Velazquez cuts five pounds in two hours for fight against Farenas

Michael “Hammer Fist” Farenas (37-4-4, 29 knockouts) of the Philippines and Hector Velazquez (56-20-3, 38 KOs) of Mexico both made the 130 pounds limit for their super featherweight clash at the Fil Oil Flying V Arena in San Juan. The two combatants took two different routes to get there but the fight for the vacant WBC ABCO title will go on as planned on March 21. The fight card will start at 5 pm.

Farenas was the first fighter to weigh in during the event held at the Lancaster Hotel in Shaw Boulevard. He tipped the scales at 130.5 pounds, and then dropped his boxers to get inside the 130 pounds limit.

Velazquez on the other hand weighed in at 135 pounds, which was already in the lightweight division. Before the proceedings, his handler was already telling people that the fighter will not make weight as he weighed differently with the Games and Amusements Board’s scale.

The Mexican also stripped completely naked, only covered by the Mexican flag, but the scale refused to be his friend.

Velazquez, who once fought Manny Pacquiao, quickly left the area and proceeded directly to the hotel’s sauna in an attempt to drop pounds fast. If not, he would have been penalized 10% of his purse and required to wear 10 ounce gloves while the power punching Farenas would wear 8 ounce gloves.

Velazquez made his way back to the weighing area after an hour, his brow dripping with sweat. He weighed in again but it still was not enough as he tipped the scales at 132 pounds. Dejected, he once against packed his bag to sweat out some more.

On his third try, two hours after the initial weigh in, Velazquez finally made the 130 pound limit.

While his opponent was struggling to make weight, Farenas was already inside his room, taking in fluids and resting for their upcoming fight. Velazquez took the bout against Farenas in short notice so it would have been understandable if he weighed in one or two pounds overweight. However, five pounds over the limit simply meant that Velazquez did not cut back on food or water intake prior to the weigh in.

Shedding five pounds that quick means that he had a lot of fluids inside his body.

Even if the Mexican spent extra two hours to drop the weight, Velazquez said he’s going to give Farenas a tough fight.

“I still want to continue fighting,” Velazquez said through a translator. “My dream is to have one more shot at a world title before I retire from boxing and to do that, I have to beat Farenas.”
The fight card presented by MAG PACMAN Boxing International Promotions will be aired on GMA 7 on March 22 right after Eat Bulaga.