Weight woes

Filipino fighter Jayson Vayson admits the massive time difference between Manila and the US West Coast is one tough opponent.

Already approaching his tenth day on American soil, Vayson, who fights Oscar Collazo for three world minimumweight title belts on 20 September in Indio, California, could still feel the effects of jet lag.

“I had to take a pill to allow me to sleep,” Vayson told DAILY TRIBUNE on Friday from his Las Vegas training camp.

But the ill effects is starting to wear off and Vayson, a first-timer in the US, has adjusted well to the time and local conditions.

“There was one day I could not sleep,” said Vayson, who arrived in the US last 27 August.

Now that Vayson is getting into the groove, a new concern has emerged: making weight.

Given that he hasn’t fought at 105 pounds in seven years, Vayson knows he has to make a lot of sacrifices in the next two weeks.

In fact, Vayson, a 27-year-old from Agusan del Norte, swears going down to 105 pounds will be a major concern with a little over two weeks remaining before he attempts to dethrone the heavily-favored Collazo at the Fantasy Springs Casino Resort.

“Right now I weigh 108 pounds, which is three pounds over the limit. But I don’t have to make 105 (pounds) now because the fight isn’t taking place in a few days.”

To ensure that he doesn’t gain unnecessary weight, his rice consumption has been stopped.

“It’s really difficult,” Vayson said after a grueling workout that saw him trade power punches with stablemate, world-rated super-flyweight Jayr Raquinel, who is a lot heavier than him.

Vayson brings to the ring a 14-1-1 win-loss-draw card with eight knockouts while Collazo, a southpaw representing Puerto Rico, parades a 12-0-0 slate with nine knockouts.