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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