“I believe Pacquiao has the edge,” says Hlatshwayo, holder of the IBF welterweight title. Cotto is defending the WBO belt, although the stipulated weight for this super-bout in Las Vegas is two pounds below the welter limit.
“Cotto, if you’ve seen his last few fights, is open to uppercuts and Pacquiao throws the left uppercut very well. It’ll be a tough fight, and I think it will go the distance,” added ‘The Angel’, who started his own professional career at lightweight.
Hlatshwayo’s stablemate, former IBF junior-lightweight champion Cassius Baloyi, is tipping Cotto to win. “He’s bigger and he’s stronger than Pacman.”
It’s not surprising that Baloyi is backing the bigger guy – he moved up to lightweight to challenge Hlatshwayo in 2005 and was badly beaten in a one-sided fight over 12 rounds, even getting dropped early on.
Baloyi is in action on Friday night in an eliminator against Argentina’s Roberto Arrieta.
Hlatshwayo, who turned down the chance for a unification bout against WBC champion Andre Berto, is scheduled to make a voluntary defence on December 11, although the opponent has yet to be finalised.
Source: http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/longdrop/2009/10/28/ibf-welterweight-champ-backs-manny-pacquiao/
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