Cotto will be a difficult opponent—Pacquiao

MANILA – Although he has conquered Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton, the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Manny Pacquiao said he is not taking his next opponent lightly.

Pacquiao will clash with World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico for the welterweight title and World Boxing Council (WBC) “diamond belt” on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Cotto, he's the kind of fighter that it's a difficult opponent,” Pacquiao said before a Major League Baseball (MLB) game. “It's hard to compare to de la Hoya or Ricky Hatton.”

Pacquiao was in San Diego, California Monday night to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the San Diego Padres vs Arizona Diamondbacks game.

The Filipino boxing superstar was at the at the PETCO Park in San Diego as part of Filipino Heritage Night.

“Cotto is bigger than me and stronger. I believe that he's a good fighter. I have to focus [on] this fight and train hard for the fight,” he added.

Pacquiao threw the ceremonial first pitch last April at San Francisco’s AT&T Park before the Padres vs San Francisco Giants game.

Less than two weeks after that, he knockout out Britain’s Hatton in the second round of their “Battle of the East and West” bout last May 2.

Before facing Hatton, Pacquiao defeated “Golden Boy” Oscar de la Hoya in 2008 by technical knockout in the eighth round.

Meantime, the pound-for-pound king is set to start training in Baguio City for his “Firepower” match-up against Cotto after his overseas promotional tour.

He and Cotto recently attended media events held in New York, Puerto Rico, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com