Manny Pacquiao eats a chocolate bar after his weigh in at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday, 1 May 2015. PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA
LAS VEGAS—Most boxers need to shed extra poundage before weigh-in. Not Manny Pacquiao. He had to gain weight before stepping on the scales.
Sure, Pacquiao weighed in at 145 pounds Friday afternoon, just one pound off Floyd Mayweather’s 146.
READ: Pacquiao too light for weigh-in; Roach worried
But there’s a revealing story behind it, certifying that Pacquiao is a different animal altogether.
Pacquiao had some food a little over an hour before he stripped off his shirt and jogging pants in front of 11,500 cheering fight fans at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
READ: Home court edge? Pacquiao cheered, Mayweather jeered in weigh-in
ESPN’s Dan Rafael saw it for himself.
“ I’m in Manny’s dressing room. He has arrived for weigh in and is eating a meal BEFORE weighing in. Seriously,” Rafael twitted.
The additional meal was necessary so that Pacquiao won’t look emaciated side by side with Mayweather, a natural welterweight who can readily climb to super welter.
Chief trainer Freddie Roach had an inkling of Pacquiao’s relative underweight problem Wednesday morning when Pacquiao weighed just 143 pounds after breakfast.
Roach and conditioning coach Justin Fortune would have wanted Pacquiao to weigh in between 146 to 147 pounds, but the eight-division world champion’s rapid metabolism made it difficult for him to bulk up.
Given a choice, Roach would rather have Pacquiao climb to 150 or 151 pounds at the most on Fight Night.
In contrast, Mayweather is expected to rehydrate to almost 160 pounds.
An hour after the official weigh-in, Pacquiao headed into Mandalay Bay’s Ballroom L for Bible service.
READ: In Photos: Pacquiao attends worship service after training
Afterwards, he returned to his suite at the adjacent Delano hotel to have dinner with some local officials of Sarangani Province, which he represents in Congress. He also met with several polticians, including Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson, Rep. Cear Jalosjos.
Sen. Ralph Recto and former senator Miguel Zubiri. Manila Mayor and former President Joseph Estrada also dropped by, according to an Istagram ost by Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee.
Pacquiao was still oozing with energy by 10 p.m., entertaining friends and colleagues. Previously, Pacquiao was visited by Rep. Lito Atenza and Senators Sonny Angara and Nancy Binay.