Pacquiao foe Cotto ends camp, headed to 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.

WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico Top Rank photo

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." – GMANews.TV

Source: gmanews.tv

Pacquiao vs. Cotto: What Will Manny’s Excuse be When he Loses?

By Manuel Perez: I can already see the excuses flowing in from Manny Pacquiao and his loyal trainer Freddie Roach after November 14th. I’d like for it to be some straight honest excuses where Pacquiao and Roach admit that they fought a superior fighter with better talent, power and ability than him. But what I expect will be some lame excuses along the lines of ‘I wasn’t feeling good in training camp, I hurt my shoulder or I couldn’t see because of the cut.’

I really hope that Pacquiao takes his loss like a man and doesn’t come up with the excuses after the fact but I just don’t see it happening that way. A whole bunch of people who don’t know what they’re talking about are predicting that Pacquiao is going to beat Cotto on November 14th. I’m really laughing at them because I haven’t seen so many wrong people in all my life.
This is going to be really nice to see Pacquiao eating a big plate of humble pie. I hope he swallows all of it because I don’t want him with any false hopes about the loss. There’s one thing that fighters need to accept is responsibility for their losses. The worse thing they can do is start coming up with the excuses after the fact. A tell tale sign of a fighter not accepting their defeat is when they start with the excuses and want to fire their trainer.

I doubt that Pacquiao will fire Roach after Cotto fight, at least I hope he doesn’t. But I still see Pacquiao making with the excuses for the loss. It’s so sad. I hope Pacquiao doesn’t resort to this. I don’t want to lose respect for the man and I think I would if Pacquiao starts blabbering left and right with every excuse under the son to explain away his loss. I can just see him going motor mouth while being interviewed.

It will be a terrible sight if he does this. Just accept the loss, Pacquiao, and take your defeat with dignity. I’m okay with the “It just wasn’t my night” excuses, but I can’t stomach when fighters start crying about injuries, poor training camps or other things that took place during the fight. If Pacquiao can’t beat Cotto in the ring, the last thing I want to hear is a bunch of lame excuses.

A loss to Cotto won’t be such a bad thing. At least Pacquiao know where he’s at in terms of talent. It’s better to know how good you are in reality rather than having a mental image in your head that isn’t true. Once Cotton finishes beating the tar out of Pacquiao, his self image will be adjusted to the point where he has a more accurate picture of his true ability – I hope.

If Pacquiao starts with the excuses then that tells me that he hasn’t accepted the loss and is looking for a scapegoat for target to put the blame on. There’s nothing wrong with losing. Pacquiao shouldn’t worry about it when it happens. It’s part of the game and every fighter has to accept it and not try to explain it away with excuses.

Source: boxingnews24.com

10 questions going into the Pacquiao-Cotto fight

1. Can Pacquiao take a punch from a prime 147-pounder?
Yes, Pacquiao fought Oscar De La Hoya at welterweight. However, many observers believe that De La Hoya was both depleted and in decline; he had next to nothing on the few punches he landed. Cotto is a relatively young (29), strong, full-fledged welterweight with a high knockout percentage (77 percent). He very likely will land some hard punches unless he’s taken out early. And how Pacquiao reacts could play a central role in the fight. Remember, Pacquiao fought at 130 pounds as recently as last year. The thought of Pacquiao going down seems to be unthinkable in light of his recent success but it is possible.

2. Have Pacquaio’s recent victories been blown out of proportion?
Pacquiao has established himself as a superstar based largely on his last three fights, knockouts of David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. However, we can find serious flaws in all three opponents: Diaz is solid but limited, De La Hoya was in decline and depleted and Hatton was probably a combination of Diaz and De La Hoya. In other words, it can be argued that Pacquiao beat three very vulnerable fighters. This is probably one reason many observers are picking Cotto to win. The only question mark hovering over him is the beating he took from Margarito. Other than that, he’s in his prime and coming off a solid victory over a tough opponent in Joshua Clottey. Bottom line: This fight will tell us much more about Pacquiao than the past three.

3. Is Cotto fully recovered from the beating he took from Antonio Margarito last year?
Some fighters never come back from a beat down like that, both physically and mentally. Cotto's situation is different from that of someone like Amir Khan, who was caught by a big punch and stopped quickly. The Puerto Rican was systematically broken down until he could no longer fight, undoubtedly leaving his body and confidence damaged. He seems to have bounced back reasonably well. He handled an overmatched opponent in Michael Jennings in his comeback fight and then outlasted Joshua Clottey in spite of a bad cut above his eye, a gutsy performance. Pacquiao is a step up from Clottey, though. It will be interesting to see how Cotto reacts when Pacquiao’s punches rain down him from all directions.

4. How will the 145-pound catch weight affect Cotto?
Cotto has pointed out that he weighed in at 146 pounds and had no trouble getting there before his split-decision victory over Clottey in June, in which he fought 12 hard rounds. He doesn’t expect one more pound to make or break him this time. He might be right; no one knows his body like he does. Then again, fighters often say that every pound they must lose – sometimes even fractions of pounds – take a toll on their energy level. And Cotto hasn’t weighed in for a fight below 146 since he was 138½ for Paulie Malignaggi in June of 2006, more than three years ago. We probably won’t know how the catch weight will affect Cotto until the late rounds – if the fight gets there.

5. Is Cotto’s new trainer, Joe Santiago, equipped to guide him in a fight of this magnitude?
Cotto said he selected young Joe Santiago to replace his longtime coach, his uncle Evangelista, before the Clottey fight because he believes in his ability, Santiago had been with the team for some time and they communicate well. However, the fact remains Santiago went directly from Cotto’s nutritionist to his trainer. And he’s going to go head to head with one of the top trainers in the world in Freddie Roach. Rarely do you see in a fight this big with such a disparity in the corners. This isn’t to suggest that Santiago won’t do a good job on fight night. His credentials can legitimately be questioned, though.

6. Will a variety of distractions have affected Pacquiao in any way?
Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach say that the distractions he experienced during his one-month training camp in the Phillipines – in-fighting on his team, typhoons and moving camp from Baguio to Manila, for example – didn’t have an impact on his preparation. He ran in the rain or swam in a pool, whatever it took to get in prime fighting shape. However, Roach admitted that conditions during the five days spent in Manila were not ideal, which prompted him to move the camp back to Los Angeles a day early. One wonders whether all this set him back at all and, if so, whether three weeks is enough time for him to be 100 percent ready.

7. Will Cotto be able to cope with Pacquaio’s speed?
Cotto proved against Shane Mosley and Zab Judah that he can handle a very quick opponent. Roach has said as much. Cotto is very clever and probably a lot quicker than we give him credit for, meaning he might also be able to deal with Pacquiao’s speed. That said, Pacquiao might be quicker than both Mosley and Judah when both hand and foot speed are considered. Pacquiao’s hand speed probably rivals that of Mayweather; De La Hoya couldn’t see his punches coming let alone react to them. And his foot speed might be even more impressive, particularly when it’s combined with improving skills. He has become adept at moving in and out of harm’s way before his opponent even has a chance to react. This could prove to be the difference in the fight.

8. Will the cut Cotto suffered against Clottey resurface?
Cotto was cut badly above his left eye by an accidental head butt against Clottey and he fought that way for eight-plus rounds. Santiago said on a conference call a few weeks ago that the cut had healed well and played no role in training camp. He credited two plastic surgeons on hand the night of the fight. However, we know that fighters who have been cut badly are more likely to be cut badly again, particularly as they get older. It’s not difficult to imagine Pacquiao peppering the eye with his right jab until it opens again. Let’s hope it doesn’t happen. And if it does, at least Cotto has proved that he’ll fight under those circumstances.

9. What if Pacquiao loses?
The landscape of boxing would change to a good degree if Cotto beats Pacquiao. Now, Pacquiao is the hottest thing going in the world. He’s a charismatic, exciting fighter who has destroyed his recent opponents and seems to be getting better with age. And he hasn’t lost since Erik Morales outpointed him in 2005. If he loses, he comes back to earth to join the rest of the mortals. The superfight everyone is talking about – Pacquiao-Mayweather – would go out the window and promoter Bob Arum would have to go back to the drawing board to determine how best to move forward. Of course, how he loses would affect the impact. If he’s blown out, that hurts. If he loses a close, entertaining fight, the damage wouldn’t be so bad. Perhaps a rematch would be bigger than the first fight.

10. What if Cotto wins?
Cotto would be a far bigger star than he ever was if he upsets Pacquiao, particularly among his Puerto Rican brethren. He might never be as big as Wilfredo Gomez and Felix Trinidad on the island but a victory over the top pound-for-pound fighter would undoubtedly make him an idol. And he would be in a tremendous position in terms of earning power and leverage. He could either fight Pacquiao again for the most money he’s ever made or take on Mayweather himself for a similar payday. Another option would be a rematch with Shane Mosley. Whichever direction he went, he’d make huge money in front of a huge audience. That’s what fighters dream of when they take up the sport.

Source: ringtv.com

Cotto Flashig a Great Defense in Sparring

Tampa, Florida. Manny Pacquiao could be fast and aggressive, but it woudl e worthless if he throws and can not find the target.

And is that Miguel Cotto is well refined in his defense and very good with his lateral movements he is avoiding punishment and countering.

From what we saw on Friday in his sparring with lefties kenny Abril and Fred Tukes, Cotto could graduate from bullfighter school against Pacquiao.

Abril, was chasing Cotto around the ring, trying to punish Miguel, while Cotto stayed patient and frequently changing angles. By the time Abril reach out to Cotto, the champ would prescribe a powerful jab or some combination on the side of the body and upper uppercuts.

Without wasting energy by choice, Cotto managed to evade most attacks while sneaked his fists with precision.

"Miguel hits like a truck. At least the gloves are 18 ounces and we have protectio in the face. Still, I feel his punches a lot, "said Abril, of Puerto Rican descent.

"Every time I go to attack, I know that sooner or later I get a severe shock. It makes you think twice before you try to exchange blows in the ropes. I do not want to imagine what will happen to Pacquiao, where eight-ounce gloves shall not be protective. I'm sorry Pacquiao, "said April.

Source: primerahora.com

HBO Boxing: Pacquiao vs. Cotto - Fight Preview (HBO)

Pacquiao won't sleep through title fight

Soon after participating in a conference call from Los Angeles with boxing writers Wednesday at noon, Manny Pacquiao went back to his condo and fell asleep.
The six-division world champion — who will be shooting for a title in a record seventh weight class (welterweight) when he fights Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas — slept until the following morning, about 20 hours in all, missing a workout at Wild Card gym.

Jet lag, his publicist Fred Sternburg cited, from his flight from his native Philippines, where Pacquiao battled deadly typhoons, torrential rains and needy politicians and did humanitarian work in five weeks of training for the Cotto fight.

Jet lag can affect anyone, but there's little doubt that Pacquiao's four weeks in Baguio and five days in Manila took its toll on the fighter. His longtime trainer, Freddie Roach, says it was one of Pacquiao's best camps despite the distractions.

"We had four really good weeks in Baguio," Roach said. "We had a couple typhoons that came, but we didn't miss a beat, we had great sparring. Last week in Manila was a little tense because of lots of distractions, so we had to break camp a little early."

Roach said the biggest task in the Philippines was keeping people away from a man they idolize.

"We asked people to stay away; we closed the gym; there was no problem at all (in Baguio), no politicians bothering him," Roach said. "The weather messed with us a little, but we ran in the rain, went in the pool, ran inside sometimes ... no distractions. The last week in Manila was tough, because a lot of politicians were trying to make meetings with Manny and everyone was trying to pull him in a different direction."

Pacquiao was back sparring Thursday afternoon as Los Angeles Lakers star Ron Artest looked on. "He's back on track; he's very close to being ready for the fight," Roach said.

Source: usatoday.com

Team Cotto – Composing Their Symphony of Destruction

When it comes to accomplishments in pro boxing, Joe Santiago can’t hold a candle to Freddie Roach. When it’s time to grab a quote from the camps of Miguel Cotto or Manny Pacquiao, the first name you search for is Roach’s, and not because R comes before S. But the beautiful thing about boxing is that no matter how much you’ve done or how high your profile is, on fight night, you can have the last word, or better put, your fighters have the last word, and Santiago plans to be the one in the winner’s circle on November 14th in Las Vegas.

“I know that he has done a lot in boxing,” said Santiago, Cotto’s trainer, of Roach during a recent media teleconference. “I have a lot of respect for what Freddie Roach has done. But it has nothing to do with us. It’s the fighters that are going to do the fighting. They are going to do their work and we have our work to do. As long as our guy wins we are going to get recognized for it. Once Miguel wins, they are going to recognize that we have a great corner, a great team. That’s the way I look at it. It has nothing to do with me and Freddie Roach. We are preparing Miguel Cotto to fight many Pacquiao. That’s my job and that’s the way I look at it.”

It’s the right thing for Santiago to say, not only because it deflects attention from him to where it should be – on his fighter - but also because with just one fight as head trainer of the WBO welterweight champion, any brasher statements would be perceived as pure arrogance compared to Roach’s body of work in the corner. But as much as Santiago would like to diffuse any comparisons between himself and Manny Pacquiao’s longtime trainer, the fact is that this is a compelling storyline in the lead-up to the biggest fight of 2009, and the questions have been flying in at breakneck speed ever since the bout was announced.

Can Santiago handle a fight of this magnitude?

Can he come up with a plan to stop the Pacquiao bullet train?

Has Cotto basically decided to train himself, with Santiago and company just there to hold pads and keep him in shape?

They’re all valid questions, yet Santiago has taken the sometimes pointed barbs with grace, something that’s a little easier to do knowing that he has the type of fighter that can answer those questions with a victory on fight night. And given that this is the biggest fight of Cotto’s career, knowing that he handed the reins over to Santiago instead of a bigger name after ending his tumultuous business relationship with his uncle Evangelista in April speaks volumes.

“I have known him (Cotto) for seven years and I know they had talked about bringing in well-known trainers but I think the fact that I have known him a long time and he feels comfortable with me gave me an advantage over all those guys,” said Santiago, a former nutritionist for Team Cotto who learned his new trade as an understudy to Evangelista Cotto. “I think it’s just a question of getting everybody on the same page and I think we’ve done that.”

So what about those questions? Will Santiago be a deer in the headlights on fight night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas? I’ll go out on a limb and say no, just based on the new team’s performance in Madison Square Garden in June, as Cotto scored a 12 round split decision win over Joshua Clottey. Was it perfect? No. Were there kinks that needed to be ironed out? Yes. But Cotto came back from a bad cut early in the fight and some shaky moments to readjust his fight plan and box his way to a well-deserved victory. And Santiago and new cutman Joe Chavez were there every step of the way in what was Cotto’s first true test since his punishing loss to Antonio Margarito in July of 2008. And what may have sold Cotto on keeping Santiago as head trainer for the Pacquiao fight is that during the Clottey bout the drama took place during the three minutes of each round, not in the 60 seconds in the corner, a far cry from the days when his uncle was in charge.

“That first time we were very conscious of what we needed to do,” said Santiago. “It was a team effort and everyone did their part. We all worked hard on what we needed to do. I think the preparation was good and on the night of the fight we were all doing what we were supposed to do. I am very grateful to the Cotto family for having me work on such an important event. This time around I think we are all going to be better for it.”

So call it a test passed, not failed.

“I commend him for coming in and fighting a tough guy like Clottey,” added Cotto’s strength and conditioning coach Phil Landman. “Getting a cut like he did in the third round, he never thought about quitting and he toughed it out for twelve rounds and he won the fight. I think you have to look at it from that perspective and give him credit for it.”

You do, but you also have to wonder if a speedy power-puncher like Pacquiao will be the one to truly reveal if the Margarito bludgeoning took too much out of Cotto. Clottey is prone to taking rounds off, and he did so in the Cotto fight, blowing a golden opportunity to pull off the upset. Pacquiao won’t be as passive, and if Cotto is cut or hurt, you won’t have to ask the Filipino assassin twice to finish the job. So now comes the most important part of the whole equation – can Santiago come up with a gameplan that gives his fighter the best chance to win?

First order of business – dealing with Pacquiao’s speed.

“I think that Miguel has shown everybody that he can deal with speed, with (Shane) Mosley and with Zab Judah,” said Santiago. “I don’t think it is a problem with speed. I think the rhythm that Manny brings to the fight, I don’t think people think Miguel can stay with that speed. But I think he will. I not only think he can stay with the rhythm but I think he will enjoy fighting that kind of fight. I think it will be a very interesting fight and I think Miguel will come out victorious in the fight by just doing what he always does, coming forward, throwing punches and being strong.”

True, Cotto showed the ability to stop Judah and win a close decision over Mosley in their 2007 bouts, but a) that was two years ago i.e. pre-Margarito, and b) Judah had great success nailing and stunning Cotto with straight left hands (Pacquiao’s specialty) before some judiciously placed low blows halted the action and gave Cotto precious time to clear his head. If Pacquiao can get off his straight lefts with that type of frequency, this one can get ugly quickly. Cotto followers know this, and they counter with their man’s underrated boxing skills, which were on display early against Margarito and late against Clottey. Agreed, Cotto showed a gear in both fights that was different to his usual stalking attack, but neither Margarito or Clottey will ever be associated with the phrase ‘fleet of foot’, putting another mark in the Pacquiao column.

So where does Cotto win this fight? With strength you can see and strength you can’t. The first part is where Landman comes in. The odd accent in the Cotto camp, the South African fitness guru has been with the Boricua bomber since he jumped up to welterweight against Carlos Quintana in 2006, and it’s hard to argue with Cotto’s body of work since he came on board as he scored late round stoppages of Judah and Oktay Urkal, decisioned Mosley and Clottey, and made it into round 11 against Margarito, showing that he’s able to go the championship distance with relative ease. That’s the mark of a good strength and conditioning program, so as far as Landman is concerned, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

“For the most part the work has been on the same format as we have done before,” he said. “We have changed a few things to address what Pacquiao is bringing to the fight, but Miguel is looking super good and I am really happy with the work that has been done.”

What has changed is that Cotto is making an effort to stay in shape between fights, making the actual camp more about fight preparation and not weight loss.

“If he continues in between fights it is easier to get back into a rhythm again. After the Clottey fight, we knew we were going to have something big again before the end of the year. When he came into camp, which he’s done a couple of times before, at weight, with a lot of preparation behind him, it has definitely helped out. Miguel has wanted a program for when he is out of camp and it has been a big help to us.”

“Without a doubt, Miguel has done everything asked of him,” added Santiago. “It has been hard to accomplish everything we have needed to accomplish. We have a plan that we look at every week that needs to be done and he has been very good at it. We are now looking forward to finishing it off and we look forward to the 14th.”

And with everything going according to schedule in their Florida training camp, it’s up to Landman to get him strong enough – as a true welterweight – to muscle Pacquiao when the fight gets into close quarters. Of course that’s the strategy Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton hoped to use against the ‘Pac-Man’, and we all know how that worked out for them. Luckily, Cotto is still a debilitating body puncher, an art De La Hoya rarely bothered with and one Hatton seemed to have forgotten the higher he rose up the ranks. If Cotto can get in the odd shot to the gut here and there, if the fight does get into the later rounds, he can have the chance to impose his will on Pacquiao.

And that’s the second key when it comes to strength – inner strength. You can’t point to it and say ‘there it goes,’ but you’ll know it when you see Cotto, bleeding, bruised, and battered, still plugging away and still trying to finish a fight. Make no mistake, Pacquiao is a tough cat, but Cotto is a whole ‘nother animal, and to those who will look to his loss to Margarito as proof that he may not be as tough as I think he is, I’m not the only one who thinks that there should be a huge asterisk next to that victory after Margarito’s ‘wrapgate’ debacle.

But you won’t hear Team Cotto talking about that fight. To them it’s in the past, even if the memories of it keep creeping into the present.

“As far as we are concerned, the Margarito fight is over and done with,” said Santiago. “We are preparing for a new challenge and I see him just as hungry. We always go into win. The confidence when he goes up into the ring – I don’t see that changing. I don’t think many guys would have stood up to Clottey the way he was fighting with the cut and everything. I think you just have to look at the challenge ahead and we are preparing for that.”

It is a challenge ahead, and should Cotto send Pacquiao crashing to his first defeat in over four years, there will be no more whispers about Cotto, wondering if he left his best in the same MGM Grand ring in July of 2008. There will only be celebration in Puerto Rico, and not just for Cotto, but for the quiet man in the corner.

“Miguel is obviously at the point of his career when we know he is at his best and he’s going to show everyone that he is at his best,” said Santiago. “I think Manny Pacquiao is in for a tough night. Cotto showed in the Clottey fight how much he wants to win and how much it means to him to win. I think that desire is a very important thing to have, to win, and Miguel has it.

On the 13th we will be 145 lbs. no question. On the 14th it is going to be a great night. And on the 15th we are going to celebrate with the country of Puerto Rico.”

Source: boxingscene.com

Roach going to eat his words, Cotto vows

Freddie Roach has somewhat succeeded in getting under Miguel Cotto’s skin.

Less than a week after Roach told the Filipino press that he is placing a $1,000 bet on a first-round knockout win by Manny Pacquiao, Cotto lashed back at the famed American trainer, boasting that “Roach is going to eat his words” on November 14 in Las Vegas.

“It’s going to be a tough battle, but I can assure you that in the end I am going to leave (the ring) victorious,” Cotto told Primera Hora as he was wrapping up his training camp in Tampa, Florida, en route to Sin City.

“I don’t care what Freddie says. The best that he can do is help Manny Pacquiao reach his best form. I will not mind Roach. He talks a lot,” said the obviously slighted Puerto Rican puncher.

Team Cotto, made up of head trainer Joe Santiago, conditioning coach Phil Landman, cutman Joe Chavez, aide-de-camp Bryan Perez, lawyer Gabriel Penagaricano and key members of the Cotto clan, are flying to Las Vegas on Sunday.

Perez said Cotto will stay in a rented house at first but will transfer to the MGM Grand on fight week and train at the Top Rank Gym.

Cotto spent six weeks in Tampa and Perez described the entire training period as “excellent” and “great camp.”

Cotto, who turned 29 on Thursday, said he can’t wait for the scheduled 12-round catch weight title bout to take place, stressing that he is in tip-top shape and ready to rumble.

“We are prepared for whatever he (Pacquiao) will bring to the ring,” added Cotto.

Meanwhile, Cotto will hold an open media workout at the Pound-4-Pound Gym at La Brea in Los Angeles on Tuesday, according to Top Rank publicist Lee Samuels.

Source: mb.com.ph

Manny Pacquiao puts on a show

Manny Pacquiao returned from a Wednesday-long nap Thursday and gave his trainer Freddie Roach a vigorous workout at Hollywood's Wild Card Gym.

Pacquiao spent 11 rounds sparring against two opponents, flashing his brilliant ability to charge an opening and deliver either a powerful left or right uppercut.

Roach was so giddy about the performance he dressed up two days before Halloween as Batman, complete with the rock-hard abs.

Not to be outdone, Pacquiao took off his shirt and showed his abs.

Two weeks and two days away from Pacquiao's welterweight title fight against champion Miguel Cotto, Roach announced, "Miguel, the superheroes are coming to get you!"

Pacquiao's intensity is picking up after Wednesday"s lengthy nap. The gym will be closed to any public and media access until media day, Wednesday.

-- Lance Pugmire

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

Roach exposes Cotto's sensitive side

Freddie Roach is a master when it comes to mind games. He has been here so many times before and has successfully gotten into opponents' heads like Metal Gear's Solid Snake infiltrating enemy territory. If that doesn't ring a bell, think about computer viruses from visiting all those 'questionable' websites. Before you know it, it's already there.

Miguel Cotto on the other hand, is a stand-up guy who does not play games. Push the wrong buttons and you might end up like his uncle and former trainer/ manager Evangelista Cotto, whom the Boricua Bomber allegedly assaulted in a lawsuit filed in Puerto Rico last April.

So what happens when you put these two characters against each other on opposing sides? A recipe for an explosive night. As the slogan of Pacquiao-Cotto suggests- Firepower. But it's almost too easy for the three-time BWAA trainer of year Roach. If you asked me, Roach is playing Cotto like a fiddle as evidenced by Cotto's latest response to yet another statement by Roach saying his ward will knock Cotto out in one round.

"I'm going to make Freddie Roach eat his words. I can assure you that in the end I will be victorious," Cotto told Puerto Rico's Primera Hora. "I don't care what Freddie Roach says. The best thing he can do is prepare Manny Pacquiao to be at his best."

If I were the interviewer, at this point I would ask, are you sure Roach hasn't gotten to your head? Cotto further said in the same interview,
"Roach is not going to get in my head. He talks a lot and think the same thing will happen when Pacquiao fought Hatton. We will not fall into that game. None of the stupid things he says is going to affect me and nothing he says will change the outcome of the fight."

And again allow me to interject- Are you sure Mr. Cotto?

"The fights are won in the gym and we are working at 100%. In addition, nutrition has helped a lot and so the mood I am in is very different from previous times. In fact, we are very close to the weight. I've said from the beginning, Pacquiao is a great fighter, but he is a 126-pounder. Whether he is strong enough is one of the questions that he will have to answer when he steps into the ring with Miguel Cotto."

With all due respect to Cotto, Pacquiao just knocked out the universally recognized 140-pounder Ricky Hatton who was undefeated at a division just 5 pounds below the weight they will be fighting at come November 14. If Cotto truly feels Pacquiao is a 126-pounder, then he might want to readjust his thinking that his training camp is going 100% smoothly. Do you see Juan Manuel Lopez challenging the Timothy Bradleys and Shane Mosleys? I don't think so.

With that said, Roach is denitely inside Cotto's head. As much as I agree that he will only be facing Manny Pacquiao inside the ring, allow me to ask, how can that proposition be any less frightening? And if Roach's verbal jabs have already gotten under his skin, Pacquiao's physical jabs will definitely do far more severe cutting into his skin.

As much as I admire and respect Cotto as a fighter, I got to give the psychological toughness edge to Pacquiao on this one. Not only has Cotto shown in the past that he is susceptible to quitting when he went down on one knee against Antonio Margarito and when he skated his way to avoid Joshua Clottey in the final rounds of their fight last June, with all the comments and response Cotto has made, Dedham Freddie has definitely exposed Mr. Cotto's onion skin.

Source: examiner.com

Miguel Cotto New Training Videos by Primerahora

Miguel Cotto: Manny Pacquiao 'is just another boxer'

Miguel Cotto is confident. Indeed, supremely confident of shocking Manny Pacquaio, who many consider to be the pound for pound No 1, when they meet in Las Vegas in 16 days’ time.

With the bookies, Cotto starts as the underdog, defending the WBO welterweight crown – albeit at 145lbs – against the Filipino fighting idol at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.
But does Cotto think he simply has too much firepower for Pacquiao ? The Puerto Rican has been very coy about his game plan, and like others before him, is looking to blow Pacquiao away. Several opponents have underestimated Pacquiao’s power at their peril.
Psychologically, because he has come up so many weight divisions, is it difficult for them to remove thoughts that they are fighting a smaller man. Yet, in reality, Pacquiao does not look that much smaller than Cotto.

It is worth recalling that when Pacquiao turned professional as a teenage boy in 1995, fighting for a dollar a fight, Pacquiao weighed seven stone 8lbs. On November 14, he fights Cotto for the WBO welterweight title, with the Puerto Rican champion most likely to be around 160lbs.

Cotto says: “He’s just another boxer who comes to my division and challenge me for my title. The night of November 14 I’m going to be prepared for him, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to beat Manny Pacquiao.”

“I know at the moment I have another opportunity to prove myself. I’m going to be the winner.”

Pacquiao insists that Cotto is the “hardest test” of his career, but Pacquiao’s speed, if he is on his game, could overwhelm Cotto. Not in the manner that Ricky Hatton was made to look a statue in their May contest.

“This is the toughest fight of my career and I won’t waste the opportunity,” said Pacquiao “I’m treating this fight with the seriousness it deserves. I won’t let myself get carried away with other people’s comments. Many are saying the punishment from Margarito and Clottey has affected him, but I won’t depend on that. Cotto is still a very strong fighter and bigger than me. I have to fight smartly and not underestimate him.”

“The intensity remains the same but maybe what has changed somewhat is the type of training, because we have to adjust to a particular style to fight Cotto,” said the 30-year-old. We need to apply certain techniques. I have spent many hours on studying with Freddie to identify Cotto’s weaknesses and strengths, to find his key points.”
“We are ready for what they bring. We have studied him very well. What I do is stand in the ring, box and put on the best fight possible. I’m not looking for a knockout but I’ll welcome it if it comes.” Wise words from the man of the Philippines.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Freddie Roach Exclusive Interview on Manny Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto, Mayweather Jr, Mosley, Prediction, Strategy and so much More!

The undisputed greatest trainer in the history of boxing has once again agreed to give us some inside information on Manny Pacquiao as he prepares for his upcoming bout with Miguel Cotto. Let’s welcome Freddie back to the doghouse.

David Tyler: Hi Fred, nice to see you back at home here in Los Angeles, how are things?

Freddie Roach: Everything is good. We are training hard during the day and I’ve been studying video of Miguel Cotto every evening.

DT: Any distractions?

FR: Only reporters wanting interviews. I just don’t have the time with the big fight so close. Since we are friends, I can give you just a few minutes.

DT: Good enough. How was the training in the Philippines?

FR: As you know, we had to put up with some bad weather but Manny’s training went well. My heart goes out to the many Filipinos that suffered because of the typhoons. It was very sad. Over 350 people lost their lives. Something I will never forget.

DT: Did the Ninja miss any days of training?

FR: No. We trained every day and he was taking the training very serious. I was very surprised that he was in great condition when we started the training?

DT: Why?

FR: Because I was not allowed to talk with Manny while he was in the Philippines and I was here at the WildCard. It made me angry and nervous about his conditioning. He stays in shape year round but I did not expect him to be able to go 10 strong rounds during sparring sessions in the first week.

DT: In our last interview you were mad at Mike Koncz, has the relationship gotten better?

FR: I don’t care about Mike Koncz, I am focused on Manny and having him ready for the fight against Cotto. Manny likes Koncz and that’s OK with me. Mike Koncz handles some business deals with Manny and I handle the boxing end of things. These are Manny’s decisions and I respect his decisions.

DT: So the rumors about you and Manny splitting are just rumors?

FR: 100%, Manny and I will always be together as a team. He has a lot of respect for me and how I have helped his career. Manny’s success relates to my success and it’s been one of the great Trainer/Fighter relationships in boxing.

DT: Probably the best in the history of boxing.

FR: Thank You.

DT: Fred how does the Ninja look today?

FR : He looks great, we are 99% there and I would say that we are where we want to be at this point. He is sparring 16 straight rounds with no problems. People will be amazed at how strong he will look on fight night. He is really a bigger, faster, stronger version of how he looked against Ricky Hatton.

DT: Wow! How do you see the fight?

FR: Manny will knock out Cotto for certain!

DT: When?

FR: Probably in nine or ten.

DT: Do you think that Cotto will come out in round one and be aggressive?

FR: I think he will run and try to be a counter puncher like Marquez.

DT: Speaking of Marquez, what did you think of his fight with Mayweather?

FR: Come on, you had one guy that was much bigger than the other. Mayweather did not fight, he leaned back and took advantage of his reach and size advantage. A very boring fight and I was not surprised with the PPV numbers. I believe a lot of people, certainly the Filipinos, bought the fight just to see how Mayweather would look against Manny.

DT: Fred the Ninja is smaller than Mayweather, how would you train him to beat Mayweather?

FR: Mayweather is a difficult opponent. He is very good with the defense and he will not take chances in a fight. Manny punches much harder than Marquez and we will constantly be putting pressure on Mayweather, if he gives us the body to hit then we hit the body, we will beat him up because Manny hits harder and he is the faster fighter.

DT: So that’s the strategy against Mayweather?

FR: Beat his body up, yes.

DT: So the strategy against Cotto will be?

FR: If Cotto comes forward then he is knocked out. He is a good counter puncher but if he chooses to go that way then we will constantly be on the attack.

DT: Fred, Manny has been knocked down by body punches and Cotto is known as a body puncher.

FR: Manny was knocked down by body shots when he was 112 lbs. and that was nine years ago. I can guarantee you that will never happen again. Never, ever!

DT: So Cotto will not land any body shots against Manny?

FR: Cotto probably will not land a single punch against Manny, he is just too slow. Manny will be fighting the in and out style which will give him such a huge advantage against a very slow fighter. Manny will tag him hard at some point of the fight and then finish him off. Cotto has been lucky against other fighters who let him off the hook when he was hurt. Manny smells blood and he goes for the kill shot. Manny is in the best condition and stronger than I have ever seen him this close to a fight.

DT: Fred, how about the fact that Cotto knows how to negate his opponents speed. Like he did against Mosley?

FR: Mosley is not in the same class of hand speed that Manny brings to a fight. Cotto will not be able to stop Manny’s speed without being knocked out.

DT: When will team Pacquiao head to Las Vegas.

FR: Monday, November 9th.

DT: Thank you for the time.

FR: David, I want to thank everyone that sent letters, e-mails, phone calls, while we were training in the Philippines. People have been very kind, and I am touched by their concern. I wish I could reach out personally to each and everyone that needs help, especially in the Philippines where things are really bad. It’s a tough time and I hope Manny’s big victory can bring a moment of happiness to the Filipinos as they try and recover from the recent devastation caused by the Typhoons.

DT: Freddie Roach, those are some very kind words for Manny’s fans and his fellow countrymen. May the love of God be with the people of the Philippines. As for team Pacquiao, we wish you all the best on November 14th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas!

***David Tyler replies to all his e-mails and loves to hear from the readers. Comments, Questions, Suggestions, E-mail David now at: dtyler53@cox.net

Source: doghouseboxing.com

Pacquiao remains on track for title quest

LOS ANGELES — Manny Pacquiao denied that humanitarian work in typhoon-ravaged Philippines took away from his training sessions for an upcoming title fight with Miguel Cotto.

Pacquiao donated money and took time out from his sparring sessions to help the victims in the wake of typhoons that killed hundreds of people and rendered tens of thousands of families homeless in his native Philippines.

"It was mentally draining for him to see the devastation because thousands passed away and that is sad but once we stepped in the gym he was fine," trainer Freddie Roach said.

About 1,000 people died due to the two storms and more than 162,000 people had to be moved into makeshift evacuation centres because of back-to-back typhoons Ketsana and Parma.

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 27 KOs) said he would have liked to do more but had to get back to training or risk not being fully prepared to face World Boxing Organization champ Cotto in their November 14 fight in Las Vegas.

"I wanted to help them but I am in the middle of heavy training," said Pacquiao. "It is difficult but I have to focus on my fight and nobody can help me in the ring."
Pacquiao, of General Santos City, is chasing a piece of boxing history by trying to win seven titles in seven-different divisions. Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) has been called a throwback fighter but Roach says Pacquiao is more old school.

"Manny is a throwback," said Roach, who is predicting Pacquiao will knock Cotto out. "He is like a Henry Armstrong type of guy.

"He is carrying his punch and his power up with him. This would be one of the greatest achievements ever and he would surpass great ones like Sugar Ray Leonard."
Pacquiao, who attempted to run for a seat at the House of Representatives in 2007, arrived in Los Angeles on the weekend after training in both Baguio City and Manila for just over a month.

He has been working the last few days with Roach at the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles.
"I am excited," Pacquiao said Wednesday. "It is going to be great because our style is kind of similar."

"I am hungry to win this fight. I feel like I am in 100 percent condition. I can't wait until November 14."

Roach said they had to leave for the US sooner than expected because of the demands on Pacquiao's time in the Philippines.

"Baguio worked out well because we asked people to stay away," Roach said. "He didn't have politicians bothering him.

"He was on fire the whole month there and we had great camp. The weather messed with us but we ran in the rain and we ran inside sometimes.

"The last week in Manila was tougher because everyone was trying to pull him different ways. There were lots of politicians."

Pacquiao is hugely popular among people of all ages in his native country and among Filipino expats, working overseas as labourers or domestic helpers.

Roach took it one step further Wednesday saying that Pacquiao is more popular than American boxer Mike Tyson in his prime.

"Even Mike Tyson didn't have the drawing power that Manny has," Roach said of his former fighter Iron Mike. "People just swarm (Pacquiao) to get a touch or a look. His countrymen love him.

"He brightens up a room and has got a great smile. He's the type of fighter that is going to keep boxing alive."

Roach said their game plan against Cotto is to stay away from underdog's devastating left hook and take away his counterpunching ability.

"We watched all the tapes of him (Cotto)," Roach said. "Cotto has never fought a guy like Manny Pacquiao and I don't think he can handle it.

"He is going to try to be a counterpuncher and not come at us."

Roach said he thinks that if Pacquiao can wear Cotto down then the Puerto Rican star might give up.

"I feel Miguel Cotto isn't deep enough and he can be hit," Roach said. "He took a beating in his fight with Antonio Margarito. He tried to quit in the ninth round holding his eye and he sucked it up came on and won the fight. We are not going to give him confidence in this fight.

"We are making adjustments for Cotto's style and his big left hook."
While Cotto is fighting at his natural weight (145 pounds), heavy favourite Pacquiao is moving up in class to meet the challenge.

Asked if Pacquiao could go even heavier for his next fight, Roach said, "I don't think so. At 147 pounds we have to feed him five times a day to keep the weight on."
Roach said the knockout to Margarito might have have scarred the confidence of Cotto.
"After you get knocked out for the first time in your life you need time to build your confidence back," Roach said. "You are undefeated and then you get knocked out, it is going to affect you.

"We are just getting ready for Cotto and whatever he brings. If he wants to box us or fight us."

Source: google.com

Pacquiao seeking title in record seventh division

Manny Pacquiao has a chance to win a major title in a record seventh weight class when he faces welterweight titleholder Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, or 41 percent of the 17 weight divisions.

That probably doesn’t rival Henry Armstrong’s feat of holding the featherweight, lightweight and welterweight titles simultaneously but it certainly is remarkable.

Pacquiao has won titles as a flyweight (1998), junior featherweight (2001), featherweight (2003, THE RING), junior lightweight (2008), lightweight (2008) and welterweight (2009, THE RING), which equals Oscar De La Hoya’s six-division record.

And boxing historian Cliff Rold pointed out that Pacquiao is the only fighter in history to win four lineal titles (112 pounds, 126, 130 and 140), which descend directly from the original champions.

“It would be unbelievable,” Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, said on a conference call Wednesday. “Manny is a throwback, like a Henry Armstrong type of guy. You don’t have guys moving up to win championships in all these different weight divisions. He’s carried his punch, power and speed up with him. He’s getting better and better.

“This is one of the greatest achievements ever. … He’s in the elite category. He’s in the Top Five best fighters of all time of any era.”

Pacquiao was typically understated when asked about the prospect of a title in a seventh weight division.

“It’s a good honor for me and to my country, bringing history to my country,” he said.

Could he make it eight divisions one day? Probably not.

“I don’t think so,” Roach said when asked whether Pacquiao could fight above the welterweight division. “We’re close to our limit at 147. We have to feed him five times a day to keep weight on him. I think this will be his final stop.

“You never know, though. The right guy might come along at 154 and maybe we’ll go there.”

Revisionist history? A reporter suggested that Cotto might be the first true welterweight Pacquiao will have faced. That includs Oscar De La Hoya, who many believe was a shell of what he had been.

Roach bristled at that perception because of how it reflects on Pacquiao’s victory over De La Hoya.

“Before the fight, they said he’d kill Manny,” he said. “Manny would’ve beat him on his best day. Why do people say Oscar had a bad night? Why not look at it as Manny having a good night?

That begged the question: If Pacquiao destroys Cotto, who most observers believe is a legitimate threat to the Filipino icon, will the critics then say, “Well, he was damaged goods because of the beating he took from Antonio Margarito?”

“Of course you will,” said Roach, referring to the media. “… That’s the way the world is. I look at it in a different way. I look at Manny as the greatest fighter in the world today and I think he’s going to prove it again.”

Pacquiao wouldn’t get into the fray, saying simply, “It’s their right to think what they want.”

KO coming? Roach stuck by his prediction that Pacquiao will knock out Cotto.

“Working the mitts with Manny this week … he’s punching much harder than he has,” Roach said. “He’s getting used to the weight; he’s very used to it now. He’s just punching fast and hard. I think Miguel Cotto’s defense is not good enough; he’s hittable. And people Manny can hit he knocks out.

Roach said he believes Cotto has bounced back nicely from his knockout loss to Antonio Margarito in July of last year, building confidence in victories over Michael Jennings and Joshua Clottey in his subsequent two fights.

He doesn’t want to allow Cotto to build any more confidence against Pacquiao.

“The fight with Margarito, he did take a beating in that fight,” he said. “In his first comeback fight, he fought an average guy and didn’t look great. Being knocked out for the first time takes confidence away, though. He looked better in the Clottey fight. … That gave him more confidence back.

“We want to take that away from him right away. That’s why we’re going to start quick.”

That might also be why Roach has boldly predicted a first-round knockout, although he didn’t state a round in the conference call.

Pleasantly surprised: Roach had been leery of training in the Philippines because of distractions but was satisfied with the work he and Pacquiao did over a month in Baguio in spite of typhoons. That wasn’t the case when they moved camp to Manila, where distractions abounded.

However, Roach liked what he saw from Pacquiao in his first sparring sesson in the U.S. on Tuesday.

“There’s still a little bit of jet lag,” he said. “I didn’t expect a great day (from Pacquiao) with the jet lag. He gave me 10 great rounds yesterday, though. He’s back on track. He’s very close to being ready for the fight.”

Pacquiao agreed.

“I feel I’m in 100 percent condition,” he said. “I can’t wait until Nov. 14.”

Roach has dismissed sparring partners Jose Luis Castillo and Urbano Antillion but will continue to use Shawn Porter. He also brought in once-beaten welterweight Rashad Hollway and junior middleweight Ray Beltran.

“I think Manny was getting a little bit too used to the sparring partners he had, Castillo and Antillon,” Roach said. “They went home. We got some fresh guys to liven it up a bit, to keep Manny focused.”

Pacquiao vs. Ali and De La Hoya: Arum was asked how Pacquiao’s popularity compares to that of Muhammad Ali and Oscar De La Hoya, both of whom he also promoted.

“Ali was a proponent of a political position and also … became a spokesman for the civil rights movement at a time when it was really emerging into everyone’s vision,” he said. “So Ali had tremendous political impact, particularly his stance on the Vietnam War. He was able to come back and fight. People idolized him.

“Manny Pacquaio doesn’t have that major political statement; he’s not controversial. But he’s engaged in politics in the Philippines. And everything that he does is very pro-humanity. So he’s really loved by the people of the Philippines and the U.S. and all over the world. To that extent, he’s really crossed over into the American public. People know who Manny Pacquiao is and he’s genuinely admired. I’ve never, ever seen anything like the adulation, the way he’s treated by Filipinos in the Phillipines and all over the world. That’s something Ali never really had, that type of frenzy, with 90 million people in the Philippines and 11 million Filipino people around the world.

“As far as Oscar goes, he was popular in the U.S. He was good looking, charismatic, a good fighter. His popularity was pretty much limited to the U.S. That made him an awful lot of money. But he around the world, he didn’t’ have the recognition of either Ali or Pacquiao.”

Michael Rosenthal can be reached at RingTVeditor@yahoo.com

Source: ringtv.com

Notes from Manny Pacquiao's training camp

The door leading in to Hollywood's Wild Card Gym opened Tuesday afternoon and in walked Manny Pacquiao.

Boxing's top pound-for-pound fighter arrived back in L.A. this weekend, and although he's still recovering from the jet lag from the lengthy flight from his native Philippines where he trained for 31 days, Pacquiao is preparing to ramp up his conditioning as the days dwindle to his Nov. 14 welterweight showdown against Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas.

"He's tired right now, you can see it in his eyes," Pacquiao trainer's, Freddie Roach, said.

Pacquiao and Roach withstood typhoons that devastated other parts of the Philippines as they set up training camp in Baguio in the northern part of the country. The training was done in near-solitude by Pacquiao standards -- he is a national icon.

"I've never seen him more relaxed, his body is relaxed more than I've ever seen it," his U.S. advisor, Michael Koncz said. "The crowds in Baguio were very respectful of his need to be left alone during training."

One of Pacquiao's sparring partners overseas was former world lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo, who reported Tuesday that "you have to have [guts] to get in the ring with [Pacquiao], he's very dedicated and is all about constant preparation. It's going to be a great fight. The more intelligent man will win, and Manny is very smart."

Since knocking out Ricky Hatton in a sensational performance May 2, Pacquiao has filmed a movie that will likely be released next year and have him starring as a father who transforms into a Superman-Batman-like superhero. He's also been declared an ambassador, won a peace/humanitarian prize and has decided to run again for a seat in his country's national congress. He lost a previous bid.

Pacquiao has to decide by the end of November if he'll seek a specific provincial office or pursue a national seat. The election is in May 2010, Koncz said.

Roach said he believes Pacquiao should avoid politics because "he can do more for his country in boxing than he can in politics, and in politics you can't make everyone happy like he does now."

-- Lance Pugmire

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

Freddie Roach offers US$1,000 to anyone who can floor Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach has offered US$1,000 [£611] to any sparring partner that can knock down the Filipino.

Pacquiao, widely regarded as the world's best pound-for-pound fighter, started training on Tuesday at Hollywood's Wild Card club in Los Angeles ahead of his 14 November bout with the Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto.

"The money is still with me and I am telling the new sparring partners that they will be rewarded with $1,000 if they score a knockdown over Manny in sparring," Roach told the Manila Bulletin newspaper's website.

Pacquiao's last fight was his second-round knockout of Ricky Hatton in May.

Source: guardian.co.uk

Pacquiao back to ‘normal’

Manny Pacquiao has reverted back to his old ways.

Despite the punishing effects of jet lag, Pacquiao still managed to give trainer Freddie Roach a reason to smile when the Filipino kicked off his sparring session on US soil on Wednesday at the Wild Card in Hollywood, less than three weeks before the November 14 duel with Miguel Cotto.

Sparring 10 full rounds with unbeaten super-welterweight Shawn Porter and super-feather Ray Beltran and one guy Porter handpicked to help, Pacquiao didn’t resort to things that made Roach cringe the last time he worked out in Manila over the weekend.

“It’s back to normal,” said Roach on the phone from the sweat shop located on Vine Street. “I was surprised that he looked good today despite the jet lag. There was no more playing around this time.”

Pacquiao, Roach noted, did four rounds with Porter then had three apiece with Beltran and the unidentified fellow who subbed for original choice Raymond Serrano.

“He had a lot more focus today than the last time (in Manila),” added Roach.

Roach said another former sparmate, super-welter Rashad Holloway, will likely be called in to replace Serrano as Pacquiao hikes the number of rounds to 11 on Thursday and as much as 12 on Saturday before he begins to slow down next week.

Roach expects Pacquiao’s showing to improve even more in the coming days now that they are training under familiar conditions.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao and Roach are hosting a teleconference call this Thursday to give the media a deeper look into their training camp.

Source: mb.com.ph

Watch out for Cotto’s power

The fight between Miguel Angel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao on November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas highlights two traits needed by world-class boxers—power and speed.

Cotto is regarded as a power puncher while Pacquiao, although he packs power in his mitts, is better known for his speed. These two qualities would play a huge role come fight night.

Power

THE power of a punch in general is defined by two things: by the weight thrown behind the punch and by the speed by which the punch is thrown.

The reason Cotto is an interesting fighter to watch is because he throws all his punches with a lot of power. He puts his body behind every punch. His conditioning level is so high he can sustain this work rate all throughout a fight.

This same power was evident in his fights against quick fighters—Shane Mosley and Zab Judah, two (stylist) boxers who rely on speed for their victories but have been beaten by Cotto.

Cotto is a natural welterweight. He should have a heavier punch that, if it cleanly connects, may hurt Pacquiao. The Filipino, although expected to be in tip-top shape, could still get hurt.

On the other hand, Pacquiao brings in something alien to Cotto. Pacquiao’s power is generated not only by his weight but also by his speed. A lot of his sparring partners swear he has the power of a middleweight (160 lb) and, if both fighters weigh the same on fight day, Pacquiao will readily multiply his power through the speed he inherently possesses.

There is no doubt about the Filipino’s power in the 140-lb category. He demonstrated he can drop “naturally bigger men” against Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton—the latter with a very quick win.

Speed

Cotto may be fast versus other welterweights, but Pacquiao is clearly faster.

Cotto looked perplexed in his last fight against Joshua Clottey (although it can be argued that a cut above the eye that caused blood to cover his eye may have slowed him down). Clottey, evidently more agile, was picking his punches; connecting when he wanted with jabs and straights and left Cotto flat-footed at times, revealing a weakness in the latter’s defense.

Cotto needs speed to get away and react to Pacquiao’s punches and to be able to tag “The Pacman” with his left hooks.

Ability to position for the punch (agility and leg power)

Over the last couple of fights, Pacquiao has proven to have honed the ability to move well and find the openings to throw from various angles. Leg movement and positioning honed by rigorous drills at the gym molded Pacquiao into a well-oiled machine.

Cotto lately has been a stand-up fighter relying on torso movement rather than leg movement to find openings. He relies heavily on his power punches to the body that he does not seem to give emphasis on moving away from his opponent.

If Cotto can find a way to cut the ring and box-in Pacquiao, then throw well-timed body shots, he may be able to slow down the Filipino.

With calculated movements Cotto can conserve enough energy for the long haul and steal the win in the later rounds.

Although the speed factor gives Pacquiao a huge edge, as they say, a power puncher will always have an advantage. A power puncher will always have chance to win a fight even if he is way down on points. Cotto’s power will be something to watch out for.

Source: businessmirror.com.ph

Pacquiao vs. Cotto: Breakdown and Prediction

By Ted Sares - I think it was a very smart move by Miguel to move the whole team to Tampa for this fight and for the last fight --Joe Santiago

He is right where I want him to be, perfect --Freddie Roach

These two will fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 14 in what promises to be another great war between two superstars—this one at a catch weight of 145 pounds. Cotto is 34-1 with a lofty KO percentage of 77.14 while Pacquiao is 49-3-2 with an impressive KO percentage of 68.52.

The Breakdown: In many ways, these two are more alike than not. They are skilled, have great heart, are great sportsmen, and represent their respective homelands with dignity and class, but enough of the niceties, let’s cut to the chase..

Level of Opposition:

Manny has fought 9 fights against 5 guys who arguably have a great shot at being inducted into the Hall of Fame. But he also fought and beat fine Thai and Filipino fighters with great records coming in. If you throw a dart at his list of opponents, you might, for example, hit South Korean Seung-Kon Chae (23-0), Mexican Oscar Larios (56-4-1), Thai Wethya Sakmuangklang (41-3), or Colombian Jorge Eliecer Julio (44-3).

Cotto’s list of opponents is also impressive. It includes name like Zab Zudah, Sugar Shane Mosley, and Antonio Margarito. He is now coming off a split decision win over the tough Joshua Clottey, a fight in which he showed that he can still fight through adversity.

Style

Cotto is a boxer/puncher but most often, he is a stalking and menacing presence that carefully breaks down his opponents with heavy and punishing body attacks. In his fight with Mosley, he showed he is far more than a banger; in fact, he seems to add to his technical skills each time he fights.

But speaking of skills, Pacquiao now seems to possess an arsenal the qualitative content and completeness of which only Floyd Mayweather Junior can stake claim to. With his in-and-out whirlwind movement, effective jabs, fight-ending hooks from both hands, solid stamina, and a sound defense, there is little to criticize. As for speed, Pacquiao is flat out faster than Cotto in every way, particularly with his foot movement.

Both have one punch Knock Out power, though in my opinion, Cotto is stronger than Pac Man at this weight and if he connects flush, he could send Pac Man back to General Santos City faster than you can say “Boricua.” But Pacquio’s ability to send Cotto to Caguas dreamland should not be underestimated. It will be interesting to see what happens when Miguel tests Manny with his first rattling body shot.

Chin

Cotto has been hurt on a number of occasions and I see his chin as being relatively weaker than that of Manny’s, but his recuperative power and strength advantage make this a wash. Manny has been hurt badly as well, but it occurred too far back to be meaningful in my view.

Ring IQ

Both are savvy and experienced fighters, but I believe Pacquiao has the edge as he can adapt to different situations faster. However, Cotto showed he can adjust as well in the Mosley fight and then later against Clottey when he fought from the outside during the last rounds. Yet, was this from being overly cautious perhaps as a result of the so-called “Ghost of Margarito,” or was it because Clottey held back for some inexplicable reason and did not press the action? If a similar situation develops in this fight, Pacquiao will not be reticent and will jump on Cotto faster than you can say “Pinoy.”

Intangibles

These are particularly important. Let’s start with …

1) Momentum: Pac Man gets the clear nod. He is on a great streak of big wins (Hatton, De La Hoya, Diaz, Marquez, Barrera, Solis, Morales, and Larios). Cotto, however, is coming off a close SD win, a walk-over win with Michael Jennings, and a devastating TKO loss to Margarito. More importantly, the loss to Margarito raises questions as to whether he is as good as he once was.

2) Cuts: Both fighters are prone to cuts, so the effectiveness of their respective cut men could play a key role here. It certainly did in Cotto’s last outing. Moreover, Manny’s body is more rested than Cotto’s.

3) Trainers and Camp: Freddie Roach vs. Junito’s relatively new corner. On April 8, 2009, Cotto fired his uncle, Evangelista Cotto, from the team's staff, following a reportedly violent discussion. He then appointed Joe Santiago, who had been his nutritionist, as his new trainer. Though he guided Miguel to victory in the Clottey fight, the clear nod goes to Roach. Look, you don’t argue with his kind of success.

However, there have been rumors (which I don’t necessarily buy) that the strong chemistry between Freddie and Manny has been straining some. If true, this evens out what could be an obvious advantage for Pacquiao. The typhoons have devastated the Philippines while Manny was training there. How this might impact him is conjectural, but it did, in fact, force Roach to break camp early against Manny’s objections. Still, it could provide an incentive for Manny in the fight. This is a classic intangible factor. On balance, it does appear Cotto is having a more serene camp than Pac Man.

4) Cotto's loss to Margarito: Some say it was suspicious and therefore the severity of it should be discounted. But even assuming that to be so, the beating took place so suspicious or not, the damage was done.

5) Catch Weight: Cotto coming down; Pacquiao coming up favors Cotto, though Pacquiao seems to take his strength with him as he moves up in weight.

6) Dimensions: They are both about the same size, but Cotto has a naturally bigger frame.

Outcome

I see Pac Man beating Miguel Cotto in a fast paced action fight in which Manny will exploit Cotto’s weakness beginning in the mid rounds (but I don’t see it happening the other way around). This exploitation will be enhanced by Pacquio’s incredibly fast in-and-out movement accompanied by just about every punch in the manual-- and each thrown with malice aforethought—as he cuts and befuddles Cotto and starts to slow down his trademark stalk as he lands punches from every direction.

Now then, I clearly remember Cotto backing up in the late rounds against Clottey and I think I even might have seen glimpses of “Margorito” being somewhere in that ring. If Cotto backs up against Pacquiao (and I think he will at some point), the Filipino superman will be on him fast and will not let him off the hook. Of course, if Pac back up against Cotto going into the late rounds, that could spell doom for him, because Cotto is a stalker extraordinaire and who knows how to close off a ring and knows how to close a fight.

In sum, given his superb performance against Ricky Hatton and given Miguel’s not-so-superb performance against Clottey, Manny may well win within the distance, perhaps on cuts. Cotto will not like the overwhelming variety of weapons he faces including stinging jabs, right hooks to the head, left hooks to the jaw, brutal uppercuts (remember Margorito), speed, and in-and-out movement the likes of which he has never before seen. Miguel, on the other hand, will show Manny nothing new except strength and maybe one of the best body attacks in boxing. But speed will be the decisive factor here and speed is what Manny Pacquiao is all about.

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Dundee not betting on a Pacquiao win vs Cotto

For the third time, legendary trainer Angelo Dundee is keeping off his bet on Manny Pacquiao in his Nov. 14 title showdown with Miguel Cotto.

Despite being proven wrong twice before by the Filipino boxing champion, the 88-year-old Dundee thinks reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title holder Cotto has got what it takes to pull off a stunning upset.

Hall of Fame trainer Dundee visited Cotto's training camp recently in Tampa, Florida, and was convinced the Puerto Rican champion can beat Pacquiao based on what he had seen.

“If I had to pick anybody in the world to fight Pacquiao, it would be Cotto," Dundee, who recently moved in from Miami to Tampa, told Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, whom he chanced upon at Cotto’s Florida training camp.

“Cotto has the best chance of anybody to beat him (Pacquiao) because of his physical power and strong left hook."

Despite being a revered boxing personality involved in the “sweet science" for more than six decades now, Dundee has never got it right in Pacquiao’s last two fights.

The long-retired trainer helped prepare superstar Oscar De La Hoya when he fought the "Pacman" a year ago in a mega-fight that ended with boxing’s "Golden Boy" quitting on his stool just before the ninth round of their "Dream Match" showdown.

The bout proved to be De La Hoya’s last as he retired shortly after.

And only last summer, Dundee also picked two-time junior middleweight champion Ricky Hatton to beat the hell out of Pacquiao. The opposite happened as the 30-year-old General Santos City native knocked the lights out of the boxer from Manchester and scored a swift, second round technical knockout.

As the man who promotes both Pacquiao and Cotto, Arum wouldn’t come out in public as to who he thinks will win the much-anticipated slugfest at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

But having seen the two fighters sweat it out in training camps, the veteran boxing promoter, undoubtedly, is a lot impressed with Pacquiao’s work ethic.

“I think, in general, both guys looked very, very good," he said.

“Cotto looked strong. He’s Cotto. He works hard for two hours, He does all his sparring. He’s in tremendous shape," said Arum of the 28-year-old champion from Caguas, Puerto Rico.

Yet for Arum, Pacquiao does more than that.

“I know Cotto works hard, but in contrast to the other guy (Pacquiao), it looks like he’s taking a vacation," said the 77-year-old promoter. - GMANews.TV

Source: gmanews.tv

Cotto Trainer Santiago's Point: The Fighters Will Do The Fighting

Joe Santiago looks like a guy who might sell you insurance or do your taxes or fix your car.

There are no serious scars on his face or wrinkles under his eyes, and he doesn’t have one of those crooked, telltale noses that says he’s been in a few ring wars. His fingers are all pretty straight, and if you passed him on the street, you wouldn’t look at him twice.

He looks young and educated, someone you might meet at a stockholders meeting.

So how did this guy become head trainer of one of the best fighters in the world? Aren’t trainers suppose to look like Mick from the Rocky movies? You know, the gravelly voice, the cauliflower ear, maybe a stogie stuck in the corner of his mouth. A real trainer should be older than dirt and he should wear tired shoes and a watch cap. He should be someone who could tell you how he almost won the middleweight title back in 1959, but he got cut in the 13th round when he was fighting Kid Savage at The Garden, but damn, he was so close. If they just could have stopped the cut from bleeding.

That’s not Joe Santiago.

Bet a few eyebrows popped up when he suddenly took over the responsibility of getting Cotto ready to fight Joshua Clottey this past June. Wasn’t Santiago a nutritionist or something? So how did he get this job?

Well, he pretty much inherited it.

When Cotto’s uncle/trainer, Evangelista Cotto threw a cinder block through the car window of Cotto’s new Jaguar after the two had an argument and threw a few punches back in Puerto Rico earlier this year, their relationship became a little strained. The uncle was let go, camp was moved to Tampa and Santiago was handed the franchise.

Santiago passed his first test when Cotto beat Clottey despite a bad cut he suffered in the early rounds. But there were some problems in the corner that night.

“Sometimes in the corner we were a little late getting in and getting out and being where we should be between rounds,“ Santiago said on a recent conference call. “We had different people going in there and at times, it was difficult to work.“

With the biggest fight in Cotto’s life just up ahead, they need to smooth out those rough edges.

The franchise will earn about $10 million on Nov. 14 when Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) defends his WBO welterweight title against Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, though the fight should carry an asterisk since Pacquiao’s corner demanded they fight at a catch weight of 145 pounds instead of the welterweight limit of 147 pounds.

But Cotto and his camp don’t seem too concerned about the catch weight. Cotto weighed 146 for his last fight, that gutsy win over Joshua Clottey.

So what about Santiago. Is he in over his head?

“I have known (Cotto) for seven years and I know they talked about bringing in well-known trainers,” Santiago said from their training camp back at the Fight Factory in Tampa where they trained for the Clottey fight. “But I think the fact that I have known him for a long time and he feels comfortable with me gave me an advantage over all those guys. I think it‘s a question of getting everybody on the right page and I think we’ve done that.“

While Santiago is still learning his way around as a head trainer, Pacquiao will be sitting in his corner listening to Freddie Roach, one of the most respected trainers in the game. But Santiago said he doesn’t feel intimidated.

“I have a lot of respect for what Freddie Roach has done, but it has nothing to do with us,“ Santiago said. "It’s the fighters that are going to do the fighting. They have their work to do and we have our work to do. As long as our guy wins, we are going to get recognized for it.”

Promoter Bob Arum, who promotes both Pacquiao and Cotto, said Roach, who has talked about a first-round knockout, is a great trainer, but he’s also a great psychologist.

“A lot of what Freddie says is to get in camp Cotto’s head,“ Arum said on the same conference call. “There is nothing wrong with that. That’s boxing. The fight could go a lot of different ways, and that’s why it’s going to be a great fight.“

Any predictions from Cotto’s camp?

“On the 15th, we will be at 145 pounds, no question,” Santiago said. “On the 14th, it’s going to be a great night. And on the 15th, we are going to celebrate with the country of Puerto Rico.”

Source: thesweetscience.com

Pacquiao works out at Wildcard

*click the image to view more.

Six-time world champion pound-for-pound king Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao worked out Monday with chief trainer Freddie Roach at the Wildcard Boxing Club in Hollywood during his first day training since arriving in the United States on Saturday. Pacquiao is preparing for his upcoming “FIREPOWER” welterweight championship fight against three-time world champion and the pride of Puerto Rico Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao vs Cotto is promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Cotto Promotions, MGM Grand and Tecate, and will take place November 14 at the sold out MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It will also be available on pay per view.

Source: fightnews.com

Fight still on even if Cotto is 2lbs overweight

Even if Miguel Cotto comes in over the catch weight for his Nov. 14 showdown with Manny Pacquiao, trainer Freddie Roach would still agree to push on with the fight.

Of course, on one condition.

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion from Puerto Rico has to be just two pounds over at 145. Anything more than that, and the 12-round title bout would be called off.

“That’s the highest we could go (147 pounds). I would call the fight off if he comes in weighing more than that," said Roach, now back in the comforts of his Wild Card gym in Los Angeles, California after a month-long stay in the Philippines for the first part of Pacquiao’s training camp for his Nov. 14 slugfest with the 28-year old Cotto.

“We’ll let that fight happen, but I think 147 pounds is our limit."

Floyd Mayweather Jr. came up with that devious plan in his recent comeback fight against Juan Manuel Marquez as he came in two pounds heavier than the agreed catch weight of 144.

Although the unbeaten American shelled out $600,000 ($300,000 per pound over) as penalty for being overweight, Mayweather was spared from draining his body to meet the catch weight, and thus, came out fresh and the stronger fighter between the two.

In contrast, Marquez had to add weight (from 135 pounds to 144) in his first foray in the welterweight class, resulting in a spectacular, one-sided win for the 32-year old Mayweather.

Cotto has not fought below the welterweight limit (147 pounds) since 2006 and needed to go two pounds below to make the fight possible.

In contrast, Pacquiao will be fighting as a welterweight for the second time in a year. He first fought at 147 when he retired the great Oscar De La Hoya in their “Dream Match" last December.

Under the terms of the contract, Roach said Cotto is bound to pay Pacquiao $1 million for every pound over the 145 catch weight.

The WBO could also strip Cotto of his welterweight title in case he comes in overweight.

Prior to departing for the U.S. for the last two weeks of training camp, Pacquiao already weighs in at 146.

Roach said he plans to have the boxing champion comes in at 140-142 pounds during weigh-in, and then be at 148 or 149 on fight night.

In contrast, Roach expects Cotto to be 160 by fight night.

“The bigger he is, the better for us," said Roach. – GMANews.TV

Source: gmanews.tv

Watching Manny Pacquiao train in the Philippines

By Bob Arum · October 26, 2009 · 12:50 PM
The next time somebody says that it’s a small world please ignore him. Take it from me, having just done a whirlwind tour to the Philippines, then to New York, followed by a trip to Tampa, it’s still a very big world.

I recently visited the training camps of both pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines, and WBO titleholder champion Miguel Cotto in Florida. Since my first visit was to Baguio in the northern part of Luzon, where Manny is training, I will tell you about my impressions of Manny’s preparations in this article. In my next column, I’ll do the same about Miguel’s training base in Tampa.

To get to Baguio, one must first fly to Manila, the country’s capital. Philippine Airlines has a regular daily flight direct to Manila that includes a one-hour stop in Vancouver, Canada. Its rates are reasonable and the service is excellent.

The plane arrives in Manila at approximately 5 a.m., and the drive to Baguio takes four to five hours, depending on traffic. Only part of the drive is on a regular highway, after which the road continues through one small town after another with traffic moving very slowly. About one hour before arriving in Baguio, the scenery becomes spectacular. Green mountains and valley vistas highlight beautiful scenic views of the China Sea.

Baguio itself is a mountain town 5,000 feet above sea level. It was built by the United States after taking control of the Philippines from Spain after the Spanish American War. Our government constructed Camp John Hay, a beautiful recreational area with huge pine trees, a great golf course and other amenities. It served as a rest and recreation area for U.S. servicemen in Asia until 1990, when it was transferred to the Filipino government.

Camp John Hay now houses the Manor, a luxury hotel constructed entirely from Canadian logs. This is a very popular summer vacation resort for the Manila elite. Freddie Roach, Manny’s trainer and Alex Ariza, his conditioning guru, were both ensconced at the Manor when I arrived.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, chose to stay in a hotel in town which housed the gym in which he was training. If Freddie’s hotel rated five stars, which it does, Manny’s hotel was so awful it would not even get one star. If there was a minus category, it would rate a minus five. But there is no accounting for taste. Manny was happy as a clam at his hotel and refused constant requests to move to the more luxurious Manor Hotel where the rest of us stayed.

The gym that Manny trained in was not much different from the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California, so I could see right away why Manny and Freddie felt so comfortable training there. The residents of Baguio respected the rules with regards to private workouts, enabling Manny to train in relative solitude. On the other hand, the morning runs were quite different. Manny would start at five in the morning and soon, hundreds of runners would materialize out of the darkness and run with Manny up and down the hills and roads. It was quite a scene.

Manny’s workout at the gym can only be described as awesome. In more than 40 years as a boxing promoter, working with Hall of Fame fighters like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, and Roberto Duran, I’ve never anything like it. His training sessions go on for about four hours without a break. After the usual warming-up exercises, Manny boxes most days with two or more sparring partners, then hits the mitts with Freddie for at least 10 more rounds.

This display of energy and stamina exhausts anyone watching, Manny doesn’t stop. He skips rope and works the heavy and light bags continuously for more than an hour. Only then does Manny finally stand still, which allows his Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez to pound his midsection with a bamboo pole for about twenty more minutes. The brutal workout finally concludes more than four hours after it starts.

In the sparring sessions, Manny trots out his entire arsenal of tactics and weapons. I was amazed once again to see him attack from one side and then the other. When his sparring mate reacts, Manny’s no longer there but is either right in front of his opponent or on the other side entirely. This unique tactic of disappearing in plain sight is the “Siegfried and Roy” weapon in Manny’s arsenal.

The shear athleticism that Manny brings to his workouts reminds me of the great martial artist Bruce Lee. The more one reflects on Manny and his ring performances, the clearer it becomes that he is the Bruce Lee of boxing. This athletic style is unique in boxing to Manny. In more than four decades of promoting fights, I have never seen anyone like Manny Pacquiao and his Bruce Lee style of boxing.

The mitt sessions with Freddie were also revealing. While Manny hits the mitts Freddie coaches him in moves he will undoubtedly use when he faces Cotto. It is fascinating to watch the teacher and pupil converse while Manny pounds on Freddie’s leather pads.

Three years ago, the mitt session would have consisted of Freddie giving instruction to Manny. Over time Manny the pupil, having learned so much from Freddie, takes an active and important part in the dialogue which sets out the plan Manny will use in fight night against Cotto. Watching the two of them interact now is like being at a boxing ballet, so well attuned are they to each other.

After three days in Baguio I headed down to Manila to catch my plane home. It left at 5 p.m. Sunday and arrived in Las Vegas at about 6 p.m. Sunday. Somewhere, somehow, I picked up a day which seems only fair since I lost one when I flew to the Philippines.

I also came away with the impression that Manny is getting better, improving all the time. Bottom line, Manny is getting into great shape as he prepares to give us another Pacquiao-Bruce Lee type of performance. He knows that in Cotto he faces his toughest foe ever, a real tough, determined opponent.

In my next column I will discuss Cotto’s training and just what he is doing to counteract the typhoon that is Manny Pacquiao.

Source: lasvegassun.com