Remember, he fought in the era of same day weigh ins. His heaviest was 194 pounds. So could he drain down to 175 pounds the same day and be at full strength in the ring? With day before weigh ins, I can see him cutting to 175 and then being 194 pounds come fight night.
Undoubtedly at the time when he stepped up, and perhaps for a long time thereafter. He would probably have been forced up eventually however.
He wouldn't have needed to drain, he was basically only a superMW when he turned pro, & weighed in that range for the first several years of his career. He bulked up in weight expressly for the purpose of chasing bigger paydays @ HW.