-
Manny Pacquiao at official weigh in - Source: Reuters -
Related
Challenger Manny Pacquiao weighed in just one pound lighter than
Miguel Cotto as the Filipino was greeted by deafening cheers from
his supporters on the eve of Sunday's WBO welterweight title
fight.
Pacquiao, 49-3-2 (37 knockouts), tipped the scales at 144 pounds in
front of a boisterous crowd of about 6,500 at the MGM Grand Hotel's
Garden Arena.
Puerto Rican Cotto, 34-1 (27 KOs), was right on the limit for the
scheduled 12-round bout which will be fought at a contracted weight
of 145 pounds.
Although Cotto has won a world title every year since 2004 and will
be competing in his natural division, Pacquiao is widely viewed as
the favorite.
The Filipino southpaw, who has never previously fought above
light-welterweight, will be bidding to win a seventh world title in
an unprecedented seventh weight class.
The atmosphere was electric as the two fighters made their way on
to a raised stage for Saturday's televised weigh-in where former
boxing great Roberto Duran and undefeated WBO super bantamweight
Juan Manuel Lopez were among those attending.
Shouts of "Manny, Manny" and "Cotto, Cotto" echoed before the
tracksuit-clad boxers finally emerged and Pacquiao lived up to his
billing as the people's champion by blowing kisses to the fans
before he stepped on to the scales.
Cotto, who also wore headphones over a balaclava, then followed. A
natural 147-pounder, he told the crowd he had no problem making the
weight limit.
"I'm pretty healthy and my strength is too much for tomorrow," the
29-year-old said.
The Puerto Rican will be fighting for the first time since he
retained his WBO title with a split decision win over Ghana's
Joshua Clottey in June.
Pacquiao, 30, last fought in May when he delivered a stunning
second round knockout of Britain's Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand to
claim the IBO light welterweight crown.
