Pacquiao versus Cotto: A Day Before The Fight

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Challenger Manny Pacquiao weighed in just one pound lighter than Miguel Cotto as the Filipino was greeted by deafening cheers from his supporters on the eve of Saturday's WBO welterweight title fight.

Pacquiao, 49-3-2 (37 knockouts), tipped the scales at 144 pounds in front of a boisterous crowd of about 6,500 at the MGM Grand Hotel's Garden Arena.

Puerto Rican Cotto, 34-1 (27 KOs), was right on the limit for the scheduled 12-round bout which will be fought at a contracted weight of 145 pounds.

Although Cotto has won a world title every year since 2004 and will be competing in his natural division, Pacquiao is widely viewed as the favorite.

The Filipino southpaw, who has never previously fought above light-welterweight, will be bidding to win a seventh world title in an unprecedented seventh weight class.

The atmosphere was electric as the two fighters made their way on to a raised stage for Friday's televised weigh-in where former boxing great Roberto Duran and undefeated WBO super bantamweight Juan Manuel Lopez were among those attending.

Shouts of "Manny, Manny" and "Cotto, Cotto" echoed before the tracksuit-clad boxers finally emerged and Pacquiao lived up to his billing as the people's champion by blowing kisses to the fans before he stepped on to the scales.

Cotto, who also wore headphones over a balaclava, then followed. A natural 147-pounder, he told the crowd he had no problem making the weight limit.

"I'm pretty healthy and my strength is too much for tomorrow," the 29-year-old said.

The Puerto Rican will be fighting for the first time since he retained his WBO title with a split decision win over Ghana's Joshua Clottey in June.

Pacquiao, 30, last fought in May when he delivered a stunning second round knockout of Britain's Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand to claim the IBO light welterweight crown.

(Editing by Julian Linden)

This article is from news.yahoo.com



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Pacquio versus Cotto: "May the best man win,” says Manny Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines – Las Vegas, the world-famous US city known for its bright lights and a plethora of gambling and entertainment venues, and universally regarded as the capital of big-time boxing in the planet, has long been a home for Manny Pacquiao.

In fact, “Sin City” has played host to Pacquiao’s last five fights — all of them high-magnitude bouts. The Filipino won them all, decisioning Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, and brutally knocking out David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton.

And now for the sixth-straight time, the bustling city will once again be Pacquiao’s battleground as he chases boxing immortality against WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

Pacquiao, who is gunning for a record seventh world title in as many weight divisions, set foot on the main lobby of the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino yesterday and was welcomed with chants of “Manny, Manny!” from a packed crowd.

The Filipino spitfire has been installed as a -350 favorite as of this posting, meaning one must wager $350 to win a hundred bucks.

Cotto, the burly Puerto Rican banger who’s out to derail the Pacquiao freight train, arrived about an hour later with his own following. He enters Las Vegas as the underdog — albeit a heavy one — with those rooting for him needing to bet just $100 to net a cool $270.

But unlike Pacquiao, Cotto will be seeing action in a high-profile Las Vegas bout for only the second time since figuring in a brutal affair against Antonio Margarito two years ago. That fight, also staged at the MGM Grand, saw Margarito beat Cotto to a pulp for a merciless 11th round technical-knockout victory.

At the final press conference for Pacquiao-Cotto today, Las Vegas feted both fighters whose face-off at the end of the week is expected to assemble an audience composed of high-rollers, politicians and Hollywood personalities.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman graced the event and, in a simple ceremony, presented to Pacquiao and Cotto their “Keys to the City.”

“This is the most important fight in my career. It will make history in Philippine boxing. And it will be a big honor for my family, country and myself,” said Pacquiao, who also wished his foe luck as he had done in his previous fights.

“I respect Cotto’s team. They are nice and friendly. On Saturday, may the best man win,” he added.

Cotto, for his part, assured a great night of boxing for fans

“I am pretty happy and comfortable to be here. I trained a lot for this fight. It will be a great night not only for the Latinos but to the Puerto Ricans too.”

With Las Vegas showing its appreciation for two great warriors, one can expect Pacquiao and Cotto to willingly return the favor when they meet in the ring.

This article is from philstar.com

Pacquiao versus Cotto News Update : Cotto is having an issue going down to 145 pounds

HOLLYWOOD – Alex Ariza has long been in the business of body conditioning and thus, knows exactly when an athlete is already in his proper frame of health.

One look at reigning welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at this point in time, and Ariza can clearly say the 28-year old warrior from Caguas, Puerto Rico is having an issue going down to 145 pounds.

“Personally, I think he’s having a hard time losing weight," Ariza said. “He looked a little gaunt."

But Ariza based it on how he sees Cotto, the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion, in newspaper clippings and TV interviews.

“And also I only hear things about it, on how hard he’s been working out lately the way he has never worked out before," he added.

A natural welterweight, Cotto’s camp has been evading questions surrounding his current weight, insisting the champion would be able to meet the catch weight of 145lbs. The former Olympian has never fought below 147 pounds since 2006, and under the contract he signed for the Pacquiao fight, a pound in excess of the catch weight is equal to a $1 million penalty.

In contrast, Pacquiao appeared to be in control of his weight. Ariza said the Pacman currently weighs 149 pounds, although he goes down to 146 by the time he is over with his two-hour daily training at the Wild Card gym.

Pacquiao’s conditioning coach from Colombia said the ring idol from General Santos City will carry a weight of 144 or 145 during Friday’s official weigh-in, and then be at 149 on the night of the fight itself.

“That’s his natural weight (149) right now. He’s so fast for that. What you’re now seeing are pure muscles," said Ariza, adding that the world pound-for-pound king only has a six percent body fat.

Ariza also has high respect for Cotto’s conditioning coach Phil Landman, adding the key to the fight would boil down to who has the better trainer.

“It will go down as to who you have in the corner, and I have Freddie Roach with me. Unlike Cotto who only has some “average Joe" on his side," said Ariza in an obvious jibe against Joe Santiago, the former nutritionist turned trainer of the WBO title holder.

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Manny Pacquiao will not be stronger says Miguel Cotto

WBO champion Miguel Cotto has dismissed claims that Manny Pacquiao will be stronger when the pair clash on November 14 in Las Vegas.

The Puerto Rican was calm and confident as he played down the threat of the Filipino superstar who is searching for his record breaking seventh world titles in seven divisions.

“He’s coming from a lower division,” said Cotto. “If they think they have more power than Miguel Cotto, they’re wrong.”

Pacquiao has demonstrated his hand speed and strength with his devastating second round knockout of Ricky Hatton in May, but Cotto maintained he is ready for whatever comes at him.

“I’m prepared for anything he can bring…I’m prepared for all that he can show me,” said Cotto whose only defeat was marred in controversy after suffering a head-butt followed by an investigation into opponent Antonio Margarito’s hand-wraps.

Cotto bounced back from the defeat, going on to outbox Britain’s Michael Jennings and win a close points decision in a hard fought battle against Joshua Clottey. As for how he will handle Pacquiao, Cotto underplayed the possibility of a KO victory.

“I never come out to knock out any fighter, but if I hit him pretty good, I’m going for it.” said the champion who has knocked out 27 of his 35 opponents.

For Cotto, success against Pac-Man would propel him to the top of the boxing pecking order and make him a household name. Despite being the underdog he remains positive he can achieve this: “I’m very confident that I’m going to come out with a victory that night.”

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What do you think? Will Cotto win this fight?

“Pacquiao can fight Mayweather as many times as he wants after I beat him,” says Cotto

MANILA – Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto may be the co-headliner with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao in the Nov. 14 “Firepower” bout, but Floyd Mayweather’s name surfaces every now and then as boxing fans wonder if a Pacquiao-Mayweather match will ever push through.

Pacquiao said it might not happen because Mayweather thinks it is all about the money, the Associated Press and Los Angeles Times reported.

His adviser Mike Koncz, meantime, told abs-cbnNEWS.com that it could take place “if the economics of the fight is right.”

American trainer Freddie Roach told DoghouseBoxing.com that he would want Pacquiao to take on Mayweather, adding that it is about what fans would definitely want to see.

Cotto, for his part, also shared his two cents on the matter.

“He can fight Mayweather as many times as he wants after I beat him,” Cotto told Agence France-Presse.

The Puerto Rican will put his WBO welterweight championship belt on the line when he faces Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The boxers will also fight for the WBC diamond belt.

Toughest guy

Despite his pronouncements that he will prevail over Pacquiao, Cotto still made known that he respects the Filipino boxing superstar because of what he has achieved.

“He has earned everything he has," stated Cotto. “Manny looked good against Oscar De La Hoya and (Ricky) Hatton. But I'm not Oscar or Hatton. Manny chose the right time to fight Oscar.”

Cotto, meanwhile, reminded that he only has 1 loss (34-1, with 27 knockouts) while Pacquiao has 3 defeats (49-3-2, with 27 KOs).

“It is the most important fight of my career, but we'll have to see on the 14th if he is the toughest guy I have fought in my career,” remarked Cotto.

Dead-set

Cotto earlier told ABS-CBN News that his training camp for “Firepower” was probably the best he has ever had.

“The communication between team members, all the focus I have for this fight make this the best ever,” he said.

In his media day at the Pound-4-Pound Gym in Los Angeles, California, Cotto reportedly looked “dead serious in his preparation for the biggest fight of his life,” according to PhilBoxing.com.

He did not even clown around with the Latino media. In addition, the welterweight champion looked “extremely fit.”

Cotto and Pacquiao have agreed to fight at a catch weight of 145 lbs. – With reports from Ma. Rosanna Mina, abs-cbnNEWS.com, Ed de la Vega, PhilBoxing.com, and Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News

TEAM COTTO Now in Las Vegas

HOLLYWOOD—Miguel Cotto is set to hit California on Tuesday for a media workout in a popular Los Angeles boxing gym, where he is expected to showcase the result of several weeks of training.

Team Cotto has already packed up its training camp in Tampa, Florida, and is now in Las Vegas, where he will defend his WBO welterweight crown against Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand.

The media workout will take place around noon at the Pound4Pound gym on La Cienega Boulevard.

And based on comments coming out of Team Cotto, the 29-year-old Puerto Rican may give sports journalists a peek into how he plans to attack Pacquiao’s weakness—one that was supposedly spotted during the Filipino’s fight against Mexican nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez.

“The same way that Freddie says he has seen weaknesses in Miguel, we know the weaknesses of Manny,” Cotto trainer Joe Santiago told Fightnews.com on Monday.

“If there’s any doubt, just review the eighth round of his second fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.”

Marquez opened up a cut over Pacquiao’s eye with a straight right and then rocked the reigning pound-for-pound king with a left hook, Cotto’s pet punch.

“Not that you can compare Marquez to Cotto,” Santiago added in the interview. “There’s no comparison. Cotto has more tools. He’s a versatile fighter who knows boxing.”

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) will have his own media workout the following day at the Wild Card gym. He is scheduled to spar on Tuesday with Ray Beltran, Rasheed Holloway and Shane Porter.

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, is expected to cut the number of sparring rounds for his ward as he tapers off going into the final 10 days of training.

The six-division champion, who has thus far logged 130 rounds of sparring, spent Tuesday doing 16 rounds with the mitts with Roach.

Wright picks Cotto

Meanwhile, WBO super bantamweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez, former champion and Cotto victim Carlos Quintana and former light middleweight titlist Winky Wright all told Boxingscene.com that the Puerto Rican should have no problem dealing with Pacquiao in the fight dubbed “Firepower.”

However, Lopez, a rising star in the boxing ranks, said that if Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) performs the way he did against Joshua Clottey— who the Puerto Rican barely survived—Pacquiao may end up celebrating another big win.

“In his last fight, Cotto was a little tired at the end, and because Manny throws a lot of punches, that could make [Miguel] tired,” Lopez said. “If that happens, he will have problems.”

This article is from sports.inquirer.net
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Cotto is Ready

HOLLYWOOD – World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Miguel Cotto gets to show how ready he is for his Nov. 14 showdown against Manny Pacquiao by holding a media workout in this district of movies and stars Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).

The 28-year old Puerto Rican is arriving here from Las Vegas, Nevada where he had already been staying as early as the other day.

Cotto is scheduled to work out at the Pound4Pound gym in La Cienega Boulevard in El Segundo, California, where an open forum will first be held before the champion does his thing in the ring along with trainer Joe Santiago.

The Caguas, Puerto Rico native already broke camp in Tampa, Florida last week and arrived in Las Vegas the other day, two weeks before his highly-anticipated Nov. 14 showdown with the Filipino boxing superstar.

Reports coming from Las Vegas had it that Cotto appeared drained as he try to meet the 145-pound catch weight agreed upon for the welterweight bout dubbed “Firepower" promoted by Top Rank.

Under the fight contract, Cotto is bound to pay $1 million for every pound excess of the agreed catch weight. This will be the first time the Puerto Rican will be fighting below the welterweight limit (147 pounds) since 2006.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, holds his own public workout the following day (Wednesday, Thursday in Manila) at the Wild Card gym here, where he is in his final phase of an eight-week training that began at the Shape-Up gym in Baguio City, Philippines.

As Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) does his media workout, the 30-year old Filipino ring idol (49-3, 37 KOs) will be sparring with regular sparmates Shawn Porter, Rey Beltran and Rashad Holloway also at the famed sweatshop owned by trainer Freddie Roach.

Pacquiao has already sparred close to 130 rounds and is expected to complete their target of 150 by the time his team departs for Las Vegas Monday next week.

Despite being a 2-1 underdog, two world champions are predicting a big win for Cotto.

Compatriots Juan Manuel Lopez and Carlos Quintana have it on record that the Puerto Rican native will be able to pull off an upset.

“Miguel has all the tools to beat Pacquiao," said Lopez, the reigning WBO super-bantamweight champion, in an interview by Primera Hora, a Puerto Rico-based newspaper.

The undefeated champion, however, stressed that should Cotto gets tired the way he did in his last fight against Joshua Clottey during their WBO championship at the Madison Square Garden, he can be in for a big trouble.

“In his last fight, Cotto was a bit tired in the end, and because Manny throws a lot of punches, that could make him tired. And if that happens, he will have problems," said Lopez.

But Quintana, whom Cotto beat via a fifth round technical knockout in a 2007 title fight, believes the champion’s strength will be too much to offset Pacquiao’s speed.

“Miguel is a welterweight with a lot of power and fast hands. Miguel has to make his fight. I don’t think Pacquiao will exchange punches with Cotto, who will win by either decision or knockout," he said.

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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."

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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