Pacquiao Warned By Ex-Trainer: "Cotto is Dangerous"

The American trainer who handled Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao when he won the WBC flyweight title with a spectacular 8th round knockout of highly-favored Chatchai Sasakul of Thailand in December 1998 warns Pacquiao that WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto is “definitely a dangerous opponent.”

In an interview for the top-rated weekly boxing show “The Main Event”, Rick Staheli said that despite the dangers posed by Cotto he expects Pacquiao to ultimately win the fight and a record seven world titles.

Staheli said “if Manny uses his hand speed, his foot speed and he boxes him (Cotto) I think he’s the better guy on that night. I think Cotto is going to have to catch him and knock him out to win that fight. I’m really looking forward to this fight.”

Staheli said that trainer Freddie Roach “knows the weaknesses and strengths of both fighters and he knows Manny strengths – using his foot speed, his hand speed, different angles and a lot of punches in bunches. And if he sticks to that game- plan and boxes him I think he’ll beat him.”

He said “at the end of the day I think Freddie (Roach) just wants him to win this fight and not get hit because he (Pacquiao) is venturing into dangerous waters when this guy (Cotto) is a 145 pounds.”

Australia’s new IBO welterweight champion Lovemore Ndou who gave Cotto a rough time before dropping a close twelve round decision in Las Vegas in 2004 believes Pacquiao has the speed to beat Cotto.

In an interview with the Australian boxing magazine “World of Boxing” Ndou predicted it would be a great fight but added “I believe Pacquiao could be fighting Cotto at the right time. C otto got beat up really bad by (Antonio) Margarito and he struggled against (Joshua) Clottey. Based on that it could be Pacquiao’s fight. Pac should be too quick.”’’

Staheli also told us he was looking forward to the comeback fight of Floyd Mayweather Jr against Juan Manuel Marquez on September 19 in Las Vegas in a fight that will be telecast “live” in the Philippines by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN.

The American trainer said “It will be a tough fight for him (Mayweather) will win that fight and I think everybody wants to see Manny against Floyd, the last two pound-for-pound kings in the world.”

Staheli said he watched a replay of Mayweather’s fight against Carlos Baldomir and I realized that Pacquiao “is faster and to me Floyd doesn’t throw enough punches. I actually think that Manny can beat Floyd.”

Staheli said that if Marquez never fights Pacquiao again “he’ll go to his grave actually cursing Pacquiao because in his mind he thinks he won both of those fights where he got a draw and lost a controversial split decision. He is very, very hungry and he definitely wants a rematch with Pacquiao.”

Source: boxingscene.com