No one’s betting against ‘light’ Manny

VETERAN colleague Ronnie Nathanielsz got flustered when he learned that Manny Pacquiao, on the eve of his fight against Antonio Margarito, tipped the scales at a low 144.6 pounds during the weigh-in at East Plaza of the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“That’s the lowest weight Manny has registered (before a fight) in a long, long while!” Ronnie said.
Before the weigh-in, everyone’s concern was whether Pacquiao’s opponent would make the catchweight of 150 lb.
To everyone’s mild surprise, Margarito did.
“Our concern should now switch from Margarito’s struggle to make the stipulated 150 lb catchweight to Manny’s very low 144.6 lb, which is 9.4 lb below the super welterweight limit and even below the welterweight limit.”
According to Ronnie, this severe weight loss happened because Manny junked the conditioning regimen prepared by Alex Ariza and because he didn’t listen to coach Freddie Roach.
“He did what he wanted to do, and he listened only to his favorite trainer Buboy Fernandez,” said Ronnie, who strongly suspected that Pacquiao had no game plan.
Despite this, Ronnie predicted that Pacquiao would still win.
Ronnie didn’t say which round or how Pacquiao would win.
* * *
On the eve of the fight, I conducted a mini-survey. Not a single respondent  gave Margarito a vote of confidence.
 “Cong. Pacquiao will surprise us all with an early seventh-round knockout.—Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines president Ricky Vargas
 “I see Pacquiao winning by KO within six rounds. The fight will be toe-to-toe.”—Abap secretary general Pato Gregorio
 “Pacman by knockout on or before 9 rounds. Pacquiao even at 90 percent would beat a 100 percent Margarito.”—Abap executive director Ed Picson
 “Manny by KO in six rounds.”—Inquirer sports deskperson Romina Austria
 “Pambansang Kamao in three. Margarito will sigh: ‘No mas! He will just give up like Oscar De La Hoya.”—Discovery Channel’s Philippine representative Jacque Ruby
 “A knockout for Pacquiao in three rounds.”—Abante Tonite sports columnist Zaldy Perez
 “Pacquiao by TKO in five or six rounds.”—B-Meg Derby Ace cager James Yap
 “Margarito may have the advantage in height and reach, but take note of Pacquiao’s 20-inch thigh as against  Margarito’s 18, Pacquiao’s 8-inch wrist against Margarito’s 7 1/2. Pacquiao’s wrist provide the powerful punches and his big thighs give him speed. For sure Pacquiao will  pummel Margarito in the first and second rounds. If Margarito survives these rounds, he’ll be running away for dear life, but Pacquiao will surely catch up with him in the sixth or seventh round.”—Romulo Makalintal, election lawyer
 “Pacquiao over Margarito by stoppage in the ninth round. Early  rounds will see Margarito at his deadliest, then he’ll wear himself out chasing Pacquiao, who’ll show us something new by delivering power shots as he is backing up. Margarito will be bloodied, battered and bewildered by the ninth, and he’ll quit like he did against (Shane) Mosley.—Sports columnist-broadcaster Quinito Henson