Philly's Danny Garcia has some anxious moments at weigh-in

LAS VEGAS - Danny Garcia stepped away from the scale Friday afternoon and his father, Angel, removed his sunglasses before leaning in for a closer inspection.

Angel Garcia, who also is his son's trainer, weighed the light-welterweight champion all morning in their hotel room. And, each time, Juniata Park's Garcia weighed in an even 140 pounds. But, in front of 12,200 screaming fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Garcia was a half-pound over the limit.

The father and son regrouped. If Garcia failed to make weight he would drop his unified titles before even stepping into the ring Saturday on pay-per-view against Lucas Matthysse. He tried a second time and the attempt matched the results of the morning. The champion's fight is a go.

"There were a lot of people next to the scale and moving it a little bit. My second time on the scale, I knew it was all good," said the champion, who threw his hands up in relief before flexing for the crowd.

Matthysse, too, weighed in at 140 pounds. The 12-round fight is the featured bout on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez's light-middleweight title bout.

Mayweather weighed in at 1501/2 pounds and Alvarez at 152 pounds. Although light middleweights fight at 154 pounds, this bout was signed at a catch weight of 152 pounds because Mayweather usually fights at 147 pounds.

The crowd, which filled the arena hours before the weigh-in, cheered wildly for Alvarez. They chanted his name as he weighed in. The 23-year-old Mexican spoke just four words in English: "I was born ready."

The 36-year-old Mayweather (44-0, 26 knockouts) tried to hand Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KOs) his green WBC title belt when the fighters met face-to-face.

"You know how these young kids are," said Mayweather. "Tomorrow I'll go out there and tame the kid. You know how it is. I've been here before. I know what it takes."

Earlier in the week, Garcia's father said that Matthysse's fans were posing as Argentines for the weekend. But, Garcia said, everyone wants to be an "Americanito" when the government's welfare check comes.

"I don't know what he says, I don't know English," Matthysse said through a translator. "But I am definitely going to take my fight to Danny."

The MGM Grand's sports book lowered Garcia's odds on Friday morning from +250 to +190. Therefore a gambler who places a $100 bet on the champion will earn $190 if he defends his titles.

"I'm comfortable where I'm at," said Garcia. "I work hard, I'm ready and I'm ready to go."