Manny Pacquiao is down to 149 lb

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao is down to 149 lb and in his morning workout yesterday sported a body that should be good enough to withstand anything Miguel Cotto could offer on Nov. 14.
“I’ve never seen him in better shape,” said conditioning coach Alex Ariza as Pacquiao, shirt off, was sprinting across the Rizal Memorial Stadium grounds, racing with his pet Terrier.
Pacquiao woke up a little late than usual and tipped the scales inside his hotel suite at 149 lb, just four pounds over the catchweight limit of 145 for his WBO welterweight title fight with Cotto.
Mediamen, including an HBO crew that crossed the Pacific to get a 24/7 glimpse of the Pinoy icon, had gathered at the parking lot outside the stadium as early as 6 a.m.
Pacquiao spent 20 minutes around the rubber-surfaced track with his sparring partner Urbano Antillon, the upcoming Rodolfo Sumabong of Cebu and “Pacman,” the three-year-old Jack Russell Terrier.
Pacquiao had to be restrained by his assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez from running another lap because chief trainer Freddie Roach, who was not around, had wanted no more than 20 minutes.
“That’s the problem with Manny. Once he breaks that sweat, he just won’t stop. He’s like that little thing that you turn on and it gets going and going and going – very difficult to stop him,” said Ariza.
Pacquiao then did his abdominal exercises as he lay on a mat and was shielded from heat of the sun by a towel held across by seconds, ex-world champ Dodie Boy Peñalosa and Jojo Sta. Terera.
He declared himself fit and ready for battle.
“So far, so good. I’m happy with my training,” said Pacquiao, even if he had to leave Baguio City in a huff before midnight of Sunday for fear that a new super typhoon might catch up with them up there.
“I’m faster that Cotto so I will use that speed the proper way,” said the 30-year-old champ, who had a brief rest back in his hotel before proceeding to the Gerry Peñalosa Gym in Mandaluyong for sparring.
Pacquiao is in his final days of workout in the Philippines, and by Saturday he would have done five weeks, and in the evening will push for Los Angeles where he’ll train two more weeks at the Wild Card Gym.
Ariza said the change of training venue will not stop Pacquiao from working hard.
“It doesn’t make a lot of difference to him. No difference. We don’t skip a beat here. Training is training. A few more days here then we take off and pick up from where we left off in LA,” he said.
In Baguio, the rains kept Pacquiao out of the road for a couple of days, but Ariza said that in a way it worked to their favor.
“Personally it did us some good because he got to rest a little bit more. On the day he skipped the run he sparred much better. Yesterday he did 15 rounds (with the mitts) and he wasn’t even breathing.
“He’s down to 149 but I want him to load up (with protein shakes) because I want him at around 151 by the time we leave for LA. He’s in the best shape I’ve ever seen him,” Ariza said.
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Manny would win over Mayweather

Let’s face it, the biggest match-up to be made in boxing today would be Manny Pacquiao v Floyd Mayweather – the reigning pound-for-pound king against his unbeaten predecessor, back from retirement!
Ricky Hatton, who fought them both, was in Johannesburg last month and I got a chance to interview him.
Hatton, stopped in 10 rounds by Mayweather and two rounds by Pacman, had this to say when I asked him who would win if Pacquiao and Mayweather were to ever get it on:
“I’d like to think Manny would win. I’d hope he’d win because he’s a gentleman, really nice guy, family man. Everything about him I really admire. But as much as I don’t like Mayweather, he’s one hell of a fighter. Mayweather would probably pip him.”
Of course, Pacquiao must first get past Miguel Cotto.
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Manny Pacquiao is still P4P

Despite Floyd Mayweather, Jr.’s blazing return to the ring last week, Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is still entrenched in his position atop the mythical pound for pound (P4P) throne based on the latest rating list of The Ring Magazine.

The reputable magazine, considered the “Bible of Boxing," named Pacquiao No. 1 in its ratings released Sept. 20, a day after Mayweather hacked out a one-sided unanimous decision over bloated lightweight Juan Manuel Marquez in his comeback fight.

P4P king Manny Pacquiao

Mayweather, the former top P4P fighter prior to his retirement in 2007, was rated No. 2, dislodging Marquez from his old spot behind the Pacman. Marquez, who fought Pacquiao in two close encounters, dropped three notches to No. 5.

Mayweather’s reentry into the prestigious ratings created changes from No. 2 down.

Sugar Shane Mosley, who had previously attempted to seal a fight with Pacquiao and even climbed up the ring to challenge Mayweather after the Marquez fight, went up to No. 3 from No. 4. Mosley switched places with previously third-ranked Bernard Hopkins.

After the fifth-ranked Marquez were Israel Vasquez at No. 6 (from No. 5) and Rafael Marquez at No. 7 (from No. 6).

Donaire at No. 8

The only other Filipino in the list, WBA interim super flyweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash" Donaire, Jr., slipped one place to No. 8.

Pacquiao’s rival on Nov. 14, WBO welterweight king Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico, occupied No. 9, a one-spot drop, while WBA and IBF junior featherweight champ Celestino Caballero completed the Top 10.

The dispute for the mythical P4P title is expected to be the main beef if and when a megafight is forged between Pacquiao and Mayweather Jr.

Exploratory talks have reportedly started for a possible big-money showdown between the two P4P superstars by next year.

But before that, the Pacman, who was impressed with Mayweather’s dismantling of an overmatched Marquez, would have to take care of his upcoming business against the tough Cotto first. - GMANews.TV
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What Happens to Pacquiao If He Can’t Stop Cotto?

By Manuel Perez: Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2. 37 KO’s) better hope that he can stop Miguel Cotto (34-1, 27 KO’s) as early as possible in this fight, because once Cotto gets his train started, Pacquiao is going to be in for a world of hurt on November 14th at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. What we’re looking at here is a fighter that has had it easy in his last seven fights (with the exception of Pacquiao’s fight against Juan Manuel Marquez), defeating most of his opponents early on without having to take very much punishment in the process.

Pacquiao has been able to move up in weight recently and still win without getting hit all that much because of his selective match making. Oscar De La Hoya was a light middleweight at the time that Pacquiao fought him and was forced to melt down to 147 to take the fight.

In effect, De La Hoya was a weight drained, older light middleweight. Instead of facing De La Hoya, Pacquiao – if he wanted to prove himself – should have fought either James Kirkland, Sergio Martinez, Paul Williams or Alfredo Angulo instead of a shot De La Hoya. All of these fighters would have been a better test for Pacquiao if he was interested in fighting a light middleweight.

Let’s face it; those guys would have knocked Pacquiao cold if they had fought him even with a weight draining catch weight because they are all in their prime, whereas De La Hoya clearly wasn’t. The same applies to Hatton.

If Pacquiao wanted to fight a light welterweight, why didn’t he fight Timothy Bradley, Kendall Holt or Marcos Maidana instead? All of them were in their prime at the time that Pacquiao fought Hatton and I considered all of them as better fighters than Hatton at this point. For some reason, Pacquiao chose not to fight them. I wonder why?

Now, Pacquiao is going to be fighting Cotto instead of Shane Mosley, Paul Williams and Andre Berto. Although Cotto is still in his prime, there are questions about whether he’s the same fighter he once was after losing to Antonio Margarito by an 11th round TKO last year. Why didn’t Pacquiao fight Mosley, Berto or Williams if he wanted to fight a welterweight?

Cotto may or may not be the same fighter he once was, but I think Pacquiao is in for big trouble if he can’t get Cotto out of there as quickly as possible. Cotto hits much harder than any opponent that Pacquiao has fought before and doesn’t have to load up with his shots to hit really hard. Pacquiao is going to be in for a shock if he can’t score a quick knockout because for once, he won’t be the stronger fighter.

I think Hatton was stronger than Pacquiao but he messed up by getting taken out so quickly and didn’t get much of a chance to show his power in that fight. Cotto has a better chin than Hatton, and will be able to take Pacquiao’s shots early in the fight without folding up. I think Cotto is going to rip Pacquiao apart as the rounds go on after he realizes how much bigger and stronger he is compared to the little Filipino.

This is going to be fun to watch because it will show what would have likely happened had Pacquiao fought a fighter in his prime like Mosley, Williams, Berto, Kirkland, Maidana or Bradley instead of someone on the downside of their careers.

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Arum certifies it: Pacquiao-Cotto for WBO

Paymaster Bob Arum is so concerned about the continuing brouhaha over the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto super bout that he is sunning himself in the South of France.

I spoke to Arum Sunday night as he was visiting South African business mogul Sol Kerzner,
Earlier this past week, Arum did some hiking in Aspen.

While much of Pacland and Cottoland has been in turmoil about whether the Puerto Rican’s WBO welterweight title strap will be on the line and what the contractual weight agreement will be,
Arum says everyone should take a sip of a good French wine and maybe a chill pill.





According to Uncle Bob, negotiations, misunderstandings and controversy attendant to that the foregoing are all ancient history now.

Arum expects to have contracts signed by both challenger Pacman and champion Cotto by Tuesday which is Aug. 11.

Tickets for the mega bout at the MGM Grand will go on sale, Arum told me, on Aug, 17. The general public only has a shot at about 3,000 unspoken for tickets.

“Everything has been decided and agreed to,” Arum said. “Cotto is defending the title and the weight limit be 145 pounds,. There are no disagreements or problems. Now, everything is cleared up.”

Arum’s friend, Kerzner, is hoping that Pacquiao will choose to begin his training for the Cotto bout at his Atlantis Resort in Nassau, Bahamas.

Arum said that decision--Bahamas, Vancouver or Mexico--will be solely made by Pacquiao.

Coach Freddie Roach has suggested that his charge start training in the leafy, cool climes of Baguiao, Philippines, where the elevation goes up to 5,100 feet.

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Cotto can't have his cake and eat it too

If Miguel Cotto really wants a piece of the Pacquiao cake, he's either going to have to take it or let it be. What Cotto wants however is to take the cake and eat it as well. 
It's a simple dilemma really. Cotto wants to fight Pacquiao for the money a fight with Boxing's cash cow presents but doesn't want to stake his WBO welterweight crown in the process. 
Well, something's got to give. And if Cotto is truly as confident as he says in knocking Pacquiao out then I don't see why he has to be so stingy with his "ABC" belt. 
Is it a matter of principle?
Cotto has volunteered to relinquish his belt if the WBO insists that he put it on the line against the Pacman. In Cotto's opinion, belts should not be accorded to fights fought at a catch-weight. 



In reality however, such occurances have happened in the past. When Oscar De la Hoya fought Bernard Hopkins in 2004, they fought at a catch-weight of 158, two pounds below the middleweight limit with Hopkins' titles on the line as well as De la Hoya's. Sugar Ray Leonard won two titles against Donny Lalonde in 1988 at a catch-weight. The list goes on.
I am not saying Cotto is wrong in his stand but if he truly feels so all he has to do is "just say no".
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Hall of Fame trainer: Cotto can KO Pacquiao

MANILA - Hall of fame trainer Emmanuel Steward said he is willing to help Puerto Rican champion Miguel Cotto in his November fight against Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao.
Steward, who has trained Thomas Hearns, Oscar de la Hoya, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield, was reacting to rumors that Cotto is looking to hire him and work in his corner.
He believes that with his help, Cotto can knock Pacquiao out.
"Up until now, nobody [from Cotto's camp] has communicated with me, but I would love to be able to have the opportunity to work with Miguel. If we reach an agreement, I don't have any doubts that Miguel would knock Pacquiao out," Steward told Primera Hora.
Cotto began his training early this week at the Abner “Pin” Cotto Boxing Gym in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico.
He will train thrice a week to “establish a pre-training condition” before plunging to full training sessions beginning August 24.
Cotto and Pacquiao have agreed to fight at 145 pounds. The match will take place on November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pacquiao’s lawyer, Franklin Gacal, said that Top Rank Promotions boss Bob Arum has assured them it will be a title fight.

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Arum: Pacquiao-Cotto contract to be inked Wednesday

MANILA, Philippines -- Top Rank head Bob Arum said he has crossed the t’s and dotted the i's for the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto showdown, adding that he is expecting signed contracts from both camps by Tuesday, Aug. 11 (Wednesday, Aug. 12 in Manila).
Speaking to Michael Marley of examiner.com, the ageless promoter said the fight would be held at a catch weight of 145 pounds, and with Cotto’s WBO welterweight title on the line.
"Everything has been decided and agreed to," Arum told Marley. "Cotto is defending the title and the weight limit (will) be 145 pounds."
Earlier reports said Cotto was not keen on putting his welterweight strap on the line, mainly because the Puerto Rican did not want to pay the sanctioning fee required by the WBO.
Cotto also reportedly insisted on a 147-lb weight limit. 
"There are no (more) disagreements or problems. Now, everything is cleared up," Arum added. 
This development opens up a rare opportunity for Pacquiao to become the first boxer in history to win seven world titles in as many divisions -- having previously wrested the WBC flyweight, IBF super bantamweight, Ring Magazine featherweight, WBC junior lightweight, WBC lightweight and IBO junior welterweight crowns. 
Arum added that tickets for the Pacquiao-Cotto bout will be available for sale on Aug. 17.
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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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Boxing: A True Warrior Sport

Boxing, one of the most ancient sports in history, is turning off many afficionados because of the ongoing fiasco in the Pacquiao-Cotto fight overture. Sure, it`s been agreed upon by the two gladiators verbally, but is it really the perfect match to make? No doubt, it is an exciting battle between these two excellent fighters, but without a welterweight championship belt on the line, it is more like a tune-up fight for either protagonist.
Miguel Cotto, all of a sudden, does not want to put his WBO welterweight strap on the line against the King of boxing, no. 1 pound for pound hero, Manny Pacquiao " well, not if the fight is below the 147 pounds maximum welterweight limit. First of all, Cotto agreed to fight the Pacman at a catchweight of 145 lbs. The latter is basically risking everything for this duel, including his lofty throne as the pound for pound Lord. And what does Cotto offer to the table for this fight? Nada, zilch, absolutely nothing but disreputable and timorous aura of vincibility. It makes us wonder if there is truth to the incriminations toward the champion Cotto being a damaged commodity.
Pacquiao already indicated that he wants Cotto`s welterweight title included in the contract, and recently, Pacman`s astute trainer and seer Freddie Roach, has shown the same interest as his prised pupil. However, Top Rank`s big boss Bob Arum seems to be ignoring the Team Pacquiao`s incomplicated demand. It cannot be considered a convoluted request because even the Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya fought at a catchweight of 158 pounds versus Bernard Hopkins for the middleweight championship belts involving all four major boxing organizations (WBA, WBO, WBC, and IBF). Sugar Ray Leonard and Don Lalonde also fought at a catchweight for a super middleweight title back on November 7, 1998.
If Cotto is not willing to stake his welterweight belt for this combat, then Pacman should also not be forced to wager his pound for pound domain to an unworthy opponent like Cotto. Mosley is still waiting in the wings and very amenable to inconsequential contract adjustments just to fight Pacquiao. Perhaps it is not too late to consider Mosley as Pacman`s next deserving rival for pound for pound supremacy. These two fighters have the talents, followers, and warrior spirit to make another boxing championship saga " and that is much more appealing than a non-title bout between the People`s Champ Manny Pacquiao and the Boricuan pride yet reluctant welterweight defender Miguel Angel Cotto.
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Close Pacquiao polls: It's Cotto Nov. 14 for WBO crown

his just in: promoter Bob Arum is under consideration by the American Dairy Association for its annual top award for 2008.

It may be an udder delight because Arum is uncowed but he could win Milkman of the Year honors for the way he has been filling bucket after bucket after bucket with all this Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto drama.

I hesitate to rain on a Pacland Pacquiao Poll in which fervent fans are lining up in record numbers to render their nearly unanimous opinion that the Pinoy Idol should dump WBO welterweight champion Cotto and seek out willing--even desperate--Sugar Shane Mosley as his next foe.

By throwing cold water on the Pacand Poll, I am also dousing my raging fire on a Pacquiao Poll here on Examiner.com and on Boxingconfidential.com.

I know this makes me a party pooper of the worst sort but, folks, it’s time to take a chill pill, eat some balut and hit the hammock.

Pacman will be in the ring against Cotto Nov 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The WBO welterweight crown will be on the line and some weigh in arrangement will be made to satisfy both.

Playing the peacemaker and the conquering hero, Yankee fan Arum will make this snooze news public on Sept. 10 at Yankee Stadium with Cotto and Pacman sitting at his side.

It will be Arum’s biggest pinstripe moment since he promoted Ali-Norton III at the old stadium in 1977.

So forget about Sugar Shane Mosley. He can sit in mothballs next to Bernard Hopkins over at Golden Boy.

Arum tipped his hand by revealing only 3,000 fight tickets will be offered to the general public. The rest are spoken for, going to the MGM and other casinos and to the greedy scalpers who will pimp them for recorrd numbers.

Relax, Pacfans, the foe will be Cotto and it take place with Manny being able to break his “tie” with Oscar de la Hoya, to capture a world title in a seventh weight division.

That’s the boxing truth.

Everything else is just smoke and mirrors.
Keep voting if you wish but i think the moving finger has writ and writ large on the wall.
For the record, despite the Other Manny and Big Papi revelations, I remain throwing my hands in the air like a true playa...
Cradle to grave, baby, Boston Roid Sox all the way!
We even cheat better than those Damned Yankees.
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Cotto tells Pacquiao to prepare for war

Miguel Cotto spoke with Primera Hora in Puerto Rico (link via BoxingScene.com) and had some stern words for his November 14 opponent, Manny Pacquiao:

"I have some news for Freddie [Roach]: I am not Oscar de la Hoya, who was caught at the end of his career, and I am not overrated like Ricky Hatton. Roach knows what Pacquiao will be facing on November 14. It will be a war."

Cotto usually isn't a big talker, but he seems pretty hyped for this one, and he should be. If he beats Manny Pacquiao, it does massive wonders for his career. He's going against the best, and he knows it. A war is what we all expect, and I don't think Cotto will fail to do his part in delivering one.
I also will say again that I do think this is potentially the biggest test of Manny Pacquiao's career. I don't agree with Cotto that Hatton is or was overrated, really, but yeah, Oscar was at the end, and Freddie Roach knew it. I'm not saying Cotto is a better boxer than Juan Manuel Marquez, or even the first incarnations of Erik Morales or Marco Antonio Barrera that Pacquiao met, but this is a heavy, probably max weight for Pacquiao, and Cotto's legit.
As for the title situation, Cotto isn't budging:

"If the WBO doesn't agree with my decision, then I will gladly deliver to them the title. I do not have any problems with that. The WBO has the legal authority to dismiss me as champion and I will gladly deliver them the title. [WBO president] Paco Valcarel knows better than anybody that 145 is not a division. If Pacquiao wants the fight to be for the title, it will have to be at 147 pounds."

I say good for Cotto. If Pacquiao wants the welterweight title, give up the two pounds. Or fight Shane Mosley, I guess, who I think at this point would be thrilled to put his 147-pound strap on the line with a 145-pound weight limit. Cotto signed an extension with Top Rank, gave up two pounds, and now he's saying that enough is enough. Not everyone will agree, of course, but I think he's doing the right thing. He's conceded enough and done enough to make this fight happen. It's also nice to see someone else taking a stand against the bogus sanctioning bodies. Cotto has his mind set, and he's willing to do what it takes -- giving up his title -- to stand with his beliefs.
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Cotto will not be bullied or beg for a Pacquiao clash

It seems that in boxing, until both men are inside the ring and the bell rings, just about anything can happen to derail a fight and now there is trouble with the potential mega-fight between Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao scheduled for November 14 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

For days not many have been asking Miguel Cotto to put up his WBO welterweight title at a catchweight of 145 pounds and pay the $150,000 sanctioning fee so the event can be a championship fight and give Manny the opportunity to fight for a seventh world championship.

I have said it once and will say it again, world championships are nearly meaningless in the current boxing landscape and if Manny wants to fight for a welterweight championship, then both men should be allowed to fight within the normal limits of a welterweigt bout (147 pounds).

Now rumblings, including one from Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach, are indicationg that if there is no title on the line, then maybe Manny should pursue a different fight.

To add fuel to the growing fire, Miguel Cotto has made it clear, he will not be bullied into a fight for his title below the welterweight limit.

"145 pounds is not a weight class.  If the WBO does not like my decision, I will give them back their title.  I have no problems with that," Cotto told Carlos Gonzalez of PrimerHora.

But Cotto went on to dictate the terms of a championship bout.

"If Pacquiao wants the fight to be for the title, it would have to be at the 147 pounds," said Cotto.

The unraveling of a serious fight, the sort of fight we have not seen since last years battle between Cotto and Antonio Margarito, all over a stinking belt that does not dictate anything.

Cotto and Pacquiao, get it together, fight at 145 pounds. Again, a championship will add no further glory to the action which will take place inside the ring between two of boxing's best warriors.

This debate over the title and weight limit has caused a lot of emotions, I invite any interested individuals to listen and call into The Boxing Truth Radio Show this Sunday at 6 PM Pacific Standard Time.  Our phone lines always take callers to voice their opinions and we also take SKYPE calls for international fans.  Visit me on Sunday at www.theboxingtruth.com.

Our chatroom is also open, 24 hours a day!

Lois' Favorite Fights

Last week I presented a Pacquiao loss as one of my favorites and now to be fair, I present you Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margario, a Cotto loss.

Margarito's mitts may have been dirty for this fight, but whatever the hell was inside of his gloves, it does not take away from thebrutal collision that took place during the Summer of 2009. Enjoy!

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Face me at 147 for WBO title, Cotto tells Pacquiao

MANILA -- Miguel Cotto said that he would only agree to stake his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against Manny Pacquiao if they agree to fight at 147 pounds.

In a report by MB.com.ph (Manila Bulletin), Cotto said that Pacquiao would have to fight as a true welterweight if he wants the 147-pound title.

“If Pacquiao wants that the fight be for the title, (it) will have to be in 147 pounds. I won the title in that, the welterweight (division) and that is 147 pounds,” the Puerto Rican champion said in the report.

Should the WBO insist on making the Pacquiao-Cotto match a title match at 145 pounds, the Puerto Rican said he will not hesitate to surrender the title.

“The OMB (WBO) has the legal authority to dismiss me as champion and gladly I deliver them the title. (WBO president) PacoValccel, better than nobody, knows that the 145 pounds is not a division,” said Cotto.

Pacquiao is pushing to make his November 14 date with Cotto a title fight in his bid to become a seven-division champion.

“Sa pamamagitan ng pag-sanction ng WBO sa laban namin, mangyayaring magkaroon ako ng tsansa na maging isang seven-division champion, na hindi pa nangyayari sa kasaysayan ng boxing,” the Filipino boxing icon said in his column “Kumbinasyon” posted on Philboxing.com.

Pacquiao, the reigning IBO junior welterweight champion, is a former WBC lightweight champion, WBC Super Featherweight champion, IBF Super Bantamweight champion and WBC Flyweight champion.

He also won lineal championships in four weight classes, one of which was counted as a title he won over Marco Antonio Barrera.
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Manny Pacquiao: Destined to be Champion of All Champions

Now that the WBO welterweight title of Miguel Cotto will be put on the line on his battle on November 14 against Manny Pacquiao, the Pacman can now focus on building his legacy as the Champion of all champions " the opportunity to become the first ever pugilist to win 7 titles in 7 different divisions.

Although the fight contract has not been signed yet by either fighter, Top Rank`s big honcho Bob Arum already confirmed that the fight would be contested at 145 lbs. and yes, it is now a title bout.
Pacquiao must now keep his eyes on the prize as this will surely seal his legacy as the world`s most elite prizefighter. Cotto is a tough foe to defeat but with proper training and uninterrupted preparation, the Pacman can definitely make history once again on November 14 by handing the Boricua Bomber his second loss in his professional career.
A win by Pacquiao will catapult him to pound for pound supremacy even over his heir-apparent, the former pound for pound Lord Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who is scheduled to do battle with Juan Manuel Marquez on September 19 in a non-title welterweight match. Providing that Pacquiao and Mayweather come out victorious on their separate scheduled matches against rugged and talented oppositions in Cotto and Marquez, respectively, a clash between these two pound for pound warriors looms in the horizon. By then, the boxing world will surely find out who is the real King of boxing " the authentic cash cow of the undying sport of the Sweet Science.

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Pacquiao Wants Cotto Fined $1 Million Per Pound Over the Limit? – News

By Manuel Perez: Not only will Manny Pacquiao be getting the bigger cut of the revenue and having Miguel Cotto’s WBO title on the line at a catch weight of 145 instead of the normal welterweight limit of 147, but he also reportedly wants Cotto to be penalized a whopping $1 million per pound that the Puerto Rican fighter comes in over the 145 pound catch weight that Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach have set for Cotto for the November 14th bout at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to Nick Giongco from MB.com. Giongco reports that Pacquiao wants the “a penalty of $1 million per pound” that Cotto comes in over the 145 pound catch weight. (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/212734/pacquiao-wants-cotto-fined-excess-pounds).

Cotto, 28, could make as much as $10 million for the fight on the high end of the scale, Giongco writes, but with potentially hefty fines for every pound that Cotto comes in over the weight, he could in theory end up getting much less than that.

In contrast, Pacquiao is guaranteed to make a minimum of $12 million but will likely make much more than that by the time the ticket sales and Pay per view figures are final. But if Cotto ends up getting fined an absurd $1 million per pound over the limit, Pacquiao could make out like a fat rat while Cotto ends up going hungry.

I thought the business about Cotto having to put up his WBO welterweight title at 145 was a stinker, but this pretty much takes the whole cake. I hope this doesn’t take effect because that would be an enormous fine tilted in the favor of Pacquiao.

The Filipino already has everything else in his favor – weight, revenue split of 65-35, gloves, location and likely Cotto’s WBO title on the line – but this is going a bit too far. Cotto is the champion here, not Pacquiao. Who cares if Pacquiao has won titles in six different divisions in the past?

Pacquiao became popular recently when he defeated a shot and weight drained Oscar De La Hoya, and a war scarred Ricky Hatton. I tell you, if you put another fighter in the same position as Pacquiao, say Juan Manuel Marquez, he likely would have done the same thing that Pacquiao did and he would be the one getting the glory right now and not Pacquiao.

It’s all about Pacquiao fighting the right people at the right time. He already got boxed silly by Marquez twice previously and should have lost both fights in the minds of many boxing fans. Pacquiao hasn’t shown much interest in fighting Marquez a third time after winning a terribly controversial bout last year where Pacquiao defeated Marquez by a 12 round split decision.

So Pacquiao goes from that fight into bouts against three vulnerable fighters – David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton – and all of a sudden Pacquiao is vaulted into the status of a pound for pound number #1 fighter in the minds of some.

I put it to you. If you put Marquez in with the same three fighters that Pacquiao fought, he would have likely won each one of those fights and proved that what Pacquiao accomplished was no big deal. It’s like the mineral pyrite, which is what is also referred to as ‘fools gold.’

It has the same yellow luster as real gold to the naked eye, fooling people not knowledgeable about mining but to professional miner, they know the difference immediately and aren’t fooled one bit. Well, I’m the miner and I’m telling you I can see a lot of fool’s gold in what Pacquiao has recently accomplished with victories over De La Hoya and Hatton and it’s sad that he’s being thought of as the pound for pound number #1 fighter in boxing while a talent like Marquez goes ignored.

As for the $1 million dollar fine per pound, if it does exist, Cotto needs to put his foot down and tell Pacquiao and Roach what they can do with their penalty. While Cotto is at it, he should stick to his guns and not put his WBO title on the line unless Pacquiao agrees to have the fight take place at the normal welterweight limit of 147 instead of the handicapping weight of 145. If Pacquiao is afraid to fight at 147, so be it. Pacquiao can then go hunt down another alternative like David Diaz or one of Pacquiao’s other quality opponents.

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