How much are you willing to bet on Cotto?

YOU CAN’T BLAME BOB ARUM FOR losing his cool after his sales pitch for Manny Pacquiao’s next fight failed to reach the man at bat.

Last heard of, Mr. Arum was still aching to send his message.

Sorry, but nobody appeared willing to listen a second time after Arum declared, with pontifical certainty, that Pacquiao’s next outing against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto would be hard to call.

Arum said Pacquiao-Cotto is a “pretty even fight.”

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That sales line, served like a tough, tasteless steak, predictably received a cold-shoulder treatment.

No, the fight set at the Las Vegas MGM Grand on Nov. 14, was not totally dumped.

But, in response, oddsmakers readily pegged Pacquiao an overwhelming 2-1 favorite.

Over at the sportsbook windows, that’s double-your-money for those who would dare go for Cotto.

On the other hand, you need to shell out $200 in order to collect a measly $100 dividend in the event of an expected Pacquiao win.

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So what did Arum next resort to?

Poor Uncle Bob, huffing and puffing, proceeded to tinker with the poundage, as though the fight would be decided over the obedient weighing scales, not inside the cruel, exacting ring.

He also allowed himself to be slurred in a tasteless word war with the top man at the WBO.

Although not reminiscent of any past Arum master stroke, that ploy did create enough noise.

Arum also fired another sales salvo, a cute one, and declared “Firepower” as the main label of the welterweight duel.

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But, try hard as he did, Arum’s initial sales pitch continued to be treated like a foul ball.

Meanwhile, the Pacquiao-Cotto bout loomed as another budding mismatch.

For one, they could not present a single Cotto fight video that would show he has got the hardware to effectively slash it out with Pacquiao.

OK, Cotto may indeed have some hidden firepower somewhere inside him.

But there’s nothing whatsoever that say he could effectively defend himself once the firefight starts.

* * *

Of course, the only thing that could save Cotto is great head movement.

The truth is that poor David Diaz, whom Pacquiao flattened with gusto, had shown better head use than the bigger but terribly predictable Cotto.

Well, who knows, there could be some brilliant, invisible moves that Cotto has stocked up on.

But, like it or not, it will be a breathless race once the Pacman ignites and explodes.

Arum stands a chance of scoring a homer, but only if he can assure that he’s not pitting a lumber yard log carrier against a sleek Formula One racer at the MGM Grand on Nov. 14.

Last but not the least, Arum did not have to call on the discredited Floyd Mayweather Sr. to help advertise Cotto’s limited worth.

Source: inquirer.net