Source: fightnews.com
Showing posts with label manny pacquiao vs miguel cotto latest updates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manny pacquiao vs miguel cotto latest updates. Show all posts
Source: fightnews.com
It’s on the cover of the Asian edition of Time magazine, a blow-up of which is on an easel in the corner of the press room at the MGM Grand as if it’s a work of art. Considering how difficult it has been in recent years to get a boxing article even in Time’s sister publication, Sports Illustrated, one can see why people think so.
He’s on the front page of the Sunday New York Times [NYT] sports section, which apparently rediscovered boxing existed this week after its sports editor took a public lambasting from HBO Boxing analyst Larry Merchant. The story makes Pacquiao sound like the savior of a nation.
He’s in The Wall Street Journal as the financial engine reviving the oft-buried but never quite dead fight game, and on the Jimmy Kimmel Show singing a ballad like the Filipino version of Andy Williams.
Oh, and tomorrow night, in case anyone forgets to mention it, he’ll be in the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena performing his real job - boxing better than anyone else in the world.
Pacquiao will be trying to win what, through the use of the kind of loose accounting practices that got the world economy into its present straits, is being billed as a record seventh world title. If Pacquiao does, he will have gone from a 112-pound flyweight title holder to a champion in a division 35 pounds heavier. He will also have fulfilled the expectations of most boxing experts, who feel his speed and power is intersecting with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto’s physical decline in a perfectly concussive parabola.
Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KO) is a delightful fellow, an unusual blend of geniality outside the ring and ferocity in it. He never has a bad word to say about his opponents but that doesn’t dissuade him from brutally dismissing them with a powerful left hand and a sweeping right hook that is a relatively new addition to his arsenal.
Couple that with speed and a strong willingness to engage in hand-to-hand combat at the ringing of a bell, and you have the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world - and the most popular.
Yet his kind of popularity is a double edged sword.
While it has made him wealthy beyond any dreams he had when he ran away from a life of poverty in General Santos City at 14 after his father ate his dog, it has also brought great feelings of responsibility for his many countrymen still in desperate economic straits.
He has given away so much money his promoter, Bob Arum, says he may have to fight until he’s 50, while his trainer, Dedham native Freddie Roach, needs a full-time security detail at his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood during the weeks Pacquiao trains there because the crowds are so large they can’t get anything done otherwise.
“Manny’s a throwback,” Roach said. “He’s like a Henry Armstrong type. You don’t have fighters like that today that move up in weight like this to win championships in all these different weight divisions.
“He’s carrying his punch and his power with him along with his speed. He’s passing people like Sugar Ray Leonard, who was a six-time world champion. He’s on a level of the top five fighters of all time.”
Arum and HBO hope the magnitude of the challenge and Pacquiao’s popularity will drive pay-per-view sales over a million. Early indications hint they could approach 1.4 million, which was a record for a non-heavyweight fight until Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. did 2.4 million two years ago.
Considering that only 25 fights in boxing history have done over a million buys, it would be a remarkable feat that harkens back to the climate for boxing 25 years ago, in the days of Leonard, Hearns, Hagler and Duran.
“Even Mike Tyson didn’t have the drawing power that Manny has right now,” Roach said. “The way Manny arrived the other day people were swarming to try and get a touch or a look at him.”
Tomorrow night, only one man will be trying to touch him, however, and it will be someone who couldn’t care less about his place in boxing history or in the eyes of his countrymen. The most popular fighter in the world hasn’t lost sight of that, which in his job is a good thing.
“This fight is a challenge,” Pacquiao said. “Cotto is a good fighter and a hard puncher. But I’m confident in my ability. I always believe in my power.”
Inside the ring or out, he’s earned the right to feel that way.
Source: bostonherald.com
Juan Manuel Marquez developed into a three-division champion under a lifetime of guidance from Nacho Beristain. Wladimir Klitschko only emerged as boxing's top heavyweight after Emanuel Steward took over in his corner. And Manny Pacquiao, who has, perhaps, the most successful fighter-trainer relationship, has worked his way to the top of boxing's pound-for-pound rankings after eight years with Freddie Roach. Together, they've forged a bond that Steward says is "unlike any I have ever seen."
Miguel Cotto doesn't have that luxury, or anything remotely close to it. When Cotto steps into the ring to defend his WBO welterweight title against Pacquiao next month, the man dispensing the advice will be Joe Santiago, a longtime member of Cotto's team who will be making his second appearance as lead trainer. The Cotto-Santiago merger was a marriage of necessity: Last April, Cotto and his uncle, Evangelista, who had trained Cotto for the last 18 years, reportedly came to blows after Cotto fired him for refusing to move the training camp from Caguas, Puerto Rico, to Tampa Bay. The fight continued at Cotto's home, when Evangelista allegedly threw a brick at Cotto, which smashed through the window of champion's 2009 Jaguar.
"The trainers could be a factor," said Steward. "Going down the stretch in these types of fights, [the corner] could swing it. Having your longtime trainer there is definitely an advantage."
Trainer-less for the first time in his career, Cotto asked his promoter, Bob Arum, for a list of potential replacements. After reviewing the list, Cotto elected to go with Santiago, a longtime protégé of Evangelista who has played a variety of roles in his training over the past seven years.
"I think Miguel feels comfortable with Joe," said Arum. "You have to understand [my] position. As the promoters, we're not responsible for the fighter getting into shape. That's up to the fighter and his team. We went along with whatever they decided ... whether Santiago is the right trainer for him is hard to tell."
The uncertainty surrounding the choice stems from Santiago's shaky performance in Cotto's fight against Joshua Clottey last June. In the third round, an accidental head butt opened up a grotesque cut on Cotto's left eyelid. A more seasoned trainer might have lobbied for the fight to be stopped. But Santiago allowed the fight to continue and watched helplessly as a blinded Cotto absorbed a beating from Clottey. Only a late rally saved Cotto from an embarrassing and costly defeat.
"I think [dealing with the cut] was a very dicey moment," said Arum. "Miguel was winning the fight quite handily and the eye was severely cut. I don't think Joe made any mistakes. I don't know if any trainer would have handled it different."
Added Santiago, "There were really no mistakes about the way we wanted to do the fight. I think the strategy was fine. I have known [Cotto] for seven years and I know they had talked about bringing in well-known trainers, but I think the fact that I have known him a long time and he feels comfortable with me gave me an advantage over all those guys. I think it's just a question of getting everybody on the same page and I think we've done that."
Those that argue that the change in trainers won't impact Cotto when he faces Pacquiao point to the estranged relationship between the fighter and his uncle. The problems between the two date back to 2007, when Cotto confronted Evangelista after he berated Cotto's brother, Jose, during Jose's world title fight against Prawet Singwancha. The confrontation was caught by the Telefutura cameras.
Because their relationship has been so bad for so long, the argument goes, Cotto has effectively been training himself.
"Cotto and his uncle were like a married couple that just grew apart," Steward told SI.com. "You could feel the distance between them. They went years barely speaking. And Cotto makes great adjustments on his own. When he fought Muhammad Abdullaev [in 2005], I was amazed at how he got on his toes and boxed beautifully. And against Zab Judah [in 2007], he got very physical. He's just an adaptable and adjustable guy."
Still, both Arum and Steward agree that in a fight that is predicted to be as closely contested as Cotto-Pacquiao, having an experienced and familiar voice in your corner is a tremendous advantage.
"Chemistry between the trainer and fighter is very important," said Arum. "Manny and Freddie are a finely tuned team. That doesn't mean that Joe can't do a good job for Miguel, but in the nitty gritty, I'd like to have Freddie."
Source: sportsillustrated.cnn.com
"Manny told me,’I’m back’," said Roach, last Thursday afternoon, one of their last days in Hollywood before they took off for Las Vegas."He’s back, no problem, at all. Focus is there, the conditioning was never a problem. We worked everyday. Baguio, Manila, wherever we were. We never missed a day of working out and running and so forth. So we got back here, his running has been really great, boxing’s been really good. He sparred eight rounds the other day, looked really good, 100-percent."
On this afternoon, Pacquiao went through six rounds of sparring( three each with Urbano Antillon and Ray Beltran) before finishing off his days work with an energetic session on the heavy-bag and a few rounds on the double-end bag, jumping rope and then shadow-boxing. His workout took approximately three hours and it was marked by Filipino’s trademark energy and enthusiasm. For all that surrounds ’Planet Pacquiao’, nobody works harder in the gym then he does.
"My training camp for this fight is good," said ’the Pac Man’ after his days work."We’re doing great and we work hard for this fight." He added," I feel strong, I feel strong enough for a 12-round fight."
Their last week in Hollywood was hectic, as it included an appearance on ’the Jimmy Kimmel Show’ and a media day at the Wild Card. But Roach says that these obligations do not overload his fighter.
" Jimmy Kimmel, we filmed that at like 5:30 in the afternoon. So it wasn’t really late day. It loosened him up a little bit because he likes the singing part of it. Media day, is actually like a day off because we don’t really show that much, just give you guys a taste of what we’re up to because the whole workout would be impossible with as many people that came to the gym," said the well-regarded trainer."Yesterday, we ran him really hard in the morning on the track and then we just went four rounds on the mitts, a couple on the speed-bag and on the rope, stuff like that. The mitt day before was 16 rounds, straight."
Pacquiao said of his appearance on the late night ABC talk show,"It was very fun. I was very happy for that show. It was funny, I sing one song."
There is always the lingering question of whether Pacquiao is distracted or not. It’s become a permanent storyline of any fight he participates in. But Roach, says with a grin,"Y’know what? We like drama. We have enough in our lifetime that we must like it. Otherwise, we would change things. We’ve always had problems, there’s always something going in Camp Pacquiao."
The large focus of this camp has been the on-going animosity between strength-and-conditioning coach, Alex Ariza, and adviser Mike Koncz, who had a well-documented physical altercation while in the Philippines. Roach laughs this off as being a non-issue. The trainer has been through it all with Pacquiao. From when he was getting fleeced by Murad Muhammad or the multitude of fans that swarmed the gym on a daily basis before the first match-up with Erik Morales.
Those were real distractions that hindered his focus. The extra-curricular stuff he’s now involved in? To him, it’s a necessary diversion.
"He enjoys it, he thrives on it," Roach stated."He thrives off it, it’s a challenge. People say he can’t do it. It’s just like after the fight, he’s in concert at the Mandalay Bay."
Win, lose or draw on Saturday night, there will be no alibi’s from them.
" No excuses for this fight," said Pacquiao."I’m ready to fight and I will do my best."
Roach echoes those thoughts," No excuses, 100-percent. No excuses."
COTTO
So what are Pacquiao’s thoughts on his upcoming foe?
"Everyone knows he’s bigger than me, he’s stronger. I know he hits hard but I’m very confident in myself and my speed, my power."
But Roach wonders if Cotto is irrevocably damaged following his loss to Antonio Margarito last year.
"To be quite honest, studying his tapes, he was a very good fighter early in his career but he’s not the same guy after the beating he took with Margarito. I don’t think he has his confidence back, his defense seemed to be poor in the Clottey fight and he was very slow," he opined."I think everyone reacts differently on the first knockout loss, some people never get over it, some people get over it quickly. They say, ’Well, Manny should be the one shot because he got KO’d twice.’ But yeah, that was 20 years ago. We’re obviously gotten over that. So he’s one of those guys who can get over it.
"Can Cotto get over his KO loss? I don’t think so. He hasn’t shown it, yet."
BUZZ
Judging by the reaction the two fighters received on Tuesday afternoon at the MGM Grand, there’s no doubt that ’Firepower’ is building a lot of momentum. I’m told it was the biggest reception ever for a promotion.
One way you can gauge just how well an event will do is to see just how many fans show up to the weigh-in( which takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena at 3:00 on Friday afternoon, with the main event fighters getting on the scale at 3:10). I expect to see a raucous crowd there.
Just a hunch, but I think this fight will exceed one million pay-per-view buys, and perhaps even rival what the Pacquiao-De La Hoya fight did last year( which did right around 1.4 million.)
Source: maxboxing.com
LAS VEGAS - A lengthy training of over 12 weeks that included 130 rounds of sparring, two months of their barracks in Tampa and another 12 days of intense work in this city, ended yesterday.
"I feel very happy and satisfied with their work. I am in top condition and now what remains is to relax and wait for Saturday, "a relaxed Miguel Cotto to speak to the press after finishing the training at the Top Rank gym, which for an hour and a half did work floor and several rounds of gauntlets.
"We're comfortable, and the weight is fine. There is anxiety, the anxiety begins moments before climbing into the ring, meanwhile still normal. Tomorrow (today) we will run if necessary, "said Cotto, who left the gym at 144 pounds, below the maximum weight of 145 pounds that make today will have both fighters weighed in will be at 3:00 pm (7:00 pm ET, Puerto Rico), at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and will be open to the public.
The WBO welterweight champion vowed that tomorrow will see a Miguel Cotto better than we have seen before. We know who leads Pacquiao in force, we who have fought in this division for three years and we know also that he excels in speed and we have prepared for it with great defense, with many lateral movements. I'm ready for my fight, no matter what pattern Pacquiao fight will do. We'll see if he was prepared for what Miguel Cotto brings.
At home in Las Vegas
Cotto said he has been very beneficial to get to Las Vegas on November 1, two weeks before the fight, when his habit was to arrive a week earlier.
"Make a difference, we are used to the schedule. The four-hour time difference makes a dent, most of us athletes. And we acclimated to the schedule, the low-rise city of Las Vegas and we feel good. "
Yesterday, Cotto was back in the betting at a rate of two and a half to one, but that does not lose sleep at boricua. Nor is his promoter Bob Arum that he referred to as an icon Pacquiao and him as a great fighter.
"I know nothing about gambling or interest me. Whether or not the favorite does not add anything extra. I'm not here to become an 'icon' or the best pound for pound. I am here to do what I do, make my money, go with health and enjoy what I did with sacrifice and sweat through all these years, "said the boxer, who trained in the presence of his mother, his wife and three children.
"My children are the main reason for what I do every day and are here to support me full of happiness and it helps to distract me and spend the better days and happy," said Cotto who lost no time to kiss and smile at their children within minutes of rest between training.
"Every boxer weighing wait that long to bother him. It must have been earlier but this is something we have to work and Miguel will weigh eaten (without starving). Before weighing decide if for some light exercise.
Evangelist in mind
On the other hand, Santiago thanked the expressions of Evangelista Cotto, who backed him in a recent interview.
"I expected nothing less from Mr. Evangelista Cotto. Everyone knows it was my teacher and although he is in Puerto Rico, my heart and I still appreciate. One gives you more confidence to have the support of those who have been their teachers, "said Santiago.
The fledgling 32-year coach said recently over a week spoke with Evangelista, who supplanted as head at the corner of Cotto from the bout against Joshua Clottey last June.
"We talked about boxing, but do not talk about Miguel Cotto or this fight. I am the 'matchmaker' promotions Miguel Cotto and discussed plans to continue with other boxers in the business. "
Source: especiales.elnuevodia.com
And then there’s “Master” Freddie Roach.
There’s a reason why Manny Pacquiao calls Roach his “master.” With Roach calling the shots in Manny’s corner, the Pac Man has amassed a record of 17-1-2 while wreaking havoc and earning titles from featherweight to light welterweight. It’s difficult to not crown the Pac Man as the current king of boxing. It makes it even more difficult to not call Freddie Roach the best trainer on the planet.
Roach has transformed Pacquiao from a one punch wrecking machine into a multi-faceted monster that no fighter seems to have an answer for. Ask Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera what it’s like to be on the wrong end of a Pacquiao blitzkrieg.
On Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden, “Master” Roach prepares Pacquiao for what looks to be an all out firefight with true welterweight Miguel Cotto. If Pacquiao comes out on top – as Roach predicts – the Pac Man will add yet another championship in a record seventh weight class.
Roach sat down to discuss what makes his relationship with Pacquiao unique and why his fighter will make Miguel Cotto quit.
Roach provides the guidance figure that Pacquiao needs. There’s a special relationship between the two that only Roach and Pacquiao truly understand. Roach keeps his fighter grounded and focused at the task at hand – no matter what else is going on around Pacquiao.
Prime example would be Pacquiao’s love for his Filipino countrymen. What Pacquiao represents to his homeland is a glimmer of hope. He is the biggest star by far in the Phillipines and the weight of his country lands squarely on Pac Man’s shoulders. When the devastating typhoons hit his native Phillipines, Pacquiao was stretched thin between his country and preparing for what could be the biggest fight of his career. Roach understands the balance but does his job to keep things in perspective for Pacquiao.
“I’m honest with him,” Roach explains when having to pull his fighter away from being a public figure and turning him back into the boxer that means the world to his country. “His focus in Manilla sucked. We had a long talk about it and he apologized to me. The second day in LA during workouts he said ‘I’m back!’ and I know Manny he’ll get back on track. Manilla wasn’t the greatest. It was rough to be around death. He knows his countrymen need something to lift them up and a win will do that. He likes that pressure and he will perform for them.”
Roach says that Pacquiao understands him and knows that Roach has his Pacquiao’s best interests at heart. Once away from the distractions of the Philippines, Roach states that Pacquiao has focused totally on the upcoming fight and is easily in the best shape of his career. That is the way he is going to have to come in when fighting Cotto if he wants to bring another victory home to his countrymen.
Interestingly enough, Roach doesn’t see this fight panning out much different than the destruction of Ricky Hatton. If you recall, Pacquiao obliterated Hatton with a left hook that separated his body from his spirit. To make things even more interesting, Roach explains that, at this point in his career, Cotto is not much better than Ricky Hatton.
“I think he was (better than Hatton) but what I saw in the (Joshua) Clottey fight, no,” Roach explains. FightNews asked Roach if he was at all impressed with Cotto’s gutsy win against Clottey.
“No,” Roach flatly stated. “He got hit too much. He holds his hands up high and drops them when he’s ready to throw. He got hit with a lot of punches down the middle and uppercuts. He makes a lot of mistakes and he hasn’t corrected them.”
Roach has paid very close attention to Cotto before and after the Margarito beating. Regardless of what Cotto says, Roach believes that the Puerto Rican still has yet to recover mentally from the brutal stoppage.
“It takes a lot to get over a loss like that. But he just hasn’t gotten over it yet. He’s going in the right direction though,” Roach explains. “The first fight back he didn’t look that good. The second fight he looked a little better and that’s why in the first round of this fight we’re going to have Manny make a statement. We’re not going to allow him to gain momentum. If you let him get momentum, he’ll get stronger. We’re going to start quick. That’s our game anyway, we always start quick.”
While it’s Pac Man’s job to step into the ring and put his physical abilities on display, Roach’s job is to prepare his fighter for what his opponent may throw at Pacquiao. Roach doesn’t believe that Cotto has the skill set and the mentality to put together a game plan that will give Pacquiao problems.
“Either he’s going to use his strength and come forward to show us he’s the bigger and stronger guy or he’s going to try and become Juan Manuel Marquez like a lot of people try to do because he gave us trouble being a counterpuncher,” Roach explains as if he’s seen this strategy before when other fighters attempt to dethrone Pac Man as the king of boxing. “You can’t become somebody else in an eight week period. I’m ready for whatever he brings. We have the perfect game plan.”
As for Cotto’s game plan, Roach made a statement during HBO’s 24/7 show that he doesn’t believe Cotto’s corner has the experience to help his fighter adjust after he gets smacked with the brutal reality that Manny is stronger and faster than he. When FightNews asked Roach if he feels Cotto and his corner will be able to make any adjustments during the fight, Roach quipped back with a resounding “No.”
“Once he gets hit, he’ll go back to what he knows. Our job is to keep the fight in the middle of the ring,” Roach says confidently. He truly believes that Cotto’s trainer Joe Santiago won’t be of any help as the fight progresses. With that being said, the combination of an inexperienced corner and a shell shocked fighter makes for the perfect opponent for Pacquiao to impose his will upon.
“I think at one time Cotto made adjustments but since the Margarito fight he hasn’t been the same. I’ve been studying tapes before and after the Margarito fight and he’s a different fighter now. When he fought Mosley and others he made adjustments but his last two fights he hasn’t shown that,” Roach said.
And then Roach peers through his spectacles and makes a statement that lingers in the air as surrounding media stare in amazement at the supreme confidence that Roach has in his fighter.
“I honestly don’t think we’re going to knock him out,” Roach says. “We’re going to make him quit.”
To make a fighter quit is far more than a devastating punch that knocks a fighter out cold. It is far worse than beating a fighter until a referee steps in to save a courageous fighter from harm. Making a fighter quit is the ultimate statement. It simply means that the fighter’s will has been broken and, with no other way out, simply reverts to the Roberto Duran’s statement against Sugar Ray Leonard with 15 seconds left in the eighth round of their 1980 bout.
“No Mas.”
To say that Pacquiao will do that to Cotto is the ultimate statement. And if Pacquiao is able to demolish Cotto as he has his past few opponents, it should put him in line for a monster clash with Floyd Mayweather Jr. If that fight were to happen, Roach says that he would like it to be his last fight.
“I’d personally like to see him fight Mayweather and be done,” Roach says when talking about the future. But the problem with making the fight lies in the money. Ultimately, if the fight were to never happen, Pacquiao wouldn’t be hung up by any means.
“He doesn’t care about (the Mayweather fight). Whoever comes next, he’ll fight. He doesn’t care.”
The only thing he does care about is his homeland. As long as he is giving back, Pacquiao will remain pleased.
“He loves the big stage and he loves to make them happy. That’s his drive,” Roach says.
And truthfully, that’s the only thing that matters.
Source: fightnewsextra.com
Manny Pacquiao 144 vs Miguel Cotto 145
(WBO welterweight championship/WBC Diamond belt)
Alfonso Gomez 145.5 vs Jesus Soto-Karass 148**
Matt Korobov 160.5 vs James Winchester 158
Eden Sonsona? 121 vs Eilon Kedem 119.5
Abner Cotto 133 vs Lupe Guzman 134.5
Ernie Marquez 112 vs Richie Mepranum 113.5
Rodrigo Garcia 150 vs Martin Guerra 152
**Soto-Karass stripped down naked and reweighed at 147.5. Has to lose 1/2 pound.
Miguel Cotto may be loved by his loyal fans in Puerto Rico but the rest of the boxing world will be hoping Manny Pacquiao knocks him out in Saturday’s welterweight title bout to keep the Filipino on course for next year’s super-fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
American Mayweather did his bit by coming out of retirement and oozing class against Juan Manuel Marquez in September and now, as he rests up and has so far avoided the temptation to fight Shane Mosley, we can expect Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations to begin soon – providing the Pac Man wins on Saturday.
Pacquiao’s legion of fans are confident he will beat Cotto, the bookmakers are confident and his revered trainer Freddy Roach approved the fight meaning he must be confident, but there is a nagging doubt that all won’t go to plan and that is because Cotto is a classy fighter.
His only defeat came at the hands of disgraced Mexican Antonio Margarito, who was subsequently banned for fighting with illegal padding in his gloves, and he is a strong, fast and a natural welterweight.
However, since that fight he has had two mediocre contests.
Firstly he knocked out the hopelessly mis-matched Britain Michael Jennings in five rounds before claiming a hard fought split-decision against Ghanaian Josh Clottey in June.
But Pacquiao is a different beast. His ability to waltz through divisions and claiming world titles is borderline genius and, as with nearly all sports, there is no defence against speed, which he has in abundance.
Boxing needs a mega clash like Pacquiao v Mayweather and I think they will get it once Pacquiao knocks out Cotto in 10 rounds on Saturday.
Source: reuters.com
LONDON - Anyone who still loves boxing probably still is wincing at the description of the puffed up cruiserweight and new world heavyweight champion David Haye's defeat of lumbering Russian giant Nikolai Valuev in Nuremburg last weekend as both a masterclass of defensive fighting and the redemption of the whole abused business.
However, at least there is an almost instantly available antidote in Las Vegas on Saturday night to the onset of physical nausea. Not only is Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao the real thing, real fighting that is, it also is potentially a stupendous example of what happens when exceptional talent is given a proper test.
Some fight people even believe the contest for Cotto's WBO welterweight title just might make it into the kind of terrain occupied by Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns at Caesars Palace 24 years ago. This is perhaps saying too much. When Hagler finally overwhelmed Hearns in the third round of the most astonishing action, the late Budd (On the Waterfront) Schulberg at ringside shivered and said: "I never expected ever to see anything so intense outside of war."
Yet when promoter Bob Arum projects Saturday's fight into such company an old quote of his does not automatically spring to mind. Arum once was challenged on a statement because it was in sharp contradiction of something he had said the day before. "I was lying yesterday," he shrugged.
Now he declares: "The way Manny and Miguel are talking about it, it could be like the three-round Hagler-Hearns war. The conventional wisdom is that Cotto is best when he is aggressive but I don't know if he feels he can be aggressive with this guy from the get-go. If he is aggressive enough, though, sure, it could be Hagler-Hearns all over again."
The fact is that history settles lightly over the MGM Garden Arena ring on the weekend because The Pacman against anyone decent is the nearest thing we are probably going to get to a guarantee of authentic fighting.
RANKED HIGH
It also happens that his 29-year-old Puerto Rican opponent Cotto is rather more than decent. Indeed, he is currently rated in the pound-for-pound league behind only Pacquiao and, talking of masterclass defensive performers, Floyd Mayweather Junior. Cotto, strong and sleekly aggressive, has just one defeat to his name and it is one that became surrounded by question marks after his conqueror Antonio Margarito was found to have illegal fist wrappings in his next contest.
Certainly Cotto insists that he is something more than a stepping stone to the fight that already has boxing aficionados counting the days: Pacquiao versus Mayweather.
Cotto declares: "I'm prepared for the speed of Manny. My hand speed is pretty equal to his. But is Manny's speed equal to the power of Miguel on Saturday night? You know, I'm very calm. Yes, Manny is a special fighter but I've been doing this for many years and know how well I can fight. He may be looking down the road but I'm just focusing on this fight. He can fight whoever he chooses when I've beaten him."
Cotto is the naturally bigger man. He last fought at welterweight while Pacquiao was a division lower when eviscerating Britain's Ricky Hatton last spring.
The Filipino is the fighter's fighter, the most searing example of the benefits of beautiful timing and the will to exploit it at any point. His experienced coach Freddy Roach says that his man is unique, a force of nature as much as a superbly programmed pugilist. It is an opinion endorsed by an adoring public, thousands of whom gathered at his hotel entrance when he arrived in Vegas last week. There is much affection too, most ferociously expressed in his homeland where each year it is estimated he hands over more than a million dollars in cash and food to the poor who regularly arrive outside his house.
"Sometimes it is impossible," the trainer said. "You just can't get the work done. The trouble is, Manny just loves to be loved."
The fighter says: "If I could, I would fight every day of my life and if I can help as well, well that is a gift to me also.
"Cotto is a good fighter, I respect him but I believe I can do the job."
It is unlikely to be accomplished quite as quickly as it was against Hatton who fell, beyond any hope of recovery, near the end of the second round.
The suspicion here, though, is that it will indeed be finished some considerable time before the end of the 12th.
Assistant trainer, and former world heavyweight champion, Michael Moorer draws the same conviction from the look in Pacquiao's eyes which announces that he has entered his zone of absolute concentration.
"I know it when I see it," he said. "A look, a light comes into his eyes which I think you could only understand if you have worked long and hard for a fight. His eyes shine in a way that says: 'This is my time, I can doanything I want.'
"You do not see it often but I see it when I look at Manny. He is a fighter so far out of the ordinary that I find it difficult to give any other fighter any kind of chance. He is surely one of the greatest we have seen."
Miguel Cotto no doubt will dispute the theory with much nerve and formidable fighting gifts. It is possible, though, to see only one winner and it is Pacquiao around the fifth round. He will win both for himself and the spirit of boxing, which on this occasion at least is the shortest priced favourite of all.
Source: torontosun.com
LAS VEGAS – It was a news conference, which only means not a whole lot happened. Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto talked Wednesday like diplomats after accepting keys to the city from the only politician with a title, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.
If Goodman’s gift included any keys to what might happen Saturday night at the MGM Grand in the most anticipated fight of the year, nobody was saying. Pacquiao said thanks. Cotto said thanks. But their plans might as well have been state secrets, closely guarded by both and one as important to the Philippines as the other is to Puerto Rico.
Their good manners and polite tone are unusual for boxing, which has busted as many ear drums as it has noses over the noisy years. Then again, Pacquiao-Cotto is an unusual bout between fighters likable for lots of reasons, the biggest of which might be the significant absence of redundant trash talk.
It qualifies as a big fight, perhaps one of the biggest in years, without anybody assigned to trite roles. There are no bad guys here. Even Las Vegas resident Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who might meet the winner, hasn’t asked for a ringside seat, promoter Bob Arum said Wednesday.
Without any of the familiar noise, there is a sense that the fighters are conserving their energies and bad intentions for the opening bell. Too many fights over too many years have fallen flat after shout-downs that always promised a beat down, but rarely delivered. Pacquiao-Cotto is loaded with the promise without any of the talk.
“I don’t know what will happen, but I will do my best,’’ said Pacquiao, who is favored to win the 145-pound bout.
The closest thing to braggadocio came from Cotto’s 32-year-old trainer Joe Santiago.
“”It will be a great victory for Puerto Rico,’’ said Santiago, who is only three years older than Cotto. “Good luck to Manny Pacquiao. You’re going to need it.’’
There’s a theory that Cotto looms as Pacquiao’s biggest roadblock in his ascent to international stardom. Cotto’s has been at welterweight longer than Pacquiao, who started his pro career as 106- pound 16-year-old. Cotto is comfortable at the weight. Translation: Cotto’s has power that Pacquiao has yet to feel. The counter is that Cotto has never seen Pacquiao’s kind of speed and will see it only after it comes, goes and leaves him looking up at the Filipino with his back on the canvas.
It adds up to a mix of possibilities that talk for themselves. If that’s not enough, there is a world of media already talking about the fight, mostly because of Pacquiao.
In introducing Cotto, Arum said: “Psychologically –he knows it and I know it – he is not the star of the show.’’
“We now are on track to exceed one million,’’ said Home Box Office senior vice-president Mark Taffett, who said the mid-week sales made the fight “as hot as a pistol.’’
If Pacquiao-Cotto meets the 1-million milestone, it will be the second fight this year to hit the mark. Mayweather’s decision over Juan Manuel Marquez in September had one million customers. The last time there were two pay-per-view fights that surpassed one million apiece was 1999 with 1.4 for Felix Trinidad’s upset of Oscar De La Hoya and 1.2 for the Evander Holyfield-Lennox Lewis draw.
Without Pacquiao, the prospects probably wouldn’t be so bullish. He has been showing up everywhere these days, including a rehearsal Tuesday for a concert at nearby Mandalay Bay. Pacquiao, the lead singer for the band MP, is scheduled to be on stage sometime after his date with Cotto.
Pacquiao doesn’t plan on singing the blues.
NOTES, QUOTES
· Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach played it politically-correct Wednesday. But that might not last until opening bell. For at least a couple of weeks, Roach talked a lot, including a prediction that Pacquiao would win a first-round knockout. Roach placed a $1,000 best at 40-1 on that proposition. Are more head games on the agenda? “A little bit,’’ Roach said. “I’m not done.’’
· Arum said Roach and Pacquiao is the greatest trainer-fighter alliance since Angelo Dundee and Muhammad Ali.
· Roach expects Pacquiao to be at about 149 pounds at opening bell. He said that the Filipino arrives at the gym for workout at 148 and leaves at 144. Roach expects Cotto to beat about 146 pounds at fight time.
Source: 15rounds.com
Puerto Rican Cotto will defend his WBO welterweight crown against Philippine superstar Pacquiao, who knocked out Britain's Ricky Hatton in May.
"I'm prepared for the speed of Manny," said the 29-year-old Cotto.
"My hand speed is pretty equal to Manny's. But can Manny's power equal Miguel Cotto's on Saturday night?"
Two-weight world champion Cotto, 34-1 (27 KOs), is the underdog for the bout but said he had been energised by his link-up with new trainer Joe Santiago.
Although Pacquiao's outspoken trainer Freddie Roach has cast doubt on the 31-year-old Santiago's experience, Cotto feels the change has been a positive one.
"The training camp we had, that's going to make the difference," he said.
Pacquiao, (49-3-2, 37 KOs), was mobbed by more than 1,000 cheering fans on his arrival at the MGM Grand Casino on Tuesday and is certain to attract most of the support at the 16,000-seat arena on fight-night.
Cotto, however, was unconcerned: "It is going to be just Manny, Miguel Cotto and the referee inside the ring. Nobody can come and give anything to Manny."
Cotto also brushed off suggestions he was being underestimated by the Pacquiao camp, which has been touting the possibility of a mega-fight with American great Floyd Mayweather Jr early next year.
"I'm focused on this fight," said Cotto. "When I beat him this Saturday, he can think about whatever opponents he wants."
Cotto was unimpressive in his last encounter in June, edging a split decision victory over Ghana's Joshua Clottey.
In his previous fight he stopped Chorley's Michael Jennings to claim the vacant WBO welterweight crown.
The 30-year-old Pacquiao, a former flyweight world title-holder, is bidding to become a five-weight world champion.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Manny Pacquiao got the mob scene, Miguel Cotto got the half, when the two made their grand arrivals at the venue where they will face one another Saturday night on HBO-PPV.
Around 11:30 a.m., Pacquiao made his entrance to a crowd that filled the casino’s front lobby. After speaking to TV media and greeting fans, he made his way to the Grand Garden Arena where, after testing out the ring, he sat down with print media for a 15-minute Q&A session.
One hour later, Cotto’s bus pulled up to the casino where a crowd, not quite so large, but just as loud, greeted the Puerto Rican champion. After a brief wave to the crowd and TV interviews, Cotto, likewise, was hustled to the arena where he will face Pacquiao on Saturday.
Both fighters proclaimed peak form and said they were unfazed by the hype surrounding the fight.
“I’m happy for that and understand this part of it all,” said Pacquiao. “I am focused on the fight.”
Despite diversions in the Philippines, Pacquiao said that training camp has been good.
“I’m, right now, ready to go,” he said, touching on the high altitude of camp in the Philippines, training with former champ Jose Luis Castillo and finishing up camp in Los Angeles at the Wild Card Gym.
Pacquiao shrugged off questions about Cotto being his toughest – biggest and strongest – opponent to date.
“I believe in myself,” he said, laughing. “I don’t want to say anything before the fight, but will wait until the ring.
“My motivation? I am fighting for the people who love boxing.”
How Pacquiao has been able to move up in weight, from 105 lbs., in his pro debut, to now fight as a welterweight, is still a wonder for the champ.
“It just happened,” he said. “I watch the tape [when a 105-pounder] and I’m a kid, cocky. I struggled to make weight and lost my flyweight belt because I couldn’t make weight.
“Now, I feel strong. Like David and Goliath, as an example. But if you believe in God and train hard, if you love your opponent and love everybody, it is good.”
As Pacquiao fended off questions about size and strength, Cotto was asked to explain how he would handle the Filipino’s speed.
“I’m prepared for the speed of Manny,” said Cotto. “I have equal hand speed and prepared well with my sparring partners.
“I’m prepared for anything.”
Though Pacquiao has left reviewing tapes to his trainer, Freddie Roach, Cotto says he has studied his opponent – mainly his first fights with Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.
“We have the key to the fight,” said Cotto. “Our camp has made the difference.”
When asked about who’s next, after Pacquiao, Cotto would not comment, but he did talk about those who are prematurely writing about a future Pacquiao-Mayweather matchup.
“Manny is the only thing in my mind right now,” said Cotto. “I don’t know what Manny thinks, but when we’re in the ring together Saturday night, he can think about whatever opponent he wants.
“It’s going to be just Manny and me and the referee. There’s nobody else.”
Source: fightnews
Â…Miguel Cotto Sr., when asked why, after Roberto Clemente, all the names in the island’s emotional pantheon of super athletic heroes belong to boxers
LAS VEGAS—The names are passed down generation to generation — from trainer to trainer in the steamy gyms, from fathers to sons in the barrios and all across the Island from San Juan to Ponce:
Sixto Escobar, the first Puerto Rican to win a title in 1936 and the first boxer anywhere in the world to have a statue unveiled in his name ... Alfredo Escalera, the junior lightweight champion, who entered the ring time after time with a snake coiled around his neck ... Wilfredo Benitez, at age 17 the youngest world champion ever crowned ... Gomez, Ortiz, Serrano, Trinidad, all of them champions, and all the others.
And now Miguel Cotto Jr. is just a millimeter away from a place among that glory brigade. Last week, behind closed doors at the Top Rank Gym, he was coming down the homestretch for Saturday’s fight of his life against Manny Pacquiao. The music filtering into the lobby from ringside was laced with the down-home Caguas beat that punctuated his every training day. There were no distractions.
There was only the music and the sparring partners and the trainer, Joe Santiago, who spoke softly to him between rounds. This is the way Team Cotto wants it.
Two fights back, Junior took a terrific beating from Antonio Margarito for his only loss. Then Margarito was discovered with a ‘‘foreign’’ substance in his gloves the next time out when Sugar Shane Mosley stopped him. Were his gloves ‘‘loaded’’ against Cotto? Impossible to know but there was no shortage of conjecture. Cotto believes that defeat actually may have led to a blessing in disguise.
As a case in point, listen to something Cotto said when he went into camp in Tampa for this fight with a new trainer, Santiago:
‘‘I was very hurt and depressed after that (Margarito) fight. Then I redid my team. Now, I’m with the people I wanted. Sometimes you win by losing.”
What he ‘‘won’’ was his choice of trainers. His uncle, Evangelista Cotto, is out. The assistant, Santiago, is in. The issue was Evangelista’s insistence on training in Puerto Rico, where he had a stable of other fighters. Junior wanted to train in Tampa, away from the pressure of adoring fans with a trainer that concentrated solely on him.
Junior was right.
He went there with Santiago earlier for his fight against Joshua Clottey and returned to prepare for Pacquiao.
‘‘The best thing we did was to go to Tampa to train for this fight,” Santiago will tell you. ‘‘The training went perfectly. If he had stayed in Puerto Rico, the distractions would have been even more than in the past because this is Pacquiao. We know fans are excited. And we know they don’t understand he needs his time even more for this one because of what beating Pacquiao means to him. They would have been all over him and what would we have gotten done? Too much adoration gets in the way of a fighter in training. They can love you to death.’’
The moment of truth is on the horizon and behind the closed gym doors there are no fans. On this day there is only the music and the shuffling sound of sparring partners moving forward as ordered and Cotto coming off the ropes or out of the corners with a left hook and a series of obligatory combinations — which will take on a far more intense purpose Saturday night.
The work is just about done now.
Santiago assessed the journey like this:
‘‘From the moment this fight was signed, we began with it. I know Manny and what he can bring. We have studied every part of his style. We broke down the tapes. We understand what he can bring. Miguel is in excellent condition. I have no doubt that after this fight, he will belong on that list of our great fighters you mentioned. I personally believe he is already on it.’’
Outside in the lobby, Miguel Cotto Sr., the fraternal head of Team Cotto, is speaking about that slice of proud history that constantly casts a measuring stick of a shadow over all that a Puerto Rican boxer seeks to achieve.
‘‘When he was 12,” he says, ‘‘the people who know about such things said he was a prospect. And from 1996 until the Olympics it was clear he was headed in the right direction. He has a history of winning big fights — fights I believe will prove to have been bigger than this one. For me, he is already there among those names we count as our island’s history.
‘‘But I am a father. How does a father think about his son’s career? When he gets hit, I feel the blows. When he hits back and moves forward, we celebrate. The people who have followed him see how much he learned every year. I think the question about this fight ... the question that is no question for me at all ... is not how Junior can deal with Pacquiao. It is how long can Manny, who is smaller and not really a welterweight, take what Junior throws at him before he falls apart.’’
Those words bring to mind something his son said earlier in the week during a teleconference. Like his father, he believes people are looking at this through a flawed microscope:
‘‘So now he comes to my division to challenge me. His power comes from a lower-weight division and if he thinks that power can beat me, then he is wrong. He has picked the wrong time and the wrong man in the wrong division.’’
But it’s really not quite that simple.
Deep down, everyone on Team Cotto understands a dangerous truth:
A good left hook to the body can make chopped liver of the best of logical equations.
Which is why they still have to fight on Saturday.
Source: nj.com
LAS VEGAS – One look at Manny Pacquiao, and Freddie Roach already knows he’s primed up for Miguel Cotto.
“He knows the game plan better than me at this point," said Roach on the final day of sparring in Pacquiao’s training camp at the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles.
“He’s one step ahead of me at all times."
The 49-year-old Roach, regarded as one of boxing’s top trainers today, was pleased with the way Pacquiao’s eight-week training turned out, beginning in the highlands of Baguio and ending up in the bright lights of Hollywood.
Prior to departing for Las Vegas, Pacquiao sparred for the last time, going four rounds with Rey Beltran to bring his total sparring rounds to 153.
Roach was happy with what he saw.
“We had a good sparring (Monday). It was nice and loose," he said. “We’re ready to go."
With sparring sessions over and done with, Roach bared the Filipino boxing champion would just work on the mitts at the IBA gym and go through some of the nitty-gritty details of their fight plan.
For good measure, Roach admitted he watches Cotto’s fight everyday to see if there is still some last minute adjustment they could work on.
Roach however, does it on his own as he bared Pacquiao doesn’t watch fight tapes that much.
“He gets bored after 30 seconds," he said. - GMANews.TV
Source: gmanews.tv
“Ready to fight na, it’s all set,” Pacquiao told ABS-CBN News.
Asked about his present state, he answered: “Kundisyon ko ngayon, okay naman.”
The Philippines’ prized fighter already arrived in Las Vegas after a 6-hour long road trip. He is currently staying at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.
Meantime, American trainer Freddie Roach said he stands by his prediction that his ward will prevail over Cotto.
“Knockout as always,” he remarked.
The Trainer of Year recipient also revealed their strategy: “Going to the body is a good way to kill someone.”
Selling like hotcakes
Pacquiao’s fans in the Philippines, meantime, are gearing for the much-awaited fight which is expected to draw a sold-out crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Several cinemas and restaurants revealed that tickets to the “Firepower” screening are almost sold out.
The Gerry’s Grill restaurant along Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City disclosed that boxing fans will not be able to buy tickets from the branch anymore. Only a few Gerry’s Grill branches have some tickets for sale. The ticket is priced at P600, which includes breakfast.
Another restaurant in Quezon City, Daungan, offers a P450 ticket which also includes breakfast.
SM North EDSA, meantime, revealed that 80% of the “Firepower” tickets have been sold. A ticket costs P551. The total number of tickets sold by SM malls nationwide has reached 22,900.
Other “Pacman” fans can also watch the Pacquiao-Cotto fight in Ayala Cinemas where the ticket price ranges from P600 to P700.
Those who refuse to shell out money for the fight can still watch their sports idol slug it out against his Puerto Rican opponent. Various free screenings will be held at sports centers and coliseums in the Metro.
Aside from the Pacquiao-Cotto clash, other fights included in “Firepower” are Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. vs Troy Rowland, Yuri Foreman vs Daniel Santos, and Alfonso Gomez vs Jesus Soto-Karass. – With reports from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News and Sol Aragones, ABS-CBN News
Source: abs-cbnnews.com
LAS VEGAS— The tickets have been snapped up the moment they hit the selling booths and everyone is expecting crazy figures from pay-per-view revenues.
All because the world wants to see how a once skinny, scrawny kid who used to sleep on cardboard boxes in the street can fight his way to the ranks of the big boys, winning not only fame and riches along the way but also boxing’s most revered mythical title: Pound-for-pound king.
“We are watching a phenomenon unfold before our eyes,” Top Rank chief Bob Arum said of the one-time flyweight king who is now on the threshold of becoming the first boxer to win world titles in seven different weight categories.
“I have not, in my 45 or 46 years in boxing, seen anything like this,” Arum said. “This should have never happened.”
Arum is referring to the fact that the devastating combination of speed and power hasn’t deserted Pacquiao despite the Filipino superstar’s ascension into the heavier ranks. Pacquiao faces Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14, where he will be gunning for the Puerto Rican’s WBO welterweight crown at a catch weight of 145 pounds.
Arum added that while credit goes to trainer Freddie Roach, who has shaped Pacquiao to be a complete and relentless mix of ring power, the boxer should get a lot of pats in the back too.
“Manny is one of the hardest workers in boxing. I’ve never seen any athlete who trains as hard as Manny does,” said Arum.
Arum said, however, that it would be wrong to take Cotto lightly and that the Puerto Rican’s presence on the corner opposite Pacquiao on fight night is actually what makes the highlight match of the card billed as “Firepower” one of the greatest the sport has ever seen.
“It will be a great matchup not only of the year, of the decade but also in history,” Arum said. “On one hand, here’s Pacquiao, who’s going up in weight and here’s Cotto, the toughest welterweight in the world who punches hard and can take a good punch.
While Arum still gets floored with the way Pacquiao has dominated legitimate welterweights, he believes that once Cotto rocks the Filipino, the latter will be in for a jolting surprise.
Because he promotes both fighters, Arum refused to make predictions about the fight. He did, though, tell audiences what to look for the moment the bell rings and the referee unleashes both warriors in the ring.
“I think the major factor will be if Cotto will be able to reach Manny with those devastating left hooks,” Arum said. “I guarantee you if Manny gets hit, it will be the hardest he will ever have felt in his career. It will be interesting to see how Manny will handle the punch if he does get hit.”
Source: inquirer.net
Another class of experts, are saying that Cotto’s power and natural size advantage will be too much for Pacquiao to withstand and that the Filipino star will lose the fight. You can put me squarely in the latter category. I see Pacquiao losing the fight, and losing big time by a humbling knockout. The loss will have its effects on Pacquiao if it is as bad as I think it will be. It’s one thing losing by a decision, and quite another matter to be knocked out brutally.
Pacquiao will have to go back to square one and consider his options. What do you do when you’ve been pasted by one of the best fighters in boxing ? Maybe Pacquiao doesn’t lose any credibility with boxing fans. Some of them may see Pacquiao as a courageous individual for moving up in weight and fighting Cotto, a bigger and stronger fighter. Pacquiao would seem to have the perfect excuse if he were to lose.
Okay, so I see Pacquiao taking a horrendous beating at the hands of Cotto, a beating that leaves Pacquiao bloodied, battered and with numerous cuts on his face around both eyes and a busted nose. The healing from this beating will likely take a considerable amount of time. Pacquiao won’t be able to just walk into a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. or some other popular fighter for another mega fight any time soon you would think. Pacquiao will need to lick his wounds, lay low and get better and figure his options.
If I’m Pacquiao, I would go after a rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez or maybe try to coax Cotto into fighting me again. What harm is there in facing the bull again? As long as Pacquiao isn’t wiped out too quickly by Cotto, I think boxing fans would be interested in seeing it happen again. I know I would. I would be there at ringside with my camera and laptop following every second of action.
I don’t of course see the result being any different than their first fight, but it would still be interesting all the same. You got to give Pacquiao his chance, don’t you? Let him risk fate a second time, even it means that he’s pounded black and blue and left near toothless. It’s all about trying to get revenge and give boxing fans their monies worth.
It’s all for the fans. Okay, so Pacquiao fights Cotto again, gets torn limb from limb and then we’re back to the starting point. What does Pacquiao now do? Well, he could always run for political office in the Philippines. I don’t know if Pacquiao would be as popular with two consecutive beatings under his belt, but it’s worth a try. If Pacquiao gets knocked out twice in a row, the chances of a third fight between Pacquiao and Cotto would seem unlikely.
Boxing fans won’t want to see Pacquiao get beaten up again if it means they have to pay money to see it. I’m backing Pacquiao for a third fight. Pacquiao can count on me for being there to watch it. Like always, I’ll have my trusty laptop and camera at ringside to follow every second of action.
by: Manuel Perez
Promoter Bob Arum thinks it is possible.
Hagler v Hearns, at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, in April 1985, is regarded by many as the most exciting eight minutes in fight history, with Hagler the winner by a technical knockout in the third round. It was Fight of the Year after both men went at it from the opening bell like men possessed.
Miguel Cotto against Manny Pacquiao brings together two fighters who are sporting icons in Puerto Rico and the Philippines respectively, and who are regarded as boxing’s No 3 and No 1 pound-for-pound, respectively, at present.
Cotto, 29, a two-weight world champion, has fought at welterweight for three years, and has been beaten only once in 35 contests, while Pacquiao, 30, attempts to win a seventh world title in a seventh weight division, which has seen him come up over eight years from flyweight to welterweight. He has been beaten twice in his 55-fight career, with two draws.
Although this contest is taking place at 145lbs, Cotto’s World Boxing Organisation welterweight (147lb) crown is on the table.
When Hagler and Hearns met in 1985, for the WBC, WBA and IBF middleweight titles, Hagler was 30, and had lost only twice, much earlier in his career, while Hearns was 26 and had been beaten just once, stopped in the 14th round by Sugar Ray Leonard.
Arum, who promotes both Pacquiao and Cotto, visited both training camps – in Baguio City in the Philippines and Tampa, Florida.
“The way Manny and Miguel are talking about it, it could be like the three-round war between Hagler and Hearns,” the veteran promoter Arum told Telegraph Sport. “The conventional wisdom is that Cotto is best when he’s aggressive, but I don’t know if he feels he can be aggressive with this guy from the get-go. But if Cotto is aggressive, though, it could be a Hagler v Hearns all over again.”
Source: telegraph.co.uk
HOLLYWOOD – Miguel Cotto said he’d make weight. And keep his money in the bank.
The wide-bodied left-hooker from Puerto Rico on Monday crushed all insinuations that he’s having problems with his weight, and assured everyone that he’d come in at 145 lb for the Friday’s official weigh-in at the MGM Grand.
“When we took this fight we decided that we were fine with 145. We knew we could do it and we knew we would be at our best the next night. We would not have taken this fight if we didn’t think I was going to be at my best the next night after the weigh-in,” he said.
Cotto spoke from Las Vegas, where he’s training for the fight, and told doghouseboxing.com that 145 is what’s been agreed upon, and 145 will it be.
As speculated in the fight contract, Cotto will be fined $1 million for every pound in excess of 145, and he goes a fraction over 147, Manny Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddei Roach, said he’d call off the fight.
Cotto can save all his money if he comes in at 145 lb. He said he will.
The last time the 29-year-old fighter, a welterweight all his life, fought at 145 lb was against Zab Juddah, two years and five months ago. He won that fight, and retained his WBO crown in the 147 lb division.
“The last fight I spent more than 24 hours doing nothing. Just waiting for the weigh-in. My weight was 145. All I have to do is add a half hour to my work every day and I am going to reach 145 with no problem,” he said.
But a lot of people think otherwise, and that includes Pacquiao.
“He’s reducing right now,” said the Filipino icon, adding that by now, the Puerto Rican star must be keeping starving.
“Malaking disadvantage sa kanya yan. Lalu na kapag dikdikan ang laban (It will be a big disadvantage particularly in a tight fight),” he said. – Abac Cordero
Source: philstar.com
HOLLYWOOD— By his account, Urbano Antillon has been around many training camps as a sparring partner. And he has yet to see anyone like Manny Pacquiao.
“He’s one of the hardest workers in the sport,” said the California-based Mexican, currently the No. 1-ranked lightweight contender of the WBC who totes a record of 26-1 with 19 knockouts.
Antillon hooked up with Team Pacquiao as a sparring partner for the Filipino icon, who battles Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 for the Puerto Rican’s WBO welterweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The 27-year-old fighter said that after months of trading leather with Pacquiao, he expects the rapid-punching, hard-hitting southpaw to dominate the match against Cotto using his vaunted speed.
“The speed has always been the key why Manny Pacquiao has been successful,” said Antillon, who, quite interestingly, lists Pacquiao’s brother Bobby as one of his victims.
Antillon has been on the receiving end of many of those quick flurries from the reigning pound-for-pound champion and knows what he’s talking about.
“His speed is expected, but when you’re there (in the ring) with him, it’s really overwhelming,” he said.
Although he did not make any predictions, he said he feels Cotto is in for a tough night against Pacquiao.
“Cotto’s a great fighter, but he’s just a little too slow for Pacquiao,” said Antillon.
Pacquiao’s other sparring partners also voiced optimism that the Filipino is headed for a big night in Las Vegas.
In separate interviews with Fighthype.com, Shawn Porter and Rashad Holloway said Pacquiao definitely has the edge against Cotto.
“Manny is definitely ready,” said Porter. “I think this is his time and I think you guys will see a lot in the ring. You guys might be surprised.”
Holloway went as far as predicting a knockout victory for the Filipino superstar.
Recently, though, Cotto brushed aside talk that Pacquiao will dominate him with speed, insisting that the game plan his corner has cooked up will be more than enough to negate that vaunted Pacman edge.
“You know what? That’s why we prepare ourselves,” Cotto told Examiner.com. “He’s a fast fighter. We know he has speed. We know he has a style and we are prepared to beat it. You’ll find out on the 14th how I am going to deal with his speed. It’s not going to be a factor, even though everyone thinks it is.”
Pacquiao has said he will use his speed and his movement to counter Cotto’s size and strength, adding that he is confident about his chances in the coming match, where he hopes to take a seventh weight championship.
“I’m always confident in every fight,” said Pacquiao on Saturday.
Source: inquirer.net
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