Roach sees problem for Manny vs Cotto

Freddie Roach sees something in Miguel Cotto that could pose huge problems for Manny Pacquiao.

“Cotto is a strong and big guy and I expect a long and hard fight for Manny,” Roach said speaking from the Wild Card Boxing Club over the weekend.

Not only is Cotto a tough nut to crack, according to Roach, he’s better than Ricky Hatton.

“Cotto is much better than Ricky Hatton. (Hatton’s) not in the same class (with Cotto),” said Roach, referring to the Englishman who Pacquiao destroyed in two rounds last May.

Cotto being the naturally bigger guy, and Pacquiao the smaller fellow, Roach wants to even up things by forcing Cotto to come down to as low as he possibly could.

Against Hatton, Pacquiao weighed just 138 lbs, two lbs under the limit and when he faced and stopped Oscar De La Hoya last December in a weight class that had a 147-lb limit, the Filipino weighed just 142, a testament to the fact that Pacquiao has found his comfort zone at 140 lbs, which is also known as super-lightweight, junior-welter or light-welter.

Roach has made it known to Top Rank head Bob Arum that he wants a catch weight of 143 lbs for the proposed Nov. 14 bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Arum said Cotto has agreed to come down to 145 but the Puerto Rican’s nutritionist reportedly told the Hall of Fame promoter that the lightest Cotto can drop his weight is 144 lbs.

Pacquiao’s lawyer Franklin Gacal noted that when Cotto fought Joshua Clottey in their welterweight war last June 13 in New York, the Puerto Rican weighed 146 lbs, indicating he can still drop a few more.

Even at an agreed catchweight, Roach insists Pacquiao is not going to walk through Cotto the way he did against De La Hoya and Hatton.

“I won’t be surprised if this fight goes the distance,” said Roach, who was right on the money in predicting that Pacquiao would get the Golden Boy in nine rounds and the Hitman inside three.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao continues to enjoy his free time.

Yesterday, Pacquiao was in Vigan and attended the birthday party of former Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson, who turned 68 years old.

Source: mb.com.ph