LAS VEGAS—Manny Pacquiao, the only eight-division world champion, and WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas easily made the 147-pound weight limit Saturday, with the former tipping the scales at 144.8 pounds and the latter at 146.5 pounds in front of a huge crowd at the Wynn Las Vegas – Encore Theatre.
Pacquiao and Vargas face each other on the ring at the Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, Las Vegas, Nevada today for their 12-round World Boxing Organization welterweight title clash.
The Pambansang Kamao will try to regain the WBO welterweight crown and attempt a knock out to re-establish his reputation.
Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach has been training the fighting Senator of the Philippines to use his speed and excellent footwork to land the big punch.
“Manny closes the distance better than any fighter in the world in my opinion,” he noted. “When he is on his toes and uses his foot speed to close the distance so fast that his opponents don’t see what’s coming. That’s where he succeeds with his speed.”
Another of Pacman’s trainer, Buboy Fernandez, warned: “Pag nakipagsabayan (Vargas) ay may paglalagyan.”
Trainer Justine Fortune is confident that Pacquiao will “hurt Vargas like what he did with Margarito and the other Goliaths,” adding that Pacquiao is in 120% condition.
Vargas is also eyeing for a KO and taunted Pacquiao by saying that the famous Filipino boxer had lost his killer’s instinct.
“I will have to knock Pacquiao out,” the defending champion said.
Meanwhile, for the co-featured fights of WBO junior featherweight titleholder Nonito Donaire Jr. and his mandatory challenger Jessie Magdaleno also made the weight, 121.8 and 121.25 pounds, respectively, for their 12-round WBO junior featherweight title.
The 34-year-old Donaireis defending his title for the second time and Pacquiao knows that his fellow Filipino fighter will give his all for the title.
“When you hit Magdaleno, he will fight back. Magdaleno is a brave guy, he’s got balls and he will fight back. And that might be his downfall,” Pacman said,
The Filipino Flash Donaire is confident that he going to dominate the fight in eight rounds or less.
