"Unfinished Business": Pacquiao chronicles 12 (page 2)

The fight started off with Marquez picking up where he left off. He wasn’t landing a lot of shots but was definitely giving Pacquiao a hard time figuring out his approach as he used excellent footwork and counterpunching in keeping Pacquiao off-balanced.
Pacquiao was pounding his gloves already, signs that he was getting frustrated and flustered by Marquez. He still managed to outwork Marquez however though by connecting with more punches although it was evident that the pace of the fight started off favoring Marquez.
In the second round Pacquiao was still looking tentative but was definitely trying to be the aggressor. Marquez was fighting an intelligent fight however and seemed to have an answer for anything Pacquiao tried on him. Pacquiao was changing up his approach using double-jabs and doing some counterpunching of his own and using in-and-out movement to try and penetrate Marquez’s defense. In the dying seconds of the round, Marquez tagged Pacquiao with a perfect left hook that dazed the Pac Man and had his legs wobbly. It was Marquez’s best punch ever against Pacquaio, unfortunately for him though, the bell sounded and he wasn’t able to capitalize on the effects of the devastating blow.
Obviously shaken, Pacquiao retreated to his corner and was shaking his head as his trainer Freddie Roach gave him instructions. Despite the hit though, Pacquiao was still smiling as if acknowledging he got tagged by a good shot; challenges like this is what Pacquiao lives for. He was born to be a prize fighter.
The third round opened with Pacquiao continuing to look tentative and Marquez sticking to his game plan of waiting for Pacquiao to counterpunch and living off his aggression. In the last 30 seconds of the round, Pacquiao landed one of his vicious left crossed on Marquez that seemed to have the Mexican dazed as he was backpedalling. Pacquiao stalked Marquez while Marquez tried to fend him with jabs. At the 23 second mark, Pacquiao landed a powerful counter left hook that sent Marquez crashing to the canvas with his feet up in the air. Marquez gallantly got back up on his feet while receiving his standing 8 as the round was about to close. Pacquiao jumped on Marquez and hit him with another flurry that would’ve knocked Marquez down a second time had he not been able to hang on the ropes. After the bell sounded, Marquez still looking very much out of it was following Pacquiao to his corner as if he had lost his sense of direction. Referee Kenny Bayless redirected him to his corner where he was met with a concerned look from his trainer Nacho Beristain’s face.
And just like that, Pacquiao changed the complexion of the fight with the most devastating punch in the sport. What a weapon to have for any boxer, and Pacquiao’s left has knocked down more men than any one punch in the sport in recent memory.
 
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"Unfinished Business": Pacquiao chronicles 12 (page 3)

In round 4, Pacquiao started strong and seemed to have gotten a rhythm for the first time in the fight. He was coming in and out and hitting Marquez with his punches with better precision than the previous 3 rounds. Marquez kept backing off, showing signs that he hasn’t completely recovered from the knockdown. Pacquiao repeatedly tagged Marquez with his right jab, left straight combos to the delight of his fans. HBO analyst Emmanuel Stewart commented, “Pacquiao seems to be much stronger now. His confidence looks like it has come back,” as the tempo of the fight started to lean towards Pacquiao’s favor. Marquez would keep trying though and landed some isolated shots, but they were too few and far away from the other to even consider the round competitive. (Pacquiao 10, Marquez 9)

 Round 5 opened as Steward showered Pacquiao with high praise. Steward said,

"He loves to fight. You can see it in his eyes. I don't think there's ever been anybody in the boxing ring that loves to fight like he does."

And further elaborated,

"I think that he would be rather doing this than anything in the world. Just looking in his eyes you can see the intensity and the fierceness. Certainly, he is a true fighter."

The round though was turning back into a boxing match similar to the first two rounds. Marquez seemed to have regained his composure and was picking his spots with increased accuracy, Pacquiao in his part was also showing his improved boxing skills as he utilized his jab more often, picked off Marquez's punches and also counter-punched when he had an opportunity. This round could've definitely gone either way. Compubox did little to help determine the round's winner as both fighters logged in almost identical numbers with Pacquiao having a one punch edge in connects and Marquez a 2% edge in accuracy. Might as well toss a coin on this one or score it an even round. Depending on what you saw, and ringside judges did not have the privilege of a replay like I do, you can give the round to Pacquiao based on his aggressiveness or to Marquez for dictating the pace and bouncing back. Marquez also landed the best punch of the round with a straight right that connected flush on Pacquiao's jaw. I'll give that round to Marquez. (Marquez 10, Pacquiao 9)

Marquez opened round 6 with renewed confidence. He had gotten his bearings back and Pacquiao seemed like he was starting to doubt himself again. Pacquiao was tentative and Marquez was masterfully out-boxing him. HBO commentator Jim Lampley commented saying "In rounds like this you can feel Juan Manuel Marquez out-thinking Manny Pacquiao." Marquez countered Pacquiao and caught him out of position on various occasions. (Marquez 10, Pacquiao 9)

At the midway point of the fight, Pacquiao was ahead my cards 57-56 with both fighters taking 3 rounds each and Pacquiao leading by a point because of the knockdown. Coincidentally I have the same scores at this point with HBO analyst Larry Merchant and Harold Lederman during fight night.

Round 7 started similar to how the last two rounds did. The fight was favoring Marquez's pace and he was looking to continue his success against Pacquiao. In the middle of the round however, both men's head would clash for an inadvertent head-butt that opened up a cut on Marquez's right eye. The referee had to stop the bout momentarily for the ringside physician to check the cut and wipe off the blood that was dripping from Marquez's eye. Sensing blood, Pacquiao jumped on Marquez and turned the fight back into a brawl. He connected in bunches with his combinations as Marquez seemed more like the fighter in round 4 trying to fend off a Pacquiao storm. Around the 1:10 mark, Pacquiao started a flurry that had Marquez wobbly for a second. Every time Pacquiao fought at his usual relentless pace, it was evident that he came out on top but when he doubts himself and try to box with Marquez, he gets taken to school. In this round though, Pacquiao's aggression saw him through. (Pacquiao 10, Marquez 9)

Marquez opened round 8 with a vengeance. He went straight at Pacquiao and landed clean punches together with a straight right hand that opened a cut on Pacquiao's left eye. Pacquiao looking obviously bothered by the cut was backpedalling and getting tagged in the process. Pacquiao in the past has had a hard time adjusting to cuts and in this instance it was his lead eye that got damaged which affected his vision. In one instance, Pacquiao lunged back as if Marquez was stalking him when his opponent was simply standing still. He was having problems locating his opponent and seeing punches. He was practically fighting blind. It was as vulnerable as I've ever seen Pacquiao in a fight. He kept trying to fend Marquez off but the cut was really bothering him. Marquez took advantage of the situation as he landed with combinations and perfectly placed punches. (Marquez 10, Pacquiao 9)

At the start of the 9th round, Pacquiao's cutman Joe Chavez, was able to stop the bleeding from his lead eye. Pacquiao came out looking like a man on a mission and determined to win. Perhaps he had sensed that if he was indeed going to win, he had to make a move now or risk his eye getting completely shut. It worked and the momentum shifted back to Pacquiao's favor. Every time Marquez would land a 1-2 combination or a right straight, Pacquiao would come back with his own combination and then some. He tagged Marquez with left straights and was moving way better than he did the previous round. At the 23 second mark, the referee called for time as he had the ring side physician check on the status of Marquez's right eye which was worsening with every Pacquiao blow. After getting the go signal from the doctor, Marquez and Pacquiao would go at it in the dying seconds of the round. Marquez momentarily abandoned his game plan and let it all hang. Pacquiao though got the slight edge in the flurry by landing a couple more shots while backing Marquez to the ropes. As the bell sounded, Pacquiao did the Muhammad Ali shuffle as if telling Marquez he can keep going forever. (Pacquiao 10, Marquez 9)

Pacquiao opened the 10th round with a brilliant counter left hook while ducking and slipping from a Marquez left. The shot almost knocked Marquez down if not for his great balance which helped him regain his footing after the highlight real shot Pacquiao gave him. Pacquiao would follow-up with one of his vicious flurries as he stalked Marquez and backed him to the ropes. Marquez courageously fought back despite getting hit with a lot of punches. Pacquiao was going for the kill as the crowd noise reached deafening levels. At the midway point, the crowd starts cheering "Manny! Manny! Manny!" after Pacquiao tags Marquez with another vicious left. Big round for Pacquiao as he proved that the cut he sustained in round 8 was not enough to take him out of the fight. As he recovered from his cut though, Marquez's kept getting worse. More and more blood started to drip from the right eye. Marquez was getting desperate while Pacquiao looked like he was getting stronger. (Pacquiao 10, Marquez 9)

In-between rounds, Marquez's trainer Beristain was shown trying to mend Marquez's ugly cuts. HBO's Lampley was already suggesting the fight might be stopped due to the severity of the damage to Marquez's right eye.

When round 11 began, both fighters were finally showing signs of fatigues. Neither of the two really made a definitive statement in the first minute of the round. At the 2-minute mark, the referee warned Marquez for a low blow and gave Pacquiao a few seconds to recover. When the fight resumed, Pacquiao and Marquez would take turns in mounting assaults with little success. Marquez connects with a nice combination however around the 1-minute mark. Pacquiao was also showing his improved defense as he deflected and strafed most of Marquez's punches. Pacquiao ended the round by toying with Marquez ang tagging him with a couple of good straights as HBO commentator Jim Lampley suggested,

"Marquez is slipping in that area that he may need a knockout to beat Manny Pacquiao"

Based on my scorecards he did, Even if I gave round 11 to Marquez, which I can't based on how I closely reviewed the video multiple times, Marquez needed a KO to at least draw with Pacquiao. (Pacquiao 10, Marquez 9)

The final round of an epic battle was finally under way. Larry Merchant comments that his scorecards reflect a 6-5 edge for Marquez with Pacquiao receiving a 10-8 in one of his rounds making it a stalemate in his scorecards at the moment. Perhaps it's one of the reasons why a lot of people who saw the fight thought Marquez was robbed. If you listened to Merchant's opening comments in the last round, you would be under the impression that if Marquez won the last round, he would be declared the winner. Honestly, I don't know which rounds Merchant gave to Marquez that made his card swing that way. He didn't mention which rounds he scored for Pacquiao or Marquez in the last few rounds. My score card thus far has Pacquiao leading 106-102 with round 9 being the only round that can go either way. I can see though how other analysts could've given round 9 and/or 11 to Marquez but I simply couldn't based on the replays I saw. 

The last round was a testament to Marquez's will to win and beat Pacquiao. He attacked with determined and definitive aggression. Pacquiao looked tired and wasn't connecting with much. I don't know if in his head he knew he was up as it seemed like he was playing a little bit of "keep away" or if was simply fatigue. Pacquiao's initial charges in the round did not have the same pop and fury he displayed in the rounds he won. Marquez took advantage and owned the round. In the last ten seconds, Pacquiao still tried to steal the round with a combination but Marquez was just on point in this round and would not allow him to get his way and finished the round strong by countering Pacquiao's assault with a combination of his own. Both men raised their hands as the bell sounded. (Marquez 10, Pacquiao 9)

Conclusion: HBO flashed Harold Lederman's card which read 115-112 for Pacquiao. The only difference between his card and mine is that he scored the 11th round for Marquez and the 12th for Pacquiao. I gave 11 to Pacquiao and the last round to Marquez en route to a 115-112 win for Pacquiao. The ringside judges at the fight scored it as such: Roth 115-112 for Marquez; Ford 115-112 Pacquiao; Miller 114-113 Pacquiao. Pacquiao wins via SD and is the new WBC super featherweight and Ring magazine champion.

I don't know how Roth scored it the way he did, because after closely reviewing all the rounds carefully, it was clear to me that the nearest Marquez would've came was a 1 point edge over Pacquiao and that is if I gave him rounds 9 and 11. However, it was indeed a close match that deserves another go. 

After the fight Marquez and his camp cried foul claiming they were robbed. Marquez even followed Pacquiao to his home country singing his salty tune. Marquez had a reason to be salty, but crying a river would not get him anywhere and only cheapened his accomplishment. If there are doubts in most of you, just review the fight again. There are posts on Youtube for every round of the fight. Feel free to give me your own analysis. 

Pacquiao has conquered the Mt. Everest of challenges he set forth in conquering years before. He had finally bested the best in his divisions in the likes of Mexican legends Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Marqeuz. What's next for the Pac Man? Check back in the next couple of days for part 13 of this article as I chronicle the next few years of Manny Pacquiao's career. Thanks for reading.

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Steward sees tough Pacquiao-Cotto fight

ONE of boxing’s legendary trainers sees a tough fight between pound-for-pound king Manny ‘PacMan’ Pacquiao and World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Miguel Cotto.

In an interview with eastsideboxing.com, Emmanuel “Manny” Steward said it’s unfair to give the Filipino boxing icon a clear edge over Cotto when they square off on November 14 in Las Vegas.

While Cotto was not impressive in his last fight against challenger Joshua Clottey, Steward said the latter is actually a tough fighter who could have given welterweight legends Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard a rough time in the ring.

“Based on Miguel having such a tough fight there [against Clottey] and Manny looking like a million dollars knocking out Ricky Hatton and Oscar [dela Hoya], that’s why the odds are totally going out of proportion and I don’t think that’s a fair assessment. I see it [Pacquiao-Cotto] as almost a toss-up fight, myself,” Stewards was quoted as saying.

The legendary trainer said a lot of people are actually underestimating Cotto’s size advantage over the Filipino, explaining that the champion from Puerto Rico is a natural welterweight.

Steward also said Pacquiao is a natural junior lightweight or lightweight, which puts the Filipino boxing icon at a disadvantage over Cotto. The Puerto Rican has been listed at 5’7” while Pacquiao is 5’6”.

However, Pacquiao has won the admiration of Steward, who has trained legendary champions like junior welterweight Aaron Pryor and heavyweights Evander Holyfied and Lennox Lewis, and multi-weight titleholders Hearns and De La Hoya. He presently trains heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.

“He [Pacquiao] has the instincts of a fighter, the balance, the timing, the stamina—everything—and it’s just natural. He’s a fighter! If anyone was ever born to be a fighter, it would be a guy like him or [Roberto] Duran, but he’s better because he has great rhythm, and his defense and timing are a lot better than people think,” he said.

COTTO WEAKNESSES

Steward also said that Cotto has weaknesses in defense, which can cause trouble for the Puerto Rican.

“His defense right up the middle—he has absolutely no defense for that, because his gloves are so wide, and fighters can punch right between his gloves,” the legendary trainer said.

He said that if Pacquiao is able to penetrate Cotto’s defense and hit the Puerto Rican at will, the Filipino has a chance to win their showdown.

“I think he [Cotto] should not fight with his defense being the way it has been before,” Steward said.

The Pacquiao-Cotto fight has been pegged at a catch weight of 145 pounds, or two below the welterweight limit. Freddie Roach, the Filipino’s trainer, would not allow his fighter to battle Cotto at 147 pounds because the Puerto Rican would have a big weight and size advantage on fight night.

“Freddie knows that Manny is really not a true welterweight, and that’s why he’s [Freddie] trying to at least get some kind of equilibrium in those fights by making the opponents come down in weight as close to Manny as they can for balance,” Steward said.
-- Conrad Carino
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What Did Pacquiao do to be Ranked #1 in the WBO?

By Manuel Perez: I’m still wondering how Manny Pacquiao was suddenly pushed to the number #1 status in the WBO welterweight division. It happened almost over night and it pushed Pacquiao over fighters like former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey. I know the WBO really wants WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto to have his title on the line for his November 14th bout with Pacquiao, but this is kind of ridiculous.
I frankly don’t see anything that Pacquiao has done to warrant him being pushed ahead of Clottey or other welterweights in the division for that matter. Pacquiao beats an old and shot Oscar De La Hoya last year and then a light welterweight Ricky Hatton. But, how are these victories enough for Pacquiao to be pushed to the number #1 status.
I know Pacquiao is totally into trying to win a 7th title belt, but the problem is he isn’t interesting in fighting at the full 147 pound limit in order to get the title and wants the title to be on the line at a 145 pound catch weight. Naturally, Cotto hasn’t been happy about that because it sets a limit on his weight, while at the same time still having his title be on the line.
In a way, it’s like having a fighter who’s really good at fighting three round bouts changing the rules so that a title will be on the line for shorter fight rather than for the entire 12 rounds. Obviously, it would benefit that fighter rather than the champion. In this case, Pacquiao benefits because he only has to gain weight whereas Cotto has to lose weight, which isn’t easy to do without being weakened in the process.
However, my main gripe is what did Pacquiao do to be suddenly pushed to the number #1 spot by the WBO. Did they do this in order to force Cotto in a situation where if he decided he didn’t want to put his title on the line, it would be on the line anyway because Pacquiao was the number #1 fighter?
It looks that way. Even if Cotto doesn’t want to put his title on the line, it will be anyway by virtue of Pacquiao being the number #1 challenger. Cotto will either have to vacate the title or be stripped of it by the WBO. What really is really bad is that the vacate title would be on the line for the fight but only could be won by Pacquiao.
As you can see, Cotto is backed into a corner with little choice. Either he puts his title on the line or it will be taken from him and will be on the line anyway. He could walk away from the fight but he probably won’t do it because this is the biggest fight of his career and he stands to make a ton of money.
Promoter Bob Arum, the promoter for both Pacquiao and Cotto, says that the WBO title will be on the line on November 14th. He hardly needed to say this because obviously it will be because Cotto really has no choice in the matter aside from backing out on the fight and he won’t do that.
The weird thing is probably few people really care about Pacquiao winning a 7th world title. It’s just some silly statistic that people throw around as if it gives a fighter more clout. That’s likely not what people will remember Pacquiao for after his career is finished, believe me. They’ll be looking at his fights against Juan Manuel Marquez and wonder about those bouts, and look at how Pacquiao winded down his career facing the likes of David Diaz, an older, weight drained Oscar De La Hoya and an overrated, defenseless Hatton.
And now on top of this, they’ll look at Pacquiao’s bouts against Cotto at a catch weight instead of at the normal weight for the welterweight division. If they’re like me, they’ll wonder how could the title have been on the line when Cotto was prevented from fighting at the upper limit of the welterweight division.
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Examiner Bio Frugal but not crazy, Arum pays the cost for Pacquiao-Cotto title bout

Frugal would be one way to characterize veteran boxing promoter Bob Arum.
Cheapskate would be another.
But, having heard the worldwide roar, the vox populi from Manny Pacquiao’s fans across the world, Arum is digging deep into his pocket to pay the $150,000 WBO welterweight title sanctioning fees for both champion Miguel Cotto and challenger Pacman.
Arum has even made this pledge public after being overwhelmed with protests from Pacquiao followers and then from Manny himself when talk continued about the Nov. 14 bout at the MGM Grand being a non-title bout.
So, if you think Arum is aggravated by continual smoke signals coming out of Puerto Rican lawyer Gabriel Penagaricano Junior’s office that Cotto defending his strap is “open to negotiation,” you are correct, sir or madam.
Arum views the Cotto camp’s stubborn stance as part of a Boricua feud between Penagaricano, who is affiliated with the WBC and WBO leader and San Juan attorney Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel.
But it still bugs the Las Vegas based promoter who handles Manny and Miguel.
“It’s some local situation, I guess,” Arum said Tuesday. “I don’t want to get involved in whatever it is. Look, Paco is a good guy and we have the situation all worked out. I am paying the freight for both sides here.
“It is a world title fight and making a fuss is silly. Can you see anything more stupid than Cotto refusing to defend the title and losing it for that reason? Would anything be more asinine?”
I asked Arum about the Juan Manuel Marquez-Floyd Mayweather Golden Boy PPV card Sept. 19 going head to head against UFC 103.
He refused to comment, saying, “I am not going to get involved on that except to say it’s not a situation that is good for either side.”
Always willing to look on the bright side in his own backyard, Arum mentioned that the UFC show on Nov. 14 will be taped delayed and shown not on PPV but on the Spike cable network.
Arum said the Pacquiao-Cotto series of press conferences will have a heavy mix of baseball stars with events at Yankee Stadium and in San Francisco.
“In San Francisco, the press conference will go after the Dodgers-Giant game and there could be 50,000 people there,” Arum said.
Yankee fan and Brooklyn native Arum is pleased that his team’s top stars will be at the Bronx presser.
“It’s going to be like an All Star team with Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and CC Sabathia all coming. They’re all fans and they all want to come to the fight in Vegas.”
Now pitching, Number 77 (soon to be 78), Robert Arum.
Yesterday he was a reliever, today he is a starter.
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Valcarcel: “If a Fight is Going to be inside the Welterweight Limit, then It has to be for the Title”

By Giancarlo Malinconico: As reported by columnist Mark Vestor, WBO president Francisco Valcarcel told El Nuevo Dia that he believes the Cotto bout ought to have the WBO Title at stake: “With one or two pounds less, you are still inside the limit. We (The WBO) have the responsibility… that if a fight is going to be inside the welterweight limit, then it has to be for the title.”
There has been much fuss on the internet over the agreed upon catch-weight of a 145 pounds for the Pacquiao/Cotto match in November. In my opinion, most the fuss has been blown out of proportion. It is only 145 pounds; one pound less than Cotto weighed in his last fight against Clottey. Cotto’s nutritionist, moreover, has given Miguel the green light to proceed with the fight under this catch weight.
The fact that Pacquiao only weighed 142 pounds against De La Hoya, and is not a “walk-around” welterweight is the real problem I have with criticisms about this catch weight. Critics of catch weights (or just Pacquiao in general) seem to neglect Pacquiao is sacrificing a division, while Cotto is sacrificing just two pounds. In my opinion, the catch weight still favors Cotto; he will come in heavier. Weight is obviously at least somewhat of an advantage in boxing; otherwise why would we have so many weight classes in the first place?
If you want to see the best possible pound-for-pound match ups, then you cannot complain about catch weights being a part of it. You cannot expect to have it both ways in every case. If a fighter clearly cannot make a catch weight, he should not sign to fight.
I say the belt ought to be on the line because Pacquiao is fighting arguably the first or second best 147-pounder in the world. Instead of criticized, Pacquiao ought to be commended for taking this fight with Cotto, and if he is victorious he should be glorified as a world champion in seven different weight classes. Boxing analysts and fans have historically criticized boxers for moving up in weight to win “alphabet” titles from subpar champions. If Pacquiao is victorious, we can say he did not just move up various weight divisions collecting belts from “cab-driver” opponents. More importantly, we can truly say, Pacquiao won his seventh world title against a real champion.
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Freddie Roach Studying Tape of Mosley/Cotto to Devise a Strategy

By Giancarlo Malinconico: The most talked about event in professional sports is the Pacquiao/Cotto mega-fight on November 14 in Las Vegas. Miguel Cotto has already begun an early pre-training camp. And Freddie Roach is already studying film of Miguel Cotto’s last six fights in order to develop the game plan for his fighter’s training camp.
Roach has stated he is particularly interested in the Cotto’s fight with Mosley: “I’m paying particular attention to his fight against Shane Mosley because that’s the one where he was able to take away Shane’s speed to beat him.”
After hearing these comments from Roach, I decided to refresh my memory of the Cotto/Mosley clash. What I picked up on from this fight was that Mosley’s hand speed advantage was apparent early in the first round, forcing Cotto to fight as a modified counterpuncher throughout much of the fight. Cotto’s decision to play the counterpuncher seemed to be what allowed him to neutralize Mosley’s hand speed.
I could not help but notice Mosley fought the majority of the fight flatfooted. And Mosley failed to land his shots and get out of the way of the return fire, which was probably the difference in the fight. Mosley never forced Cotto to have to pick up his feet and replant them before he punched.
Pacquiao cannot make the same mistake; he will have to box on his toes early to keep Cotto from planting his feet and unloading ripping shots to the head and body. Footwork, in fact, will be the key, in my opinion, to Pacquiao’s victory. Pacquiao must fire off combinations, and get out of the way quickly.
Many expect Cotto to be the aggressor and to pressure Manny. But I would not be surprised to see Cotto play counterpuncher like he did against Mosley when he notices how much faster Pacquiao’s hands are. But if Cotto does go into seek and destroy mode, this contest could live up to its name, Fire power. It will be interesting, nevertheless, to see what strategy Coach Roach employs for Pacquiao to carry out, as the Pacman attempts to capture a record-setting seven world titles in seven different divisions.
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Pacquiao... Cotto... And Why You're A Fan

Why is Manny Pacquiao the boxing worlds current must see mauler? How does Miguel Cotto cram his crowd into Madison Square Garden?

When it comes to sports fans, the boxing variety are among the most vociferous and voracious. Part of that is the stakes in the ring, which are greater than any other sport. Part of it is that boxing is the sport where there are no barriers between the fan and the athlete.

There is no helmet to hide their face. No pads to obscure their figure. No closed huddles or secret hand signals. No bandages for an injury.

The playing area isn't a hundred yards long or a field of ice. It's a couple dozen feet. The ring is intimate. The ring is mic'ed up. If someone has something to say, we hear it. The camera's don't show us ten men, or twenty two scurrying around. Just two; in close up.

And from all that, we have more access to them over the course of thirty six minutes of action in a twelve round fight than we do for other athletes over the course of a whole season. We see them fight, we see them think, we see them bleed, we see their eyes. To paraphrase Joe Louis... you can't hide in the ring. In fact, you can only show. Show your talent and skill. Show your heart, determination and will. And show whether you've got what it takes, on the night, in those moments.

All of those factors connect us to boxing's participants in a way that can be more powerful than other sport. But what locks us in to a particular fighter over another? What makes a fighter your fighter?
A couple of traveling Ricky Hatton fans showing their support in Las Vegas this past May.

Sometimes it can be as simple as the fighter being from the same geographical region as you are. Who doesn't want to root for the hometown fighter and see "one of their own" move out into the world, to find success and in some way represent us. The geographical pull is so strong that in fact, many a fight fan finds themselves rooting for a fighter they ordinarily wouldn't care for at all. Maybe you hate brash young trash talkers... but this loud mouth kid is from your home town. Maybe you despise safety first technicians... but hey, this is a good guy from just a couple burgs over.

Miguel Cotto, one of the sports premiere leading men, draws big at the Mecca in New York, in large part because of the strong contingency of Puerto Rican's that reside in and around the city. If he were the pride of Uruguay would his name light up the marquee on Seventh Avenue quite so often?

In the beginning your choice in fighters is often merely a chance of fate. That first fight that hooked you on boxing, there's a good chance one of those men, in that moment of your personal history, became a fighter of great interest to you.

Just imagine, a few years ago there where fans cheering for Jermain Taylor just because he was from Arkansas, and there were those for Cory Spinks, just because he was from St. Louis. And there was probably even someone who tuned into their fight, got their first taste of professional boxing and latched on to one of those fighters based on their performances that night. Well okay, maybe that last bit defies reasonable possibility. But you see... the points been made.

These, of course, are examples where by there is little choice involved in the selection of which fighters you are following. They are thrust upon you by chance or proximity. For the most part however, we choose those fighters we like, consciously or unconsciously.

To my mind there are principally just a handful of attributes that color our choice in boxers. Boiled down to a word, the determining characteristics tend to be displays of skill, athleticism or spirit. Each of us responds to one of these more than the other two. While every fighter has these three qualities in some measure, the memorable fighters tend to be overloaded in one particular category.

And there are variations within each trait.

For instance there are other attributes that tend to go hand in hand with great skill. Usually, for one, great dedication to craft. A level of professionalism, whereby you feel they take the sport seriously. They're probably in shape. Their fights probably don't devolve into all out action, because there is a certain level of restraint and control. They're smart. They are thinking out there. Precision, timing, studying, adjusting. Machines.

Then there are athletes. Perhaps blessed with blazing speed or bludgeoning power. Lightning reflexes or towering size. The fights could be suddenly explosive or eye opening, though they might be less consistent overall. Big KO's or flashy combos. The razzle, the dazzle. The specimens that were born and not created.

And then there is spirit. A warrior who may not be the fastest, the biggest or the most skilled, but they are a fighter through and through. Courage and determination. When attacked, they attack. When knocked down, they get up. More pure in a way; more animal.

Of course every fighter pulls elements from across the spectrum of these strengths and weaknesses, but all can be nudged into one category or another in the final analysis. Likewise each fan of the sport tends to have a certain continuity in the fighters they are drawn to most and my feeling on this is that they tend to gravitate towards the type of fighter they themselves would be, were they to make there way into the ring. In other words, we see and respond to character traits we share.

I tend to admire technicians. They weren't supermen to begin with, but they put in the work and made themselves into what they are through dedication and determination. Bernard Hopkins and Juan Manuel Marquez (pictured) come to mind. I can see myself, in the way they've gone about their careers. I'm a cerebral kind of guy... and these men think. They think about what they are doing. They think about what their opponent is doing, will do, might do... They are cool and calm. Analyzing before, during and after the fight. Like finely tuned watches, they know when the time is right to make their move. And the time is right, because they have diligently prepared for it beforehand.

Doesn't mean I don't greatly admire or root for a guy like Carl Froch who has shown grit, sheer aggression and a throw caution to the wind rambunctiousness that Hopkins or Marquez rarely have dug up in their careers. Or that I don't marvel at Andre Dirrell's laser strikes and athletic arsenal. Thing is I just don't relate to the mindset or talents of each on a personal level.

The special fighters are those that bridge the different categories and become someone that everyone can appreciate and see themselves in. I think of Manny Pacquiao who has gotten his greatest level of universal acclaim and recognition, just as he's bridged the gap between all three categories I laid out above. He entered our consciousness as the dynamic athlete, showed his spirit when tested and has now rounded out his profile by dedicating himself to fine tuning his skills. He is a complete fighter in every sense of the word and in that light it's no wonder everyone loves him; he appeals to every type of fan.

Someone like Arturo Gatti crossed over in to most fans adulation because he was so extremely over the top in one of those categories; spirit. One imagines that if someone had come to him before a fight and could tell him he would be badly cut over both eyes, his hand would be hurt, and he'd be knocked to the canvas at some point... he'd still choose to head into the ring. Such was the belief in himself that no matter how grim, or stacked against him he felt the odds, he could persevere.

Likewise, if I were ranking the three categories in terms of how many fans appreciate each. Clearly spirit would be number one, because it is something we all have, to a lesser or greater extent, in us. You don't need any special knowledge of the sport to spot courage or willpower. Athleticism comes next, because it's exciting, awe inspiring and even if we aren't world class athletes, we certainly wish we were... and hey, just being naturally better than someone without having to work quite as hard... who doesn't fancy that. Skill brings up the rear. Not that most don't appreciate it, just that it lacks the flash and drama of the other two, for the most part.

With all this in mind, what has led us to a particular fighter is very apparent. In a way it's like the question posited in the film "Pulp Fiction", There's two kinds of people in this world, Elvis people and Beatles People. Now Beatles people can like Elvis. And Elvis people can like The Beatles. But nobody likes them both equally. So somewhere you have to make a choice. And that choice tells you who you are.

As this implies, there is no getting around the fact that we are drawn to certain pugilists naturally because of who we are. Just as we are drawn to the sport as a whole because of who we are. Some may be enticed by the violence and aggression of it. Others may like the artistry of the sweet science. Some may like the nostalgic quality of the sport and it's far reaching history.

For me the psychology of the fighter is the sports thoroughgoing appeal. The mindset you must have to compete in the ring. Shelving fear of injury, pain, embarrassment, failure... the ongoing struggle to triumph over those elements, on a second by second basis. Competing not just against the man across from you, but also against yourself. Watching for the subtle cues in a fighters demeanor as he wins those internal struggles, or begins to succumb to them. That's what the sport is for me.

The sport gives you what you bring to it, and the fighters you've chosen, often choose you.

Now lets watch some guys, punch each other in the face.

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Emanuel Steward Says he Can Help Cotto Knock Out Pacquiao – News

By Eric Thomas: Famous boxing trainer Emanuel Steward has made no secret about his desire to train World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. Steward made it known that he would be open to training Cotto after hearing about Miguel falling out with his long time trainer. Steward said to Primera Hora, “If we can come to an agreement [about Miguel being trained by Steward], I do not have the slightest doubt that Miguel would knock out Pacquiao.”
Steward has a great reputation for getting quality fighters to the next level. He worked wonders with Wladimir Klitschko, as well as Lennox Lewis. Steward has a reputation for being especially good at training big heavyweights. It’s unclear what he can do with a short fighter like Cotto, who at 5′7″ is small for a welterweight.
“Up to now, nobody (someone from Cotto’s team) has communicated with me, but he I would love to be able to have the opportunity to work with Miguel.”
Steward currently trains IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, as well as middleweight prospect Andy Lee and cruiserweight contender Jonathan Banks. However, it looks as if Steward would like to add Cotto to that list. In the past, Steward has trained a number of excellent fighters such as Jermain Taylor, Tommy Hearns and Lennox Lewis, to name but a few.
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Manny Steward Says 'Miguel Cotto lo noqueará'

Or, in English, “Miguel Cotto will knock him out.”
He’s referring, of course, to Manny Pacquiao, who Cotto is scheduled to fight on November 14. Steward, a Hall-of-Fame trainer who is best known for training Tommy Hearns and Lennox Lewis, is aggressively angling for the job of training Cotto for the Pacquiao fight. Yesterday, in an interview with the Puerto Rican daily Primera Hora, he stated flatly that if Cotto retains his services, there is no doubt in his mind that Cotto will knock Pacquiao out.
Of course, Steward wouldn’t be so publicly clamoring for the Cotto gig were it not for the fact that Cotto recently had an explosive split with his long-time trainer (and full-time uncle) Evangelista Cotto. Tensions that simmered between the two for years finally boiled over this past April, leading to a fistfight that started in a Puerto Rican gym and eventually made its way out to the parking lot, reputedly concluding with Evangelista hurling a cinder block through the windshield of his fighter-nephew’s Jaguar.
Since that incident, Cotto fired his uncle and promoted his nutritionist, Jose Santiago, to be his head trainer, a move that left many in the boxing world scratching their heads. Cotto is known to be very loyal to his circle, but how long can he expect to compete at the elite level without an elite trainer?
Manny Steward is about as elite as they get, and he clearly thinks the time is now for Cotto to step up to the A-list as far as his training goes. He told Primera Hora that he’s a big admirer of Cotto and that he believes there are many ways that he can improve the fighter. Should Cotto take him up on the offer, it definitely would raise the octane level of what is already shaping up to be the biggest and possibly best fight of the year. Not only would there be two superstar fighters in the ring, but each would have a superstar trainer in his corner. And just as Freddie Roach vs. Floyd Mayweather Sr. stole some headlines from the Pacquiao/Hatton fight, no doubt Freddie Roach vs. Manny Steward would become a major storyline for Pacquiao/Cotto.
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Steward says he can teach Cotto how to KO Pacquiao

Why does it not surprise me that trainer Emanuel Steward, best known for training Thomas Hearns and former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, is trying to work his way into Miguel Cotto's corner for the Puerto Rican's upcoming fight with Manny Pacquiao?

In recent years, aside from his steady tutelage of yawner heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko, Steward has become more of a special guest trainer than a man who sticks with a fighter for several years.

So with Cotto looking to make somewhere between $12 to $15 million dollars on November 14th for squaring off with Pacquiao, Steward has publicly expressed his interest in working with Miguel for this fight and stated he could teach Cotto how to knockout Manny.

"If we reach an agreement, I have no doubt that Miguel would knockout Pacquiao," Steward told Carlos Gonzalez of PrimeraHora.

The opportunistic Steward also made it clear he had not been contacted by Cotto to work his corner for the bout, which is now being led by Joe Santiago.  Cotto dumped his longtime trainer and uncle Evangelista Cotto

Just another twist in the growing story leading up to Pacquiao - Cotto. before his bout with Joshua Clottey earlier this year and replaced him with Santiago.
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Can Cotto Win a Decision Against Pacquiao? – Boxing

By Manuel Perez: The more I think about this fight the more I realize that WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto has only one chance to win the bout and that’s by knockout. Let’s face it, Manny Pacquiao is much more popular than Cotto and like Oscar De La Hoya before him, will probably have the judges siding with him if the fight is close.

I think even if the fight is pretty much a landslide victory for Cotto, I still see Pacquiao getting the nod by the judges. The reason is because Pacquiao is the money fighter and boxing judges recognize that he’s bringing in the big cash to the sport, if not always the superior performance. The only way I can see Pacquiao losing by a decision is if Cotto knocks Pacquiao down at least three time to four times. Knocking him down twice won’t get the job done, because I can still see the judges giving the fight to Pacquiao regardless of how dominating Cotto is, so it’s going to take at least three, possibly four knockdowns to do it. The knockdowns can’t come all in the same round because this will give the judges an excuse to score the other rounds to Pacquiao and give him the decision.
It’s sad that boxing is more of popularity contest than actual combat, but that’s the way it is unfortunately. When you have a fighter that is considered to be a big money maker like De La Hoya and Pacquiao, boxing becomes a lot like professional wrestling where it’s very hard to unseat the champion barring a knockout or an injury of some sort.
To beat Pacquiao by a decision and thus overcome the popularity factor with the judges, Cotto is going to have to rip Pacquiao to pieces and make him look like a pathetic fighter. Pacquiao will have to look like a wretched creature by the time the fight is over, covered with blood, cringing and sad looking before I believe that the judges will give Cotto a victory.
That’s not to say that the judges are corrupt, but it goes like that when you have a fighter that is more popular. Judges are human and they just naturally want to gravitate to the more popular fighter, ignoring the fact in a lot of cases that the more popular fighter just took a beating and lost the fight, case in point, Pacquiao’s fight with Juan Manuel Marquez last year in March.
Pacquiao was dominated by Marquez for the entire fight, with the exception of a knockdown that Pacquiao was able to score late in the bout. For many American boxing experts and fans alike, they saw Marquez easily winning the fight. The judges, though, scored it for Pacquiao, the more popular fighter.
It’s was bad for the sport that the judges and the many boxing experts didn’t agree on the decision, because it seemed like such a cut and dried case of a victory for Marquez. Yet, Pacquiao ended up winning the fight, which further shows how hard it is for someone to beat a popular fighter like Pacquiao.
I expect Cotto to win the fight, but I have my doubts that he’ll ever be able to win a decision with the judges, and that’s really sad. The good thing that comes of things like this is that a fighter like Pacquiao can only win a certain amount of gift decisions before the public tires of it and the judges finally wake up and get a clue. The judges will figure it out sooner or later that Pacquiao’s ability doesn’t match his popularity and won’t give him the benefit of the doubt when he gets dominated like he was against Marquez. My hope is that they do this sooner rather than later.
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Roach: We don't need the fight if the title is not on the line

"If Pacquiao wants the fight to be for the title, it will have to be at 147 pounds". That was WBO welterweight titleholder Miguel Ángel Cotto’s vehement declaration when interviewed by Puerto Rican newspaper Primerahora last week. Cotto does not believe that a catch weight of 145 lbs. merit staking the title he valiantly defended against Joshua Clottey, all bloodied and bruised with a nasty gash practically the whole fight. That is his prerogative and no one can take that away from him. It may also be a concession tactic. Wisely using the title belt to boost his purse share completely mindful of how important the belt is to the whirlwind from the Philippines.

Meanwhile, there is no way in hell that Manny Pacquiao will budge and go north of 145 lbs. "We don't need the fight if the title is not on the line," so asserts Freddie Roach. A title win will give the Pac-Man a record breaking 7 titles in 7 weight classes. That will separate Manny from Oscar Dela Hoya and will move a few spots closer to Sugar Ray Robinson in the all-time greatest list. It is not ludicrous to assume that team Pacquiao will not make the date with Cotto if Cotto’s not bringing the trinket.

So what now? Top Rank’s Bob Arum is trying to work this out before the scheduled kick-off news conference on September 10 at Yankee Stadium. The only solution is to get Cotto to stake his belt. Arum, a member of the distinguished hall of fame, knew better going into the negotiations that there are historical implications if Cotto defends his title against Pacquiao yet played it down and instead declared that "nobody in the US cares about the belts". He was not mindful of Pacquiao’s legion of fans who clamored for the title supporting their idol’s quest for boxing immortality and a permanent place in the sweet science record books. Pacquiao is a definite shoo-in to the hall of fame and will most likely get every vote when his time comes. The chance to take this record-shattering recognition is arguably a step above it. This is unheard of and will take another generation to break, if that’s even possible.

So let’s work on a hypothetical. Let us say the November 14 fight is not yet signed while Cotto will stand by his pronouncement and Pacquiao eventually backs off their scrap. Who are Pacquiao’s alternatives? Who are the other title holders that can give Pacquiao a shot at the unbelievable 7 division titles?

WBA’s Sugar Shane Mosley

Financially, for Pacquiao, he is the closest to Cotto if they get the same alleged split of 65-35. For Arum, it will be far off having to share the promoter’s commission with Golden Boy.

Chances of breaking the record? Probably less than against Cotto if we base it on their last fight. Mosley convincingly punished Antonio Margarito. It can be argued that Margarito was not mentally in his game that night having been caught with elements of plaster of paris before the fight. Regardless, Sugar Shane made himself daunting to future opponents in that fight.

The pluses for Pacquiao. Barring a Richard Schaefer intervention, it will not be difficult to negotiate with Mosley who has been practically on his knees begging for a fight against the pound for pound king. To offset the potential financial setbacks when compared to arguably a more lucrative Cotto fight, Mosley might agree to a slightly modified share of the pie.

The catch weight will not be an issue either. Mosley already stated that he can go as low as 140, but of course we all know that is unreasonable. Pacquiao will not even accept having to put Mosley in such a predicament because it will also tarnish his title quest. A catch weight of 144 lbs. sounds equitable enough.

As for the trinket, it’s already a foregone conclusion that Mosley will put his belt on the line.

Among the alternative titlists, Mosley is the obvious leader and one with name recognition even to casual boxing fans.

WBC’s Andre Berto

By the time this article is published, it is possible that Berto and Mosley are off the fall and winter market. Golden Boy’s premiere negotiator and CEO, Richard Schaefer is scheduled to meet Lou DiBella in New York to work on a potential unification fight between the two 147-lb. champions.

If they finalize a deal, Cotto gets extra bargaining power on his stance. Pacquiao then has to significantly compromise just to include Cotto’s belt. Nevertheless, if Berto and Mosley do not happen, what can Berto offer to the king?

First of all, staking his green belt. Don Jose Sulaiman will be more than happy to have the WBC sanction another Pacquiao title fight. The return of the prodigal son will again be bringing considerable bounty to the coffers by the form of sanctioning fees.

Berto, even at 70-30 share will potentially get his career-high earnings. Coming out of nowhere to get a shot at Pacquiao and getting his first PPV appearance is an opportunity that is difficult to refuse. Agreeing on a catch weight will be the possible quandary in the negotiation. Berto never went below 145 lbs. in his pro career. He even went above middleweight in his pro fight and continued as a junior middleweight in at least a dozen fights.

Pacquiao’s chance against Berto is more than decent. Berto is quick and has power but he has problems against sharp shooting southpaws. He narrowly beat hard-luck Luis Collazo. It might be difficult to knock Berto down but Pacquiao can get a decision win against him.

IBF’s Isaac Hlatshwayo

Who the heck is Isaac what? Yeah, yeah. This South African titleholder is like the David Diaz of the lightweight division when Pacquiao knocked the Chicago native out last year. Hlatshwayo is the least popular champ in his weight class and the most beatable too.

If things do not really work out against Cotto, and Mosley and Berto agrees to fight then Hlatshwayo is Pacquiao’s only option to a seventh division title. This has a very diminutive chance of happening but deserves to be pointed out as Hlatshwayo still has a major sanctioning body title to brag.

Hlatshwayo last week just captured his IBF title against Delvin Rodriguez by a close split decision. If not for Rodriguez running out of gas in the second half of the fight, it would have been the Dominican getting a possible yet improbable shot to the Pacquiao sweepstakes.

So for the three major negotiating points - title, purse and catch weight. Hlatshwayo will definitely stake his title. Getting a 10% slice of the pie will still be by far his biggest earnings. Catch weight of 143 lbs will be trouble-free. His last appearance in the US, prior to last week’s fight, was against Kendall Holt at lightweight.

Pacquiao’s chances of winning? Close to a guarantee. Hlatshwayo does not have knockout power and will not be skilled and quick enough to catch Manny. Pacquiao has the potential to stop him early. Hlatshwayo’s upside is his stamina and a tough chin. If he can withstand Pacquiao’s left straight then going the distance is already a victory by itself against the pound for pound king.

Even at 90% purse share, the pound for pound king will not get his usual PPV earnings. To come close to getting decent PPV buys, this will need a strong undercard which is not really promising when reviewing Pacquiao fights of late.

By the way, to see Hlatshwayo in action, SNY will be re-airing the Hlatshwayo-Rodriguez fight but the schedule is yet to be reported.

Back to Cotto

With all three titleholders, especially Mosley and Berto, having a negotiable chance to win in this year’s last offering of the Pacquiao sweepstakes, Cotto better start softening his stance. He is jeopardizing his chance of earning the biggest payday of his life. Not mentioning the chance to beat the best fighter in the world today.

It is not just the pay, it is the opportunity to push him higher in the boxing elite ranks and potentially obtain another lucrative fight early next year against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. if he overcomes the odds against Pacquiao.

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Pacquiao win over Cotto

Pacquiao will soften Cotto in 3rd round just like what he did to Ricky.
Although Cotto is Cotto,Ricky is Ricky.With the hand-speed the agility of Pacman, Cotto will just like Oscar Dela Hoya, standing and waiting the punch of pacman.Eventhough Pacman is a road show with the good descipline and determination pacman can adjust easily.

Cotto should train ahead for he knows what is the capability of his opponents.Pacman fights and defeated mexican legends,and now to obtain his 7 wins to be in the history of boxing he will surely knock-out Cotto.

It's a battle between boxing history of who can stop pacquaio or will the 7 straight wins will swept in boxing history.

But you cannot determine fate, who knows cotto could deliver a good punch that will knockout pacman.

since im a pacman fans, that 1% could not happen...


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Pacquiao Revamped

By Trevor Weis: Manny Pacquiao is dead. The brawling aggressor has changed, evolved; he’s not the Filipino slugger that caught our attention—he’s become the Living Legend that captures our hearts, our respect, and speaks to us on some inexplicable level; he’s become something else completely… He has sprinted full-speed ahead since his humbling loss to El Terrible in 2005, leading us boxing purists on a 10 fight, 4 year winning streak. One thing is certain: he is paying us back for our loyalty.
This new Pacquiao has speed, power, and technical soundness that have yet to be rivaled. The one-handed brawler with a big left has evolved into a thinking, tactical machine with shotgun power in either hand. It’s not often a Saint becomes a demon—but in that ring, he breathes fire.
Ricky Hatton was wondering how he ended up on his knees before he even realized he ate a sharp right hook. Mayweather picked Hatton apart in ten. Pacquiao ran a train over him in two. Mayweather won a debatable split decision over De la Hoya; Pacquiao pushed the Golden Boy into retirement inside eight brutal rounds. And one must admire Mayweather’s technical and defensive ability—he doesn’t make exciting fights, but he knows how to win. The undefeated technician left the ring with his mouth running. He returned on the morning of Pacquiao’s big fight to talk himself up as the returning king; without saying a word, Pacquiao let everyone know who wears the crown right in the center of the ring.
When Pacquiao steps into the ring against the Puerto Rican Bull, Miguel Cotto, he will be challenging a legitimate welterweight champion, a top-10 RING Magazine pound for pound fighter, and a naturally bigger man. Floyd Mayweather should be taking notes right about now…
All I read about is why Pacquiao isn’t fighting Mosley, whether it’s fear or “cherry-picking.” Maybe Pacquiao doesn’t want to hear about how old and weight-drained Mosley would be, or how Mosley was out-pointed by Cotto in a unanimous decision in 2007. In fighting Cotto, Pacquiao is trying to beat the man that beat the man; even though I can see no way to fault Pacquiao should he emerge victorious, I’m sure on Sunday, November 15th, the blogs will be riddled with “Cotto was damaged goods.”
Maybe we should praise Pacquiao for the feats he’s reached, the wars he’s waged, and the bigger boxers he’s bested. Everyone has weaknesses, even Manny. Just because Pacquiao and his three-time trainer of the year, Freddie Roach, can create and execute a near flawless game plan, that doesn’t make him a cherry-picker. It makes him dangerous.
The post De La Hoya era belongs to Manny Pacquiao, boxing’s biggest draw and most marketable star. Mayweather can contest the loss of his throne, but cannot rightfully reclaim it until the ruler of boxing has been unseated.
Instead of contesting his recent wins, dissecting the weaknesses of his defeated opponents, and criticizing him for demanding catch weights when challenging naturally larger and stronger opponents, all I have to say is this: how blessed we are to have a champion, a courageous warrior like Manny Pacquiao.
With humility, grace, and undeniable skill, Pacquiao is paving his own way in boxing history.
All hail our King.
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Cotto: Pacman in for a surprise

MANILA, Philippines - Title or no title, 147 or 145 pounds, Miguel Cotto has vowed to give Manny Pacquiao a hell of a time when they clash on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Speaking to fighthype.com, the 27-year-old Puerto Rican said there’s a very big difference between him and Oscar dela Hoya and Ricky Hatton who both fell way short of expectations when they fought Pacquiao.
Dela Hoya, the golden boy, was exposed as an aging fighter and was pounded to submission by Pacquiao last December while Hatton lasted no more than two rounds and there are so many calls for him to retire.
Cotto, the reigning WBO welterweight champion, directed his shots at Pacquiao’s long-time trainer, Freddie Roach.
“Hey Roach, I have some news, I am not Oscar dela Hoya at the end of his career. I am not the overrated Ricky Hatton,” Cotto told fighthype.com the other day.
“Roach knows what Pacquiao will be facing on Nov. 14. It will be war,” added Cotto who stands to lose his crown if he decides to keep his $150,000 instead of paying the WBO the sanction fees.
Cotto will reportedly earn no less than $6 million for the Pacquiao fight, the biggest ever paycheck for the Puerto Rican, and said the only way he’d stake his crown is if the Filipino icon goes up to 147 lb.
Either way, he’s bound to lose his title because Roach said there’s no way Cotto could beat Pacquiao.
“We will expose him,” said Roach of Cotto who may be younger and bigger but is definitely the slower fighter. This early, Pacquiao has been installed a 2-1 favorite.
“We’re not gonna stand in front of this guy and trade with him. Manny’s a much smarter fighter now,” said Roach, who shouldn’t lose sleep whether or not Cotto puts the title at stake.
Roach knows the consequences.
“If Cotto gives it up I think the WBO will make Manny the number one. We’ll pay the sanction fee and the title will be on the line. That’s what I think will happen,” he told boxingscene.com.
“I haven’t spoken to Manny about it but if it was me I would ask for the title to be on the line. I think regardless of what Cotto says, the title will be on the line. I want it for Manny’s legacy. Manny won titles at 112, 122, 126, 130, 135 and 140. I want to see him become the first fighter to win seven world titles in seven weight divisions,” said Roach.
While there’s been a verbal agreement between the two camps, the fight contract has yet to be signed.
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Cotto’s title on the line vs Pacquiao

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) removed one of Manny Pacquiao’s concerns when it announced Sunday that Miguel Cotto will defend his welterweight crown in a catch weight of 145 lbs — and not 147 lbs — against the Filipino boxing icon.
WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel told the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia that (the fight) it’s going to be for the (WBO) title” and that everything will come to a “happy ending” for both parties.
Pacquiao lawyer Franklin Gacal said he had spoken with Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum also yesterday, assuring him that the fight will be at 145 lbs and that Cotto’s WBO throne will be on the line in the super showdown penciled at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Cotto had insisted a few days back that if Pacquiao wants to go after the WBO crown, the fight will have to be at 147 lbs.
Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said fighting Cotto in a non-title bout is almost without value.
Now that it appears that a major stumbling block has been cleared, next up for discussion would be the crucial choice of finding a new training camp for Pacquiao, who has been advised by the Harvard-educated lawyer to set up the first half of his training camp outside US territory owing to an IRS regulation called the Substantial Presence Test.
Arum, whose promotional outfit Top Rank is staging the megabuck fight, will embark on a huge promotional tour of four cities in September, kicking off with the lead event at Yankee Stadium in New York on Sept. 10.
The next stops will be in Cotto’s hometown of Caguas in Puerto Rico on Sept. 12, AT&T Park in San Francisco on Sept. 13 and Beverly Hills in Los Angeles on Sept. 14.
Then, the two will head to their respective training camps with Cotto going to Tampa, Florida, and Pacquiao in the Bahamas, Canada, Mexico or the Philippines.

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Manny nearly pulls out of Cotto fight

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao came close to pulling the plug on Miguel Cotto if not for the assurance by promoter Bob Arum that the Puerto Rican will stake his World Boxing Organization welterweight title at a catchweight of 145 lb on Nov. 14.

Pacquiao’s lawyer, Franklin Gacal, yesterday said they were already preparing an official statement saying they will have to start looking for another opponent after reports said Cotto was not willing to stake his 147 lb title.

The reports quoted Cotto as saying he will only stake his WBO title if the fight is held at 147 lb, the welterweight limit, and that the 28-year-old champion was not willing to pay WBO the $150,000 sanctioning fee.

“Bob Arum told us not to believe everything that’s being reported. Then he assured me that Cotto will put his WBO welterweight title on the line -- at 145 pounds,” said Gacal from Gen. Santos City yesterday.

“We have to take Mr. Arum’s word on that,” added Gacal.

The Pacquiao lawyer said with the weight issue practically settled, now comes the money issue, although he said both camps have had an agreement regarding the purse sharing.

But Gacal did not give out the details, only saying that a 65-35 sharing in favor of Pacquiao should be the “worst-case scenario” for the Filipino pound-for-pound champion and today’s main attraction in boxing.

Gacal is hoping that the fight contract for Pacquiao vs Cotto be signed as soon as possible so both boxers can start focusing on what they have to do on the ring than on the negotiating table.

Reports said Cotto is scheduled to start working out today in Puerto Rico, while Roach wants Pacquiao to start limbering up before the press tour set on the second week of September.

“We were almost ready to issue a statement that we’ll start looking for a new opponent because of all those talks that Cotto wants Pacquiao to go up to 147 before he stakes his crown,” said Gacal.

Gacal, however, did not mention the boxer they had in mind in case the Cotto fight was scratched. It could be Shane Mosley, who’s offering Pacquiao everything but the kitchen sink, or someone else.

And that could even be Floyd Mayweather Jr., whom trainer Freddie Roach described as “the easiest fight of the three.”

Mayweather, who retired almost two years ago but is slated to return to the ring in September against Juan Manuel Marquez, another fighter drooling over Pacquiao.

The fight was supposed to be held in July but a rib injury sustained by Mayweather in training, coupled by poor ticket sales, led to a cancellation, and a new date on Sept. 19.
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Roach: Pacquiao-Cotto gig will be a title fight

Miguel Cotto wouldn’t want to stake his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight (147-lbs) belt against Manny Pacquiao in their November 14 showdown in Las Vegas.

But Pacquaio’s trainer Freddie Roach expressed belief the Cotto’s strap would eventually be placed on the line in the fight set at a catchweight of 145-lbs – whether the Puerto Rican fighter likes it or not.
“If (Cotto) gives it (welterweight crown) up, I think the WBO will make Manny the number one. We'll pay the sanctioning fee and the title will be on the line. That's what I think will happen," Roach said Sunday in an interview with BoxingScene.Com.

Cotto had publicly expressed his refusal to defend his title against the Filipino ring icon, saying the 145-lb catchweight is “not a category" and that if Pacquiao wanted a title fight, it had to be at the welterweight limit of 147-lbs. He even said he’s willing to give up the strap if the WBO would insist on making it a title fight.

WBO president Francisco Valcarcel himself said it could still be a WBO-sanctioned welterweight title fight, citing a similar precedent, the Oscar De La Hoya-Bernard Hopkins duel for the middleweight (160-lb) crown which was fought at 158-lbs
Pacquiao, realizing the opportunity to win an unprecedented world title in seven divisions, had instructed his lawyer, Jeng Gacal, to coordinate with Valcarcel and promoter Bob Arum to make the necessary arrangements, including payment of the $150,000 sanction fee.

“I haven't spoken to Manny (about it) but if it was me, I would ask for the title to be on the line. I think regardless of what Cotto says, the title will be on the line," Roach said in the BoxingScene interview.

“I want it for Manny's legacy. Manny won titles at 112, 122, 126, 130, 135, and 140. I want to see him become the first fighter to win seven world titles in seven weight divisions," he added.

Pacquiao, the current International Boxing Organization and Ring Magazine light-welterweight champion, had previously owned titles at flyweight (World Boxing Council), super-bantamweight (International Boxing Federation), featherweight (Ring Magazine), super-featherweight (WBC), and lightweight (WBC). – GMANews.TV
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Cotto looking for lefty sparmates

Tapping and finding sparring partners who are mirror-images of Manny Pacquiao will be the key to victory for Miguel Cotto when he faces the Filipino icon on November 14 in Las Vegas.
Cotto chief trainer Joe Santiago told the newspaper El Nuevo Dia that they are on the lookout for southpaw sparring partners who they plan to bring to Tampa, Florida, for the crucial phase of training camp.
“We will try to get left-handed and short boxers with good hand speed (like Pacquiao). This is the key to victory,”
Santiago said as he was presiding over Cotto’s first training session on Monday in Puerto Rico.
Cotto said he felt great after his light training, something that was not the case in the past.
“I feel very well, thanks to God. Better than when I began in previous occasions,” said the 28-year-old Cotto, who will report to the gym three times a week in the next two weeks in time for the arrival of conditioning coach Phil Landman.
While Cotto is already in training mode, Pacquiao appears to be taking it nice and easy and it seems the 30-year-old four-division champion will only get to put on a pair of gloves after the four-city promotional tour being arranged starting on September 10.
Even if Pacquiao is still fulfilling his obligations and not opting to show up at some private gym in Manila, the fighter remains on track in the proposed eight-week training camp that will be supervised by Freddie Roach in a venue to be determined in the next few weeks.
By the time the press tour makes its final stop in Los Angeles on September 14, Pacquiao can still afford to take a day or two off before hooking up with Roach to God knows where.
Being eyed to host Pacquiao’s first half of training camp are the Bahamas, Vancouver, Mexico and even the Philippines.

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How much are you willing to bet on Cotto?

YOU CAN’T BLAME BOB ARUM FOR losing his cool after his sales pitch for Manny Pacquiao’s next fight failed to reach the man at bat.
Last heard of, Mr. Arum was still aching to send his message.
Sorry, but nobody appeared willing to listen a second time after Arum declared, with pontifical certainty, that Pacquiao’s next outing against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto would be hard to call.
Arum said Pacquiao-Cotto is a “pretty even fight.”
* * *
That sales line, served like a tough, tasteless steak, predictably received a cold-shoulder treatment.
No, the fight set at the Las Vegas MGM Grand on Nov. 14, was not totally dumped.
But, in response, oddsmakers readily pegged Pacquiao an overwhelming 2-1 favorite.
Over at the sportsbook windows, that’s double-your-money for those who would dare go for Cotto.
On the other hand, you need to shell out $200 in order to collect a measly $100 dividend in the event of an expected Pacquiao win.
* * *
So what did Arum next resort to?
Poor Uncle Bob, huffing and puffing, proceeded to tinker with the poundage, as though the fight would be decided over the obedient weighing scales, not inside the cruel, exacting ring.
He also allowed himself to be slurred in a tasteless word war with the top man at the WBO.
Although not reminiscent of any past Arum master stroke, that ploy did create enough noise.
Arum also fired another sales salvo, a cute one, and declared “Firepower” as the main label of the welterweight duel.
* * *
But, try hard as he did, Arum’s initial sales pitch continued to be treated like a foul ball.
Meanwhile, the Pacquiao-Cotto bout loomed as another budding mismatch.
For one, they could not present a single Cotto fight video that would show he has got the hardware to effectively slash it out with Pacquiao.
OK, Cotto may indeed have some hidden firepower somewhere inside him.
But there’s nothing whatsoever that say he could effectively defend himself once the firefight starts.
* * *
Of course, the only thing that could save Cotto is great head movement.
The truth is that poor David Diaz, whom Pacquiao flattened with gusto, had shown better head use than the bigger but terribly predictable Cotto.
Well, who knows, there could be some brilliant, invisible moves that Cotto has stocked up on.
But, like it or not, it will be a breathless race once the Pacman ignites and explodes.
Arum stands a chance of scoring a homer, but only if he can assure that he’s not pitting a lumber yard log carrier against a sleek Formula One racer at the MGM Grand on Nov. 14.
Last but not the least, Arum did not have to call on the discredited Floyd Mayweather Sr. to help advertise Cotto’s limited worth.

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Roach says Mayweather best pick for Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach can’t take his eyes off Floyd Mayweather Jr.
As Miguel Cotto opened the doors to his training camp the other day, three months before his scheduled bout with Manny Pacquiao, the three-time Trainer of the Year said he still considers Mayweather as the best fight out there for the Filipino boxing icon.
Roach told fighthype.com if he could have his way, he’d rather see Pacquiao fighting Mayweather – and no one else.
“I want Mayweather right now. I wanted him first the whole time. I mean, let’s face it, that’s the fight the whole world wants to see; the fight I want to see,” said Roach, who nonetheless has started doing his homework for the showdown with Cotto on Nov. 14.
Roach said there are many reasons why he considers Mayweather as the best choice. More than the revenues it could generate, the hottest trainer in the sport today said he likes Pacquiao’s chances against the American ex-pound-for-pound champion.
Better than Cotto, the WBO welterweight champion, or Shane Mosley, the WBA welterweight king.
“I think he’s the easiest fight of the three. He’s not that big. He’s not that strong. He breaks down quickly. He’s been off for two years,” Roach said of Mayweather, who comes out of retitrement to fight Juan Manuel Marquez next month.
“You know, at 135 and 140, he might have been great, but at 47 and 54, I don’t see the greatness...I think Manny will knock him out,” he added.
Yesterday, Roach also told boxingscene.com he was quite puzzled why Mayweather took on Marquez instead of Pacquiao, and that the fight, recently postponed, was announced on the day Pacquiao fought Ricky Hatton last May 2.
“I don’t get it. All he (Mayweather) had to do was wait one more day (after the Hatton fight) and he could have had Manny. I would have loved to have gotten to Floyd before Marquez, but that’s that,” said Roach.
He’s not looking past Cotto, still a dangerous opponent, but Roach would have loved if it was Mayweather instead they’re preparing for right now.
“When I was in the UK last month that was all anyone wanted to ask me about. That’s the fight that has to be made. Bob and Al Haymon (Mayweather’s adviser) will have to put their differences together to make that fight because it would be good for the entire sport,” Roach said.
“It’s a fight that has to happen. People talk about making big fights, but to me, that’s about as big as they come. I think it will happen,” Pacquiao’s trainer of eight years added.
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Pacquiao/Mayweather upsets? The alternatives aren’t that bad either

This September former welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. returns to the ring to take on current lightweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez. Two months later, reigning junior welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao moves up to welterweight to challenge current titleholder Miguel Cotto. Both Mayweather and Pacquiao have rightful claims to the pound for pound throne and many fans are looking at these fights as semifinals to an eventual Mayweather – Pacquiao showdown.

However, what if upsets occur in these “semifinal” bouts? This writer doesn’t feel that that upsets are out of the question. Is the fallout of upsets really that bad?

Pacquiao vs. J.M. Marquez III

If Marquez pulls off the enormous upset over Mayweather and Pacquiao takes care of business against Cotto, we could have a trilogy on our hands between these two Mexican and Filipino warriors respectively. Their first two fights were action packed and razor close. They fought to a draw the first time with Marquez coming back after being knocked down three times in the first round to make it bout highly competitive and entertaining. In the second fight, Pacman won a narrow split decision.

There are many people out there who feel strongly that Marquez deserved the nod in these two fights. However, any way you have it, everyone can agree the fights were close and thrilling to watch.

In wake of Pacquiao annihilating David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton consecutively, Marquez is the only fighter in recent memory to make the reigning pound for pound king look human. Pacquiao’s already a huge star and a win over Mayweather for Marquez would make him one. A third fight between these two would certainly satisfy the hunger boxing fans have for good fights.

Mayweather vs. Cotto

Prior to Mayweather’s brief retirement from boxing, boxing fans were clamoring for a Mayweather – Cotto welterweight showdown. Mayweather was considered the lineal welterweight champ, while Cotto was a titleholder who had racked off wins against Shane Mosley and Zab Judah.

Due to Mayweathers retirement, the bout never happened. However, is it any less appealing now?

Mayweather is still undefeated. Cotto has one loss against Antonio Margarito, but a tainted loss due to the high suspicion that Margarito used gloves loaded with plaster of paris for that fight. Prior to Mayweather’s retirement there were some much respected boxing personalities picking Cotto to win if that fight were to happen.

If Cotto were to defeat Pacquiao, people would probably completely forget about the loss to Margarito. Mayweather has been accused of ducking Cotto in the past. This would be his chance to prove those detractors otherwise.

Cotto vs. Juan Manuel Marquez

Cotto has been in some absolute wars. Marquez has as well. If two improbable upsets were to take place this fall, a match-up between the spoilers could take place early next year. Considering both fighters histories, this one would have brawl written all over it.

So while I’m not saying these four fighters are Leonard, Hagler, Hearns and Duran, I do like the possibilities of the fights that be made amongst them. Bring it on!
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