One look at reigning welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at this point in time, and Ariza can clearly say the 28-year old warrior from Caguas, Puerto Rico is having an issue going down to 145 pounds.
“Personally, I think he’s having a hard time losing weight," Ariza said. “He looked a little gaunt."
But Ariza based it on how he sees Cotto, the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion, in newspaper clippings and TV interviews.
“And also I only hear things about it, on how hard he’s been working out lately the way he has never worked out before," he added.
A natural welterweight, Cotto’s camp has been evading questions surrounding his current weight, insisting the champion would be able to meet the catch weight of 145lbs. The former Olympian has never fought below 147 pounds since 2006, and under the contract he signed for the Pacquiao fight, a pound in excess of the catch weight is equal to a $1 million penalty.
In contrast, Pacquiao appeared to be in control of his weight. Ariza said the Pacman currently weighs 149 pounds, although he goes down to 146 by the time he is over with his two-hour daily training at the Wild Card gym.
Pacquiao’s conditioning coach from Colombia said the ring idol from General Santos City will carry a weight of 144 or 145 during Friday’s official weigh-in, and then be at 149 on the night of the fight itself.
“That’s his natural weight (149) right now. He’s so fast for that. What you’re now seeing are pure muscles," said Ariza, adding that the world pound-for-pound king only has a six percent body fat.
Ariza also has high respect for Cotto’s conditioning coach Phil Landman, adding the key to the fight would boil down to who has the better trainer.
“It will go down as to who you have in the corner, and I have Freddie Roach with me. Unlike Cotto who only has some “average Joe" on his side," said Ariza in an obvious jibe against Joe Santiago, the former nutritionist turned trainer of the WBO title holder.
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