NUTRITION EXPERT CLAIMS EXTRA WEIGHT HURT PACQUIAO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 19 Mar 2008
There?s a scientific explanation for what many fight fans regard as a disappointing performance by Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao despite the fact that he won the WBC super featherweight title via a split decision over Mexico?s Juan Manuel Marquez at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino last Sunday, Manila Time.
Nutritionist Dra. Sanirose Orbeta who is regarded as an expert in her field said she felt ?embarrassed to comment? on Pacquiao?s performance because she doesn?t know him but said she was merely looking at what happened from a scientific and technical viewpoint.
As a mere boxing fan Dra. Orbeta said she was ?disappointed because he (Pacquiao) was much, much better in previous fights.? She noted the explosiveness was hardly there, the speed was gone and there was no quick movement.
Dra. Orbeta said Pacquiao?s maximum weight at fight time should have been around 140 pounds and not between 146 and 147 as reported by trainer Freddie Roach and the Solar Sports TV commentators. She blamed the extra poundage for the diminishing of speed and the tiredness noted in the later rounds when Pacquiao was seen breathing through his mouth.
Dra. Orbeta noted that when she handled fighters of WBC founding secretary general Rudy Salud such as current WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa who is no longer handled by Salud but adheres strictly to the program laid out by her, they had no problems.
The nutrition expert said the sudden 17 or 18 pound additional weight the day after the weigh-in meant ?he was adjusting again to a different muscle category with the contraction and all that? and it showed in that while his mind said one thing his muscles and reflexes could not respond.
She noted that a comparison of the video footage in training and the fight itself showed that Pacquiao had slowed down considerably and that the head movement and even his movement around the ring were affected.
Trainer Freddie Roach himself admitted that Pacquiao had to ?struggle? to make the weight which meant he had to reduce several pounds and right after the weigh-in put on far too much weight which hurt every aspect of his normal explosive fighting style.
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