Pacquiao ready in case Thurman comes heavy, says Buboy

LAS VEGAS – Keith Thurman can put on as much weight as he can on fight day, and it won’t be a concern for Manny Pacquiao.

Pacquiao is used to fighting taller and heavier guys, and Thurman should not be different.

While the undefeated fighter came in half a pound under the welterweight limit of 147 pounds during Friday’s official weigh-in (Saturday Manila time), he is expected to rehydrate and put on additional weight the following day.

This is in a bid to gain a significant size advantage over Pacquiao when they lock horns at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Pacquiao’s strength coach, Justin Fortune, said by fight night, Thurman could be almost a middleweight.

“I expect Thurman to come in like close to 160 (lbs),” Fortune told Filipino scribes the other day.

But for Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao’s head trainer, it doesn’t matter how much Thurman weighs the moment he sets foot on the ring against the Filipino icon.

Gaining too much poundage 24 hours after weighing in can affect a fighter’s speed and agility in the ring, which could spell disaster against an opponent with quick hands and footwork like Pacquiao.

“Bahala siya kung umabot siyang 100 (Thurman can even put up to 100 pounds and it doesn’t matter),” Fernandez told Philstar.com prior to the weigh-in ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where the bout will also happen.

Pacquiao, for his part, is known not to gain too much weight on the day of the fight in an effort to maintain his speed.

He tipped the scales weighing the same as Thurman.

Fernandez expects his childhood buddy not to stray too far from the welterweight limit.

“Kahit mga 149, 150 tayo ok lang yun (We’re fine weighing 149 or 150 pounds),” he said.