Paulie Malignaggi's Pacquiao-Cotto Fight Prediction

MANILA, Philippines – He has yet to feel the power of Manny Pacquiao, but Paulie Malignaggi is convinced the Filipino superstar can’t measure up against Puerto Rican icon Miguel Cotto when they tangle on November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Malignaggi went as far as predicting that Cotto, who beat him by unanimous decision three years ago, would knock Pacquiao out and retain his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown.

In an interview with Rick Reeno of BoxingScene.com, Malignaggi paid tribute to Cotto’s strength by saying that he “hits like a beast.”

This despite Cotto’s inability to put him down when they tangled on June 10, 2006 at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

According to Malignaggi, the Puerto Rican (34-1 with 27 KOs) is simply “too big and too strong” for Pacquiao, the pound-for-pound king, who is a 2-1 favorite in early betting odds.

Unconvinced of Pacquiao’s punching power, Malignaggi even suggested that South African Joshua Clottey, who was narrowly beaten by Cotto last June 13, could also knock Pacquiao out.

Of course, Cotto is also convinced that Pacquiao doesn’t have the physical attributes to topple him even at the catch weight of 145 pounds.

In an interview with Puerto Rican newspaper Primera Hora on Friday, Cotto said his only concern about Pacquiao was his speed although he noted that he could neutralize it with a “good defense.”

Cotto, who started his preparations for the megabuck pay-per-view bout on August 3 in his hometown in Caguas, Puerto Rico, added that Pacquiao must look elsewhere if he wants an unprecedented seventh world title at 147 pounds.

The Pacquiao-Cotto showdown, which is also for the newly created World Boxing Council Diamond Belt, is already a guaranteed blockbuster with only a few $750 and $1000 tickets up for grabs.

To further drum up interest, chief promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank announced that Pacquiao and Cotto will embark on a four-city press tour starting on September 10 in New York, September 12 in Caguas, September 13 in San Francisco and September 14 in Los Angeles.

SOURCE : Cotto ‘victim’ predicts Pacquiao knockout

Paulie Malignaggi was born November 23, 1980. He is an American professional boxer from Brooklyn, New York. He is a former IBF junior welterweight champion. Prior to his fight against Miguel Cotto, Malignaggi's fight record was 21-0-0.

Pacquiao-Cotto Fight : Diamond Belt on the Line

Pacquiao-Cotto fight is now considered as a prestigious event as WBC Board of Governors will give the first ever WBC Diamond Belt to the winner of the Pacquiao-Cotto bout scheduled on November 14, 2009 in Las Vegas. This is from the report of Jose Sulaiman for boxingscene.com.

“The WBC Board of Governors has approved by a unanimous vote that the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight, promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Inc. on November 14 in Las Vegas, will be the first ever for the prestigious WBC Diamond Belt.

“The Diamond Belt was created as an honorary championship exclusively for fights between elite boxers, and Manny Pacqiuao, a three-time WBC world champion in three different weight divisions, and Miguel Cotto, a former WBC International champion, are unquestionably qualified as two of the best boxers of today. The belt is handcrafted by an artisan in Mexico City with 18 carat gold fusion and has about 800 diamonds, emeralds and rubies, as well as 150 Swarovsky semiprecious stones.

“The Diamond Belt has received a tremendous positive response from promoters and media around the world, and we at the WBC are very excited and proud that this important and historic fight will be the first for the Diamond Belt. The WBC will not charge a sanction fee on this extraordinary occasion.”

Source : Pacquiao-Cotto: WBC Approves Diamond Belt Bout

Pacquiao-Cotto Predictions

Here are some of the predictions of journalists, boxers and trainers regarding Pacquiao-Cotto Fight that will happen live on November 14 at Las Vegas Nevada.

BOXING JOURNALISTS

"Right now I slightly favor Pacquiao to win by decision."
- Doug Fischer, Ring Magazine

"I think Pacquiao will win the fight for one overriding reason: talent."
- Michael Rosenthal, Ring Magazine

"I’ll go with Manny in a close fight."
- Kevin Iole, Yahoo Sports

"In the end, Pacquiao seems likely to prevail."
- Ron Borges, The Sweet Science

"It would be a mighty shock if Pacquiao KO'd Cotto fast. But maybe we should be used to "Pac-Man" sending us shockwaves by now."
- James Slater, East Side Boxing

"I would be mightily impressed to see Megamanny stop Cotto."
- Michael Marley, Boxing Confidential

"Do you really think the pound for pound best fighter in the world need the WBO welterweight belt to prove he is the best? He is already the best!"
- Allan Tolentino, 8 Count News

"It seems to me that some people might accept nothing less than Pacquiao time traveling and fighting Sugar Ray Robinson at this point."
- Sa Christ, Bad Left Hook

"I think THE Pacquiao will once again prove his doubters wrong."
- Ben Thompson, Fight Hype

"Pac-Man is probably the better fighter anyway and beats Cotto via TKO late."
- Paul Uphan, Seconds Out

"I will be tipping Pacquiao when they time comes."
- Greg Juckett, Seconds Out

"I’d probably choose Pacquiao to win."
- Michael Norby, Seconds Out

"I don’t see the challenge in a fight with Cotto, but rather another easy way out for Pacquiao."
- Manuel Perez, Boxing News 24

"Manny will knock Cotto out inside of 6 rounds at any weight."
- Greg Leon, Boxing Talk

"I think Pacquiao wins."
- Ryan Burton, Boxing Talk

"It’s a safe bet that Pacquiao will find it and crack it."
- Michel Joseph, Boxing Talk

"Pacquiao TKO11"
- Reggie Jay, Doghouseboxing

"It's a bad mix for Cotto no matter where it occurs on the scale. I'll take Pacquiao in 10."
- Lyle Fitzsimmons, Sports Network

"I heavily favor Pacquiao in this bout."
- Tim Starks, The Queensberry Rules

"Pacquiao has the potential of completely dominating and dismantling Cotto."
- Teddy Atlas, ESPN


BOXERS AND TRAINERS

"Pacquiao. From the very first round the advantage would be Pacquiao.”
-Antonio Margarito

“I think Pacquiao is a quick starter, and if I had to lean toward a fighter, I would say Pacquiao."
- Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“Basically, I see Cotto busted up. I don’t think his face is gonna hold up through 12 rounds of the fight."
- Bernard Hopkins

“Pacquiao will win.”
- Mike Tyson

"I believe that Pacquiao should put him on the canvas in five or six rounds."
- Marquez's trainer Nacho Beristain

"Cotto keeps coming, this other kid Pacquiao, is so good, so slick. I think Pacquiao is the best fighter right now.”
- Muhammad Ali's trainer Angelo Dundee

"All of these guys underestimate Pacquiao thinking he's the small man. When I met Pacquiao, I wasn't saying how does this guy make welterweight? I was saying how in the hell was he making 130 and 135? Pacquiao is a big dude."
- Mosley's trainer Naazim Richardson

"We are going to knockout Cotto."
- Freddie Roach


The trainers and journalists have spoken. What about you? Discuss below.

Last 1000 tickets to Pacquiao-Cotto Fight

M. Perez of BoxingNews.24.com reveals that only 1000 tickets are left for the November 14th bout of Manny Pacquio and Welterweight champion Miguel Cotto live at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas Nevada.

Read the rest of the article below.

The 9000 lower priced seats in the arena, which sell for $150 to $500, have sold out already, leaving only the high priced ones for $750 to $1000. Those, too, will likely sell out soon due to the popularity of this fight.

Pacquiao, 30, the smaller fighter, was only two years ago fighting at 130 in the super featherweight division. On November 14th, Pacquiao will be fighting the champion Cotto at a 145 catch weight and will be attempting to win a seventh world title in seven divisions.

Pacquiao will have his work cut out for him because Cotto, 28, is probably a lot better than Pacquiao’s recent opponents Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton as far as still being in his prime. Pacquiao’s wins over Hatton and De La Hoya likely won’t have given the Filipino much preparation for what he’ll be facing against Cotto.

Indeed, the wins may in fact lull Pacquiao – and his trainer Freddie Roach – into a false sense of invincibility and could cause Pacquiao to have problems if Cotto doesn’t fold as easily as De La Hoya and Hatton did. Those fights were one-sided from the beginning and stayed that way until the end. That likely won’t be the case for the Cotto fight, because he’s used to being hit by much stronger fighters than Pacquiao.

The real question is what will Pacquiao do if Cotto doesn’t fold up like De La Hoya and Hatton did? Pacquiao had major problems against Juan Manuel Marquez in March 2008, whom he also tried to blitz early on in the fight with a strong attack. Pacquiao had problems when Marquez stayed on his feet and began to use his superior boxing skills and counter punches to get the better of Pacquiao in the fight.

As the rounds wore on, it seemed pretty clear that Pacquiao was in deep trouble and on the verge of losing the bout. The judges’, however, bailed Pacquiao out in the end, giving him a 12 round split decision despite the fact that many sports writers, as well as boxing fans in the United States and elsewhere, felt that Marquez should have won the fight.

The same thing may happen in the Cotto bout, although I’m counting on the judges getting it right this time and scoring it fairly. Cotto won’t go away easily and I can see Pacquiao having some serious problems when he sees that he has a real fight in front of him.

At that point, Roach is going to have to dig deep to try and find some of his pearls of wisdom to try and save Pacquiao from suffering a loss. As we saw last weekend, Roach’s expertise came up empty when his fighter Bernabe Conception was dominated and then ultimately disqualified in a fight against Steven Luevano.

SOURCE : Cotto-Pacquiao: Only High Priced Tickets Remaining – News

Pacquio-Cotto Ticket Details On Sale Today

The date is set for the mega-fight between boxing’s No. 1 pound-for-pound king and reigning Boxing Writers Association of America’s (BWAA) Fighter of the Year, Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao, and the pride of Puerto Rico and three-time world champion Miguel Cotto. Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto, “FirePower” will take place Saturday, Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. PST/6 p.m. PST.

Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $500, $300 and $150, not including applicable service charges, go on sale today, Aug. 17 at 10 a.m. Ticket sales at $1,000, $750, $500 and $300 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $150 are limited to two (2) per person, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

“Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto have reached an agreement to fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday, Nov. 14,” said Top Rank Chief Executive Officer Bob Arum. Top Rank is currently working on a major media tour to commence immediately following Labor Day weekend. Details will be announced in the near future.

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, has won six world titles in as many different weight divisions ranging from 112 to 140 pounds. His performance in 2008 was described as “Henry Armstrongesque” as he won world titles at 130 and 135 pounds with victories over Juan Manuel Marquez and David Diaz, respectively, and knocked out Oscar De La Hoya at 147 pounds to complete the trifecta. The winning streak continued in 2009 when he won another world title in a new weight division, dealing defending junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton a second-round knockout in May at MGM Grand.

Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, has held a world title every year since 2004. Puerto Rico’s most exciting fighter, Cotto held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight crown from 2004-2006. He successfully defended it six times before vacating it to capture the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title at the end of 2006, a title he held for nearly as long. He won his second welterweight title earlier this year as he knocked out Michael Jennings in the fifth round at Madison Square Garden to become the WBO Welterweight Champion. Notable victories on Cotto’s belt include Sugar Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Joshua Clottey, Pauli Malinaggi and Demarcus Corley.

The Pacquiao vs. Cotto pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST, has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry.

Source : Tickets for Pacquiao vs. Cotto "Firepower" Go On Sale Aug. 17

Pacquiao-Cotto Fight is now Official on November 14, 2009 at Las Vegas

Now it's official. Pacquiao-Cotto fight live in Las Vegas Nevada on November 14, 2009 is all set. This was revealed in the latest article regarding the Pacquiao-Cotto fight published in philstar.com by Dino Maragay. Read the full article below.

MANILA, Philippines -- The contract for the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto showdown has been -- as the age-old cliché goes -- signed, sealed and delivered.

This was confirmed by Pacquiao's lawyer Jeng Gacal, who also said Cotto will be putting his WBO welterweight title on the line when the Puerto Rican star collides with the Filipino ring icon on Nov. 14 (Nov. 15 in Manila) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

With Pacquiao-Cotto officially a title bout, the current pound-for-pound king now has a rare chance to become the first boxer in history to win seven world titles in as many divisions.

Pacquiao had previously wrested the WBC flyweight, IBF super bantamweight, Ring Magazine featherweight, WBC junior lightweight, WBC lightweight and IBO junior welterweight crowns.

In a TV interview today, Gacal said Pacquiao and Cotto will slug it out at a catch weight of 145 lbs. Cotto had earlier insisted on meeting the General Santos City-based southpaw at the welterweight limit of 147 lbs.

Regarding the splitting of the fight revenue, Gacal said Pacquiao, as expected, will get the lion’s share at 65-35. He, however, did not specify how much the guaranteed purse is for each combatant.

The Pacquiao lawyer added that the fight will be aired over GMA Network, the same broadcast firm that aired Pacquiao’s previous outings against Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton.

"This will be a great fight. Although Cotto is the much bigger and stronger fighter, Manny is faster and also has power," he said.

SOURCE : It's official: Pacquiao-Cotto set for Nov. 15

Pacquiao - Cotto Fight : Title Match at 145

The Pacquiao - Cotto fight scheduled on November 14, 2009 live at Las Vegas Nevada will more likely be a Title Match at 145lbs. This was presented in the article written by Mark Vester in boxingscene.com.

A lot has been written on the title mishap that hangs like a bad cloud above the November 14 bout between Manny Pacquiao and WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. The fight takes place at an agreed catch-weight 145-pounds and because of this weight, Cotto has not been willing to stake his welterweight crown. He says Pacquaio will have to fight him at the full welterweight limit of 147 to have the title at stake. The WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel is pushing to have the WBO title on the line. Who could blame him? There is a $150,000 sanctioning fee at stake on both sides. Top Rank's Bob Arum promotes both fighters and is willing to pay both of their sanctioning fees.

The title picture will come down to several scenarios but all of them will have the WBO title at stake. The title picture comes down to Section 15, page 17 of the WBO's Rules and Regulations.

The sections reads the following:

(b) A WBO champions shall not participate in a non-championship fight that is not a WBO Championship without the prior authorization of the WBO World Championship Committee. This authorization shall be subject to such conditions as the WBO World Championship Committee determines. In addition, this authorization will be granted only on the condition that the WBO Champion pay a fee to the WBO that is the equivalent of the amount that he WBO Champion would have paid to the WBO if the nonchampionship fight were conducted as a WBO Championship fight.

Pursuant to the official rules, the WBO is in the right to sanction the bout as a welterweight title fight. Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach already told BoxingScene.com that his fighter is going to pay the required sanctioning fee - even if Cotto refuses to pay his share. That move would hand Manny the title with a win or cause the title to become vacant if Cotto prevails.

The WBO has to give Cotto authorization to take the Pacquiao fight, pursuant to their rules and the WBO can set the conditions of the fight - and that includes making it a title fight. Even if Cotto refuses to put the title on the line, the WBO rules are clear, he would be forced to pay a sanctioning fee that is equal to the amount of a normal title fight.

Even if Cotto vacates the title, the WBO can place the vacant title at stake in the fight. There has already been word that Pacquiao would be lifted to the status of number 1 contender and that would give him a chance to win the title - with or without Cotto's compliance.

Source : Pacquiao-Cotto Title Bout Rests on WBO's Section 15

Pacquiao versus Cotto or Mosley?

We all know that Pacquiao-Cotto fight is already set at November 14, 2009. But what does Mosley think of this fight? Here's an interview with Shane Mosley done by philboxing.com. This interview happened last June 19, 2009.

PhilBoxing: Shane, how are you doing?

Mosley: I am doing well, just driving right now headed to a workout.

PhilBoxing: I heard you are a big Laker fan, did you get to see any of NBA Finals games at all?

Mosley: No I didn’t, I just watched. But I was happy to see Kobe and them win.

PhilBoxing: Now back to boxing, what are your thoughts about Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao? It seems to be a done deal almost?

Mosley: The fight does not make any sense to me. A fight with me will make more money. I know there have been numbers going on out there like Cotto making 5 or 6 million and Manny making 10,11 or 12. But in a fight with me, he will make more money. Bob Arum is being the puppet master putting this together, but Manny will make more money fighting me.

And why fight Cotto. He almost lost to Joshua Clottey. It was a fight that he easily could have lost. Cotto ran around the ring in the last few rounds. The fight with Cotto is not the best fight for boxing or fight fight fans, or Manny Pacquiao fans. It is the best fight for Bob Arum. Even if you look at Cotto’s gash, do you think it will heal in time? It might just open up again if he fights Pacquiao. The fans need to know that the best and biggest fight in boxing right now is with me.

PhilBoxing: There has been talk of a catchweight of 144 for Cotto, ironically the weight you disclosed a few weeks ago? Could you come down more?

Mosley: I am trying to make the fight happen. I threw a bone out to Pacquiao saying I would fight him at 144. I am the Welterweight Champion of the World, Cotto isn’t. I am the former Pound for Pound champion, Cotto isn’t. Pacquiao is the pound for champion. We should be fighting. Bob Arum is not letting this happen.

PhilBoxing: But would you fight him at say 143?

Mosley: You now what, it doesn’t matter, let’s say I say 143. Then Cotto will do 143, and then 142 and so on. It is a fight for the Welterweight championship, not the Jr. Welterweight championship.

I just can’t see how a guy who barely won, and a lot of people think he lost. I am one of them. Who gets a chance to fight Manny Pacquiao. I earned this fight.

PhilBoxing: Now back to this money thing. You are telling me that Manny Pacquiao will make more money fighting you, how so?

Mosley: It is a bigger fight. So there is more money out there. I am more well known then Miguel Cotto. You saw all the celebrities at my last fight. Yes there were a lot of fans out were there to see Margarito, but the celebrities were there to see me, because I am a legendary fighter. I shocked the world that night….I have been on more pay per views.

PhilBoxing: What do you say to people who say you are fighting for the money. And that that is only reason why you want to fight Pacquiao.

Mosley: I don’t need the money. I have money. Yes the money is nice. But I want to fight the biggest fights for the fans. The legacy fights. When I started fighting pro, I was fighting for $1,000, $2,000, but I didn’t care because I knew one day I would be world champion and my time would come. I love the sport, you can ask anybody. I love going to gym and sparring. I love what I do.

PhilBoxing: You spoke to Freddie Roach didn’t you about this fight possibly? Elaborate.

Mosley: Yes I talked to Freddie Roach before the Hatton fight. And he said he would rather have Pacquiao fight me because it is the best fight money wise and action wise. Manny would fight me at 147, but Freddie said I would have to come down a little. But he knows that fighting me is a much bigger fight then Cotto. There are 3 pound for pound champions, I used to be, Floyd(Mayweather Jr.) used to be. And Manny is now. I just want Bob Arum to stop lieing to Manny and the public. Manny Pacquiao versus me is a much bigger fight then Cotto.

PhilBoxing: Before Manny signs on the dotted line with Cotto, what would you say to him and his advisors?

Mosley: Do the right thing Manny. Fight the best fight for the fans, and the best fight for your legacy. You have nothing to lose by fighting me. There will be more prestige in fighting me then Cotto. I will enhance your legacy. Whatever Bob Arum money can offer you, I can offer more and then some.

Manny and me are the same. We will fight anybody. If he were to lose to me, I would give him a rematch. That is what I do, I am a fighter. I fought guys nobody would fight, Vernon Forrest, and Winky Wright. That is the same with Manny. You have every thing to gain by fighting me. It is a no lose situation.

PhilBoxing: In closing, what about a Thrilla in Manilla II? Would you fight him there?

Mosley: I would probably do something crazy like that. I would train in Big Bear though before I went. I don’t think I could train out there. The Philippines and the fans there are great and they love boxing.

Thanks Shane

Thank You.

Source : Sugar Shane Mosly Inteview : Pacquiao - Cotto Fight

So what do you think? Does Cotto deserves Pacquiao?

Freddie Roach : Pacquiao-Cotto Fight a Title Fight

A news article come from GMANews.TV saying that Coach Freddie Roach believes that Pacquiao-Cotto fight will be a title match whether Miguel Cotto likes it or not. If Cotto agrees, Pacquiao would have the chance to be the first boxer who have 7 weight titles.

The whole article can be read below.

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).

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There's no final decision yet but stay tuned for more Pacquiao-Cotto fight news on this site.

Pacqiuao versus Cotto Won't Push Thru?

Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto fight is in jeopardy. There seems to be confusion whether it would be a title fight or not. An official announcement of Manny Pacquiao/Miguel Cotto fight from Bob Arum, but as of the moment there's no press conference to announce the fight. What's more, it seems like the negotiation for the fight is still playing out in the media between the two camps, begging the question, "Is this fight a done deal or not?"

Read the article below from BoxingNews.com

As reported by some media outlets, the proposed mega fight between Miguel Cotto & Manny Pacquiao On November 14th might not go forward. The reason is simple, but not so simple. Manny Pacquiao is now demanding that the fight be for Miguel Cotto’s Welterweight title. Manny Pacquiao is on the verge of being the first seven time world champion in seven weight divisions and the prospect of that clearly has Freddie Roach wanting the fight for Cotto’s Title.

Cotto and I quote, states “If Pacquiao wants the fight to be for the title, it will have to be at 147 pounds… My decision is final and firm.” But Pacquiao’s camp is equally insistent that the fight remain at 145 with the title at stake. “We don’t need the fight if the title is not on the line,” Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, told The Manila Bulletin. “I want Manny to do this for a reason. I want Manny to win seven world titles. Titles are overrated but I would like to see Manny do this.”

My question is why all of a sudden is this coming out, especially after the fight had been announced? Surely, Manny Pacquiao’s camp was fully aware of the title not being up for stake when the fight was announced, Bob Arum has been stating this all along, or is Manny starting to reconsider the fight altogether with Cotto, who at 145 will be only one pound lighter than the 146 he weighed in at for the Clottey fight?

Is the stance by Cotto a relevant one as well? Should a challenger such as Manny Pacquiao (who IS the challenger in this case) be dictating the terms without any challenge from the actual champion, in this case Miguel Cotto?

Cotto, in my OPINION, has swallowed his pride and has taken a lot of abuse the last few weeks since this fight has been announced . He has taken abuse from Pacquiao’s fans and from Manny’s camp as well. He has not been given the respect by the boxing community and has been seen as the weakest opponent for Manny to fight, hence the reason Pacquiao did not jump on Shane Mosley’s proposition to give into Pacquiao’s terms.

It seems Cotto is finally getting aggravated by all of this and putting his foot down. Miguel has settled on the demands of coming down weight to 145, Cotto has given in on the purse of the fight, which from all accounts will be a 65-35 split for Pacquiao. Miguel has given in on the location of the fight which will take place At the MGM Grand in Vegas. I know what some of you are going to say ” Manny is the Pound for pound king, he should call all the shots” But I disagree. That is a STATUS given to a fighter by the fans and boxing experts, NOT AN OFFICIAL BELT. Miguel Cotto holds a Belt and is the reigning WBO champion in the welterweight division, which the last time I checked is at 147 pounds nothing more.

It would be a hypocrisy for the World Boxing Organization to strip Cotto of his belt( which has been the buzz), when Cotto has a legitimate right to state, that if you want to challenge the champion of a specific weight for his belt, you fight him at that weight. If Cotto wanted to fight Manny for his junior Welterweight title I am sure that Manny would say the same thing. Its common sense folks. If Manny wants the fight for Cotto’s belt, then it should be at Cotto’s 147 that is where the belt resides not at 145, which is fair and only right especially if the roles where in reverse.

I am a huge Manny Pacquiao fan quite possibly one of the biggest, but I am a huge fan of boxing which supersedes any fighter. I am starting to think that Freddie Roach and Pacquiao are starting to realize that they might have bitten off more than they can chew. Just a day before this title situation, in which Pacquiao has created, Miguel Cotto recently sent a stern message to Freddie Roach after Freddie had some bold prediction about the outcome of there proposed showdown.

I quote, “Hey Roach, I have some news. I am not Oscar De La Hoya at the end of his career. I am not the overrated Ricky Hatton. Roach knows what he will be facing on November 14th, it will be a war.” Have these words finally sunken into the heads of everyone in Pacquiao’s camp? They know that Miguel Cotto will not budge on this title situation and are NOW saying that without the belt they do not need Cotto. Is this their way out of the fight? Who knows, but the timing of all of this in relation to Cotto’s stern warning have to make you think.

Life is about challenging yourself and others when you are a fighter not taking a short cut to glory. I have to say that in THIS case Manny is trying to take a short cut to glory. He wants the rewards of a belt that is in a higher weight division, without actually allowing the champion to fight at that weight. I would hope that this is not just a ploy to get out of this fight with Cotto because I admire Manny Pacquiao’s body of work.

It would be a shame as well for Cotto to be forced to do something that makes complete sense on his part as well. I have a solution to all of this, Manny if you want to make history and win Cotto’s belt then do it the right way, allow Miguel Cotto to fight without a catch weight and then you would have earned a title the right way.

Cotto has given into all of your demands(and he is the champion), now it is up to you to look into yourself and think long and hard whether you are going to fight your own battle or whether you’re going to have your lawyers or the WBO fight your battle for you. Fans of boxing, Cotto is not fighting Pacquiao for his junior welterweight title he has been there done that, it is the other way around. Manny Pacquiao is fighting for Miguel Cotto’s Belt!

In closing boxing fans. If this fight is canceled then it leaves me with this sad conclusion. Someone that I love as a fighter (Manny Pacquiao) is nothing more than a bully outside the ring in his negotiating tactics and when FINALLY faced with tough opposition, not only inside the ring, but now outside from Cotto he wants to threaten the fight from moving forward, It seems a little too familiar to why he has not fought Juan Manuel Marquez again. That is a cowardly act that threatens us boxing fans the opportunity to see what can be one of the greatest clashes we have ever seen.