Tumimbang si Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao ng 143.8 lbs samantalang lumagpas sa contract weight na 144 lbs si American challenger Chris Algieri bago nagbawas at tumimbang na 143.6 lbs sa official weigh-in kahapon sa Cotai Arena sa The Venetian Hotel & Casino sa Macau, China kaya tuloy na ang kanilang sagupaan ngayon para sa WBO welterweight crown.
“Algieri weighed in at 144.2 lbs., 0.2 lbs over the weight limit on his first try. He went out of the arena to sweat out the fraction of a pound weight excess and came to make the final weight of 143.6 lbs,” ayon sa ulat ng Philboxing.com. “Pacquiao and Algieri will fight for Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight title Sunday morning (Saturday night in the US) at the Cotai Arena. The weigh-in was supervised by WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel.”
Paborito ng oddsmakers sa buong mundo na magwagi si Pacquiao para lumakas ang tiyansang makaharap ng nag-iisang eight-weight division world champion si WBC at WBC weltereight titlist Floyd Mayweather Jr. sa unification megabout sa Mayo 5, 2015.
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Muling inulit ng Amerikanong trainer ni Algieri na si Tim Lane na pagreretiruhin ng kanyang alagang boksingero si Pacquiao.
“Manny’s going to be put to sleep, go home and then retire,” pagyayabang ni Lane sa mga reporter na dumalo sa weigh-in.
Napangiti lamang si Pacquiao sa prediksiyon ni Lane sabay pahayag na nagbalik na ang kanyang pagiging agresibo na nagpabagsak sa Hall of Fame boxers na tulad nina Mexicans Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales at Juan Manuel Marquez, Amerikanong sina Oscar dela Hoya at Shane Mosley, Briton Ricky Hatton at Puerto Rican Miguel Angel Cotto.
“I know my opponent is excited to win, but I won’t let that happen,” pagmamalaki ni Pacquiao na may kartadang 56-5-2 (win-loss-draw) na may 38 panalo sa knockouts.
Para naman sa Hall of Fame trainer na si Freddie Roach, halos himatayin siya sa huling training session nila ni Pacquiao kaya dapat kabahan si Algieri na may record naman na perpektong 23 panalo, 8 lamang ang knockouts.
“He hit me with a body shot that just hurt so bad, I didn’t want to let on that I was hurt, but I had to step back to catch my breath,” sinabi ni Roach sabay pahayag sa pangako sa kanya ni Pacquiao kung paano mananalo. “Manny told me, ‘One round,’ he never does that. He won’t repeat it publicly to you guys, but that’s what he told me, that he’d get him in one round.”
