Cotto’s right on track

Miguel Cotto is not taking any chances in so far as his preparation for the Nov. 14 super fight with Manny Pacquiao is concerned. Phil Landman, who is Cotto’s conditioning coach, told Fightnews and Manila Bulletin that the Puerto Rican puncher is right on track in training. “We finished the first week well,” Landman wrote in an email. “The work Miguel has done leading in to this training has been and will continue to be very beneficial. In the coming weeks we have a program set forth leading up to our departure to Tampa, focusing on the strength and conditioning side and building on the base Miguel has carried in to this camp.”

Landman, who works side by side with chief trainer Joe Santiago, said the 28-year-old reigning World Boxing Organization welterweight king would still work out a sweat during next week’s press/publicity tour that will bring them and Team Pacquiao to New York, Caguas (Puerto Rico), San Francisco, Los Angeles and possibly San Diego.

“The press tour is coming up and it’s a challenging week with all the traveling, erratic hours and long days. Obviously not that conducive to the training but it is also necessary and part of it and we work around the schedule. We have a program set forth for that week so we try to minimize losing out on any of the preparation,” said Landman, who arrived in the islands nine days ago.

Long before Landman arrived, Cotto had been frequenting the gym and sweating it out.

On Monday, Cotto finally began sparring and the guy who was on the receiving end of his power shots was Puerto Rican welterweight Frankie Santos.

Meanwhile, Landman also revealed that while diet and nutrition play a huge role in training, Cotto’s sustenance do not require the importation of game meat like antelope and other funky stuff that was said to have been tried by Oscar De La Hoya when he was training for Pacquiao last year.

“As far as diet goes there is nothing extravagant that Miguel enjoys or that we make a part of his diet during training. He eats a combination of good balanced meals sticking to the basics, fish, chicken etc as well as a foods common to the Puerto Rican diet. Miguel is an avid cook and over the last couple of years has really come to understand what the benefit of eating well has on his training and recovery,” added Landman.

Source: fightnews.com