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