Why Algieri struggled to make weight

Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri stare down at each other during their official weigh-in Saturday at The Venetian in Macau. Top Rank

MACAU—Freddie Roach’s hunch was right, after all.

Chris Algieri was indeed having weight problems.

When he first stepped on the scales, Algieri registered 144.4 pounds, raising a howl among hundreds of fans who witnessed the early morning weigh-in Saturday at Cotai Arena of The Venetian Macao.

Stripped bare, with his red-and-black jacket covering his front, Algieri weighed 144.2, still over the catch weight limit of 144 pounds set for their World Boxing Organization welterweight crown showdown, and was given two hours to shed it off.

After jogging in his suite and going to the bathroom, Algieri returned and checked in at 143.6 pounds, even lighter than Manny Pacquiao, who posted 143.8 on his first try.

Algieri’s trainer, Tim Lane, actually admitted that Algieri was still 148 on Friday, so it took some doing for the challenger to hit 144.

Lane, however, put the blame on the calibration of the weighing scale, saying that using the same equipment, earlier, Algieri tallied 143 and 143.8, respectively. He claimed Algieri even had oatmeal, fruit and coffee for breakfast.

“We thought we were where we needed to be,” said Lane. “Freddie thinks he (Algieri) looks dehydrated. He looks like Superman to me.”

For his part, Algieri maintained weight wasn’t an issue.

“I’d rather be well fed than withdrawn and sucked up,” said the nutritionist who cooks his own food.

Roach laughed off Lane’s claim of a broken scale, saying all the other fighters featured in Clash in Cotai II used the same equipment.

Informed of Algieri’s 148-lb weight Friday, Roach said it must have taken some effort for Algieri to go down to 144.

“If he’s struggling (to make weight), then he’s not a good dietician. He’s supposed to know that,” Roach said.

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