigh-in Friday at the Outside East Plaza of the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington City.

After his final workout Thursday afternoon, Pacquiao still had the energy to jam with the MP band in a cordoned rehearsal area, 50 meters away from the makeshift boxing ring.

Pacquiao is preparing for a concert in Lake Tahoe in the border of California and Nevada on Nov. 16.

Pacquiao also ran and did situps at the track of the Mustang-Panther Stadium near Dallas. Photo by Associated Press