LAS VEGAS, (Reuters) – 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 today’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 favourite.
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 Friday’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.
