Margarito to struggle at scales?

MANILA, Philippines - Even as trainer Robert Garcia insists that Antonio Margarito will easily make the “catchweight” limit of 151 pounds, it appears the Tijuana Tornado may find it difficult when he finally tests the scales the day before his Nov. 13 appointment with Manny Pacquiao at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

GMA News’ Chino Trinidad, reporting from Los Angeles, paid Margarito a visit in his training camp the other day and noticed the Mexican looked pale as if dehydrated from drastically taking off pounds. Margarito was observed to be out of breath in between rounds during his workout.

Trinidad estimated Margarito’s weight to be about 158 pounds. If his walking or natural weight is 160, it will be a struggle for the Mexican to make 151 in two weeks. In contrast, Pacquiao is eating heartily while maintaining about 148 and won’t have difficulty scaling within 151.

Pacquiao and Margarito are disputing the vacant WBC superwelterweight title in their 12-round bout. The limit in the superwelterweight or junior middleweight division is 154 pounds. But Pacquiao, the reigning WBO welterweight or 147-pound champion, and Margarito agreed to fight at a “catchweight” limit of 151.

“Catchweight” is a term used in setting a “compromise” limit or a “middle ground” for a championship fight where the protagonists straddle between two weight categories. In the Pacquiao-Margarito case, a “catchweight” of 151 was set as a compromise between welterweight and superwelterweight.

It won’t be a first for Pacquiao to fight at a “catchweight” limit. In November last year, he battled Miguel Cotto for the WBO welterweight crown at a “catchweight” limit of 145 although the division has a cap of 147. Pacquiao halted Cotto in the 12th round.

When Pacquiao took on Oscar de la Hoya in December 2008, they agreed to face off at the welterweight limit of 147. De la Hoya’s walking weight was much more but he punished himself in the gym to make the limit and overdid it by scaling 145. A source from Pacquiao’s corner swore that De la Hoya entered the ring with I.V. marks on his arm, indicating an infusion to counter dehydration. De la Hoya failed to answer the bell for the ninth round as Pacquiao won by technical knockout.

Pacquiao’s gamble is Margarito will be severely drained trying to make 151. De la Hoya and Cotto burned themselves out shedding weight to fight Pacquiao and paid dearly for it.

Margarito, 32, weighed 154 pounds for his fight against Roberto Garcia in Mexico last May. In his previous bout 16 months before, he scaled 145 3/4 in losing to Sugar Shane Mosley. The heaviest he ever weighed for a fight was 157 in halting Efrain Muñoz in California in 1999 when Pacquiao moved up from flyweight (112 pounds) to superbantamweight (122). In all, Margarito has scaled over 151 pounds in four fights.

Pacquiao, 31, was at his heaviest when he tipped the scales at 145 3/4 for the Joshua Clottey bout last March. He turned pro weighing 106 pounds in 1995 and gradually grew into a flyweight (112), superbantamweight (122), featherweight (126), superfeatherweight (130), lightweight (135), lightwelterweight (140), welterweight (147) and now superwelterweight (154). Pacquiao could’ve annexed two more titles as a superflyweight (115) and bantamweight (118) but chose to jump from flyweight to superbantamweight. With two more titles, Pacquiao would now be chasing a 10th championship in 10 divisions instead of an eighth.

Pacquiao has fought only thrice weighing over 140 pounds – 142 against De la Hoya, 144 against Cotto and 145 3/4 against Clottey. For the Margarito fight, he is expected to scale less than 150. Margarito may enter the ring weighing as much as 165.

Margarito attempted to win the WBO superwelterweight crown in 2004 but lost to Daniel Santos on a 10th round split technical decision. As a WBO welterweight titlist, he turned back seven challengers in a row.

Pacquiao’s ability to retain his speed and elevate his power moving from one division to another is phenomenal. Nobody in boxing history has been able to do what he has done. Weight has not been a problem for Pacquiao since he gave up the WBC flyweight title on the scales in 1999. Trainer Freddie Roach knows what is Pacquiao’s optimal fighting weight and when up against a bigger opponent, sets a “catchweight” limit to even matters.

At this point in Pacquiao’s career, he is probably in his peak at welterweight. Moving up to superwelterweight may mean biting more than he can chew. But with the “catchweight” limit as the equalizer, Pacquiao is confident of beating Margarito for the WBC 154-pound crown.

The burden of proof is on Margarito to show he can make 151 easily and fight Pacquiao without taking a step back or losing steam. If Margarito answers the first bell in tip-top condition, Pacquiao may be in for more trouble than he expects.