Miguel Cotto has some strong words for Manny Pacquiao

Miguel Cotto appears to be confident and focused just days away from the biggest fight of his career against the pride of the Philippines. Far from being intimidated by the prospect of facing a six weight champion, Cotto feels he isn't getting enough respect as a great fighter in his own right.

Claims from Freddie Roach that his first loss had hit him hard were rebuffed by Cotto, who responded:

“Why don’t you ask Manny that question because he has had three losses I have just one,”

“Sometimes when you lose you win. Since Margarito great things have come to my career.

“This is the problem,” Cotto said. “Freddie Roach is not the guy who is going to climb into the ring. If he prepares Manny for just nine rounds then he has three more rounds.

“He (Roach) can say whatever he wants. One day he says the first round and the next day he says round seven.

“He (Pacquaio) can fight Mayweather as many times as he wants after I beat him,” Cotto said.

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Whether this confidence will transfer well into the ring when the fight starts is another matter, but if nothing else, Cotto will come at Pacquaio with everything he has. The real decider of the fight will be how well Pac-man's power has translated into yet another weight class, and whether Cotto can hurt Manny with his famous body punching. Many people thought Ricky Hatton would provide a similar test for Pacquaio, but a sloppy defence and a great game plan from Freddie Roach saw him blasted out in the early rounds.

Most still think Manny's march towards a showdown with the other pound for pound claimant Floyd Mayweather will continue, and that he will run right through Cotto. Certainly the odds have Cotto as an underdog, but this wouldn't be the first time that he has been counted out and won anyway.

Source: examiner.com