Miguel is going to win the fight

HOLLYWOOD - Miguel Cotto’s camp declared that making the weight won’t be a problem for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion with his potentially explosive title showdown with Manny Pacquiao just around the corner.

The weight issue is actually of no concern for Cotto’s camp that trainer Joe Santiago is already predicting a victory for his Puerto Rican ward’s scheduled Nov. 14 slugfest against Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“We don’t doubt that Miguel is going to win this fight," said Santiago during Cotto’s media workout Tuesday (Wednesday Manilatime) at the Pound4Pound gym. “No matter what happens, we will win. We’ll have a big victory on the 14th (of November)."

Cotto’s chief trainer said the Filipino ring icon is definitely not cut out to fight at the 147 limit, where the Puerto Rican is definitely the man to beat.

At the most, Pacquiao’s perfect fighting weight is at super-featherweight, according to Santiago.

“Manny Pacquiao is a strong fighter at 130 pounds. He’s still not good in our division (147). No one is as big and strong as Miguel Cotto," said Santiago through his interpreter Brian Perez, the hefty, bosom buddy of the WBO title holder.

Pacquiao and Cotto will duke it out in a high-profile 12-round title bout, dubbed “Firepower" Saturday (Sunday Manila time) next week in a showdown to be fought at a catch weight of 145 pounds.

Cotto, a native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, has not fought below 147 pounds in the last three years, although he is considered as one of the elite fighters in the said division today.

In contrast, Pacquiao is fighting as a welterweight only for the second time in his illustrious career. His first attempt at the 147-pound class, however, ended up to be an enormous success as he had no less than the great Oscar De La Hoya for a victim, forcing the legendary “Golden Boy" from quitting on his stool just before the start of the ninth round, an embarrassing moment that eventually led to his retirement.

But Santiago would have none of the stuff, stressing that the De La Hoya Pacquiao had beaten was already at the end of his colorful career.

The Puerto Rican trainer even downplayed Pacquiao’s second round destruction of former two-time junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton in his last fight six months ago, pointing out that the popular Briton “doesn’t have any defense."

“Miguel Cotto is a different fighter," said Santiago in comparing his ward to the last two fighters Pacquiao defeated.

“He (Cotto) is at his prime and at his peak. So it’s going to be an interesting fight.

SOURCE

Pacquiao versus Cotto : Miguel Cotto's Hunger is Rising

Trainer Joe Santiago says the hunger of Miguel Cotto is rising. He wants to prove his worth on November 14 when he defends his WBO welterweight title against Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Santiago says size will matter when Pacquiao tries to take his fighter's title.

"Pacquiao is a fighter who is from 130, 135-pounds, invading the welterweight division. He has done great things in boxing that can't be taken away from him. But he has never faced a natural fighter at 147 who is young and in his prime like Cotto," said Santiago to Primera Hora. "Miguel is very hungry for this fight and want to show not only the people of Puerto Rico but the world that he is the best pound for pound the world."

They have several strategies mapped out to fight Pacquiao's speed and tricky southpaw style. Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach claims to have found the crack's in Cotto's style. Santiago sends a message to Roach - "we found Pacquiao's cracks."

"In the same way that Freddie may have seen the weaknesses of Miguel, we know the weaknesses of Manny. If he doubts it, review the eighth round in the second fight with Juan Manuel Marquez," said Santiago.

"Not to compare Marquez with Cotto. There is no comparison. Cotto has more resources. He is a versatile fighter who knows boxing, know how to fight back, and can make adjustments on the fly. And during his career, as in the fight with Joshua Clottey, he overcome adversity to prevail."

SOURCE




----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WATCH PACQUIAO - COTTO FIGHT ONLINE LIVE!!! 

Pacquiao versus Cotto Update : Cotto heads to Las Vegas

Miguel Cotto has again taken one step ahead of Manny Pacquiao as the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion already broke training camp in Tampa, Florida and is now headed towards Las Vegas.

The 28-year old Puerto Rican held the final day of training at his camp Friday and is now looking forward to departing for the “Sin City", about two weeks before meeting Pacquiao inside the ring in one of the year’s biggest fights.

Cotto also began training three weeks ahead of Pacquiao.

Chief trainer Joe Santiago was very much satisfied with the way Cotto’s camp turned out the past eight weeks. “We’ve had the perfect camp. Miguel is determined and focus. We are about to head out for Las Vegas."

In contrast, Pacquiao is still training at the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles and won’t be heading for Las Vegas until Nov. 9.

The Filipino boxing champion didn’t arrive in L.A. until last week after spending the first part of his training camp at the Shape-Up gym in Baguio City.

Trainer Freddie Roach said the 30-year old pound-for-pound king is almost 95 percent ready for the bout, saying that his ward “is jus getting better and better."

Roach added, “he’s punching so much harder than he used to."

But in what has been a growing word of animosity between Roach and Cotto’s team, Santiago said they are not taking seriously what Pacquiao’s trainer had been preaching about.

“We do not pay attention to whatever Freddie Roach is saying. We are focused on one person – Pacquiao. Roach is trying to play mind games with us, but it’s not working," said Santiago.

Team Cotto is expected to be in Las Vegas on Sunday. Except for Tuesday (Nov. 3) when the 2000 Sydney Olympian travels to Los Angeles for a press workout, Cotto will be training on a daily basis.

“It’s been a while since Miguel has had this kind of drive, determination and focus," added Santiago, who replaced Cotto’s uncle Evangelista, as the champion’s trainer.

And if Pacquiao is punching so much harder this time, Cotto is now also throwing punches by the volume, according to conditioning coach Phil Landman.

“During sparring I count every punch. For the Clottey fight, Miguel averaged 45 punches per round. Here in Tampa while training for Pacquiao, Miguel has averaged 65 punches a round," noted Landman.

“This is a very good number. Miguel is ready, prepared to fight and will win."

SOURCE : GMANEWS.TV

Pacquiao versus Cotto Fight Predictions by Joe Santiago

Miguel Cotto's trainer Joe Santiago is under the impression that Manny Pacquiao is a blown-up featherweight. He says the streak of Pacquiao has been impressive so far, but everything will come to an end when Pacquiao steps in the ring with Cotto on November 14 in Las Vegas. He says Cotto's strength is going to be one the key factors in their victory.

"Manny Pacquiao is a blown-up featherweight. He started at 108-pounds and will now fight at 145. He's dared to go up and so far everything has turned out well for him but November 14 is a different story. We respect what he's done in boxing but on that day, Miguel is going to be the strongest man in the ring. That is going to be one the advantages in our favor," Santiago told El Nuevo Dia.

Santiago says they are not focusing on any of headlines regarding Pacquiao's late start in training or the internal problems between members of his team. He says the bad cut Cotto suffered above his left eye [against Clottey in June], which required 22 stitches, has presented no problems during camp.

"We heard they didn't start training, that there were problems in the training camp, but that is their problem. Everything is going very well with us. The work by the plastic surgeon was excellent and there have been no problems with the injury. I do not believe that is something that we have to be worried about. It's not the first time where Miguel was cut and none of those previous cuts have been re-opened [in a fight]," Santiago said.

Source