Pacquiao Decimates Cotto, Becomes 7-Division Champion

My apologies for not updating this blog these past few days. A friend during my college days came over and I had no choice but to do my moral obligation to such person – show him around and make sure he (by that I mean we) had a good time.

Of course, we did get to watch the much anticipated Pacquiao-Cotto fight at a restaurant in the city and like the rabid Manny Pacquiao fans that we are, cheered wildly as the Filipino champ obliterated a tough Miguel Cotto with a TKO victory in the final round. Just two rounds past my prediction.

The fight (or the half of it) lived up to its title, with both men showcasing their skills and trading bombs from the get go. Cotto was doing well in the first couple of rounds, using his left jab extensively to upset any combinations Pacquiao was trying to concoct.

Pacquiao,on the other hand, did something rather foolish – stay still. Cotto had a field day landing powerful blows to the Filipino slugger’s body. Surprisingly, Pacquiao was able to handle what Cotto can dish out. Bad news for Cotto.

Third round started to spell good for Pacquiao as he downed the Caguas native with a short right. In the next round, Cotto was again decked to the canvas on all fours; this time leaving everybody with no doubt that Pacquiao can really fight and bring down a true welterweight.

By the middle of the seventh round, Cotto, whose disfigured face has been the recipient of many combinations and flurries, starts to ride on his bicycle while fending the stalking Filipino with his jabs and occasional power shots.

The thing was every punch Cotto lands has no more pop. He was obviously drained of his energy and was clearly bent on finishing the fight and not end up as Pacquiao’s KO #38.

Pacquiao was obviously frustrated at times when Cotto would rather dance away instead of engaging him. But with patience, Pacquiao occasionally staggered Cotto with flush combinations, adding more damage to the already beaten and battered face of the Puerto Rican fighter.

Cotto’s father Miguel Sr. pleaded him to quit, but Cotto would have none of it. A true warrior, Cotto chose to finish the fight or fall trying.

55 seconds into the last round, Pacquiao landed another powerful left and trapped Cotto against the ropes. Referee Kenny Bayless saw enough and saved Cotto from another Pacquiao onslaught and called a halt to the bout.

After dethroning Cotto, Pacquiao, in the process, became the only boxer in history to capture seven titles in seven weight categories. Revered boxing historian Bert Sugar has already named Pacquiao as the Greatest Asian Fighter of All Time and the Greatest Left-Handed Boxer of All Time.

Great respect to both fighters for giving us a good fight. This one will surely go down as a classic.

Pacquiao-Cotto Corner Preview

While it will be a slugfest between the Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, another battle will be fought and this is one does not need any punching power and blazing hand speed to seal the victory. Each boxer’s corner will be crucial to their victories. But who will prevail in this war of encouragement?

Both fighters will get 1-minute rest period in between rounds, where the fighter get a new set of instructions, a bag of heartening words, or a heed of warning. And the one with best people on the corner has the huge advantage to rake a win.

Manny Pacquiao has Freddie Roach, Buboy Fernandez, and Alex Ariza on his side. Miguel Cotto, will have Joe Santiago, Philip Landman, and Joe Chavez. So who has the best team come fight night?

Experience wise, Team Pacquiao has the advantage with Freddie Roach parading above the rest. The 49-year old boxing trainer was a former contender himself. He has produced several champions and will probably manufacture a lot more. He has gathered a lot of accolades, including a Hall of Fame nod and the Trainer of The Year thrice.

Opposite Freddie Roach is Joe Santiago. A nutritionist who got promoted to chief trainer, Santiago never fought in the ring and his first fight as a chief trainer was the Joshua Clottey bout. But what Santiago lacks for experience, he makes up for the strong bond he shares with his fighter. Then again, Roach and Pacquiao also has this mystical connection that transcends the usual boxer-trainer relationship.

Camaraderie goes to the Cotto camp. Everybody is at ease with everybody. No issues or signs of discord whatsoever. Team Pacquiao, on the other hand, has a rising dissent in within their ranks where an adviser to Pacman wants to take charge of the boxer’s affairs and running over the other members of the team in the process.

Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao's assistant trainer, also happens to be the boxer's best friend. If there is someone who know Pacquiao better than Roach, it's Buboy. And that knowledge will really come into play, whether Pacquiao needs some word of encouragement or a wake-up call.

Joe Chavez, a veteran cutman, is perhaps the most experienced individual in the Cotto corner. If there is someone who can tell Cotto what are the best things to do when the fight comes, Joe is certainly the man. But then, that is Joe Santiago's job.

So who has the best corner? Too early to say for certain. But it would be interesting to see who prevails come fight night.

Log on to this blog for live updates on the Pacquiao-Cotto mega bout on the day of the fight.

WBC Diamond Belt Will Go To Pacquiao-Cotto Winner

Aside from the WBO welterweight title, Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto will also battle it out for the recently unveiled WBC Diamond Belt this November 14th. The belt has been described by boxing analysts and enthusiasts as a rubbish item designed to collect more funds from boxers who are involved in super-fights.

Regardless of the commotion it made during its planning phase, WBC pushed through with its plans and produced the Diamond Belt, no matter how worthless it may seem. Unveiled in front of a full house at the Corona auditorium in Mexico City, WBC will award the Diamond Belt to its first holder, the winner of Pacquiao-Cotto.

As the name implies, the WBC Diamond Belt is decked with precious stones. The belt is fashioned with 18 karat gold and fused with 861 diamonds, 6 rubies, 221 emeralds and 180 Swarovski glass stones all mounted on beautiful Italian Ferrari leather and features the pictures and the flags of the 2 boxing heroes that will battle on November 14.

The Diamond Belt may not be a legitimate title strap, but it will surely augment the prestige and the glory of boxing.

And on fight night, tune in on this blog and feel the excitement as I deliver you a blow-by blow account of the Pacquiao-Cotto fight.

Pacquaio-Cotto: My Prediction

Me being a boxing fan always supercedes me being a boxing scribe and this coming November 15, I will be rooting for Manny Pacquiao in his epic bout against Puerto Rico native and current WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. That said, I do not disregard any possibility of a Cotto victory. The no. 8 pound-for-pound best is no pushover and regarded as among the most feared welterweight boxers today.

Now that I have my lain where my loyalties lie, here is what’s going to happen come fight night.

Pacquiao will go for an early knockout. As Roach said, Cotto is a slow starter and that is one flaw Pacquiao will extensively capitalize on. Fans should expect Pacquiao to bring in the rain from rounds 1 to 3 and attempt to end the fight before it reaches round 4.

Here’s the logic of the plan. Cotto takes time in sizing up his opponents and a quick, heavy assault from the opening bell might distract his rhythm and eventually confuse him totally for the first three rounds. The first three rounds is where Pacquiao should try to knock Cotto out earnestly.

Should Cotto survive an early onslaught, expect a great shift in momentum favoring the Puerto Rican champion. Cotto is at his element in the middle rounds. Cotto will certainly go after Pacquiao to retaliate, but with more superior footwork and speedy reflexes, Pacquiao will try to coast all throughout rounds 4 to 9.

That said, do anticipate Cotto pinning Pacquiao to the corner and against the ropes on numerous occasions and throw some power blows to the body. Pacquiao, in turn, will try to evade any traps or retreat with sheer volume punching from all directions.

The remaining rounds will be crucial to both men. Cotto is shown to slow down by the 10th round while Pacquiao, if not seriously hurt, has the stamina and strength to go on for 15 rounds. If Cotto is unable to finish Pacquiao before the 10th round, odds will slowly turn in favor of the Filipino superstar.

This is where Pacquiao will be able to deliver a finishing punch and win his seventh belt in seven divisions. I do not see it going the distance.

My bold prediction? Pacquiao wins via stoppage within 10 rounds.

By the way, if ever you bet on Pacquiao with my prediction in mind and win, please do share your winnings.

Pacquiao-Cotto Preview: A Genuine Display of Respect

When you have two elite boxers trying to hype up an upcoming fight, trash-talking, name-calling, and other verbal insults are surely flying around nonstop.

You have Muhammad Ali calling Joe Frazier an ugly bear, to which of course Frazier responded with a rain of punches. The Mayweathers also are not lost when it comes to belittling their opponents before a fight. Floyd Mayweather Senior blasted fellow trainer Freddie Roach with titles such as “cockroach” and “the joke Coach.” The younger Mayweather, at a press conference, brought a chicken to cement his description of Oscar Dela Hoya.

So it’s quite refreshing to see two of the best P4P fighters smiling at each other as if they have no intentions of reconfiguring each other’s faces and perhaps careers.

Manny Pacquiao, the current pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, and Miguel Cotto, ranked 8th best pound-for-pound boxer and current WBO welterweight champ, are all smiles in their mini-interview with boxing analyst Max Kellerman. Both fighters handed each other praises and credit for their respective careers and in the truest sense of the word, mutual respect is visible between these guys.

Both Pacquiao and Cotto acknowledged the skills of the other and also talked about their motivation why they fight – family, honor, and country. But make no mistake. No matter how genuine these guys are, no matter how friendly they seem outside the ring, once they become boxers, they will try to get the other’s lights out.

Pacquiao-Cotto with Max Kellerman here.
Pacquiao and Cotto on the reason why they fight here.

Grateful for Pacquiao-Cotto Fight

I honestly believe that Shane Mosley and Manny Pacquiao would have been a more explosive fight than a bout featuring Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto. Shane’s the bigger man and a much more legitimate contender in the pool of available fighters when Pacquiao was still looking for his next opponent.

Shane’s credibility is intact (forget the steroids issue. It was ages ago.), since he is the super champion of the welterweight division and he just came from a destructive win over Antonio Margarito, the guy who beat Cotto.


That said, it can be argued that the beating Cotto took from Margarito is in question, hinging on the discovery that Margarito’s hand wraps were sprinkled with Plaster of Paris right before Margarito engaged Mosley. That matter leaves to be debated.

Still, I find myself excited over the prospect of Pacquiao and Cotto dishing and slugging it out in the squared circle. Pacquiao who started his career at flyweight (106 lbs) will now fight a true welterweight in Cotto and with a championship belt at stake.

But what really makes this fight exciting as it is not the circumstances that evolve around the matchup. Pacquiao is gunning for his seventh title in his seventh division. Cotto is making a case that he is not damaged goods as many people perceive he is after the brutal TKO Margarito handed him.

But rather, the excitement comes from the fact that these guys take on the best there is.

Pacquiao fought the best of the lower weights, including the Mexican triumvirate of Morales, Barrera, and Marquez, on his way to the top. He scored victories over the legendary Oscar Dela Hoya, who many thought before the fight would win easily; and Ricky Hatton, who was once considered the top dog of the junior welterweight bloc.

For his part, Cotto also fought the best in the divisions he’s in. He fought and defeated Mosley in a difficult battle, a prime Zab Judah, who was once one of the fastest hands in boxing, and former junior welterweight champion Ricardo Torres, who decked him twice before Cotto knocked him out.

What we have here is a legitimate contest where everyone can make a decent argument as to who can win and why he should win. We got ourselves two of the elite fighters today that will march into the ring and lay it all out there and hopefully, give us a fight of epic proportions that will reverberate for the years to come.

And for all that, we fight fans should be grateful.

Pacquiao-Cotto: Almost an Even Match

With less than two months to go, both Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto are gearing up for their very much anticipated superfight. The significance of the bout will be of great importance, as both fighters have a lot of things at stake along with Miguel Cotto’s WBO welterweight belt.

Should Pacquiao wins, he will be the first Asian and the only boxer who coveted seven championships in seven different divisions and further solidify his status not just a P4P topper but also an all-time great. A loss to Cotto would diminish his camp’s negotiating power with Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who recently dismantled Pacquiao’s archnemesis effortlessly.

As for Cotto, a win will not only retain his belt, it will also elevate him the P4P rankings, perhaps to the fourth or fifth slot, overtaking current holders Juan Manuel Marquez and Bernard Hopkins. Also, victory over Pacquiao can potentially set up a fight between him and Money Mayweather , which may prove to be a juicy payday for the Puerto Rican boxer.

At the time of this writing, Pacquiao is the clear favorite, with +210 odds. On the other hand, Cotto is -250.

But before you place your bets, here’s a breakdown of the both fighters’ strengths and weaknesses.

Manny Pacquiao

Pacquiao main advantage will be his speed. It always has been his main asset and has been evident in his last five outings (Hatton, Dela Hoya, Diaz, Marquez, and Barrera). Another to consider is his underrated power.

Many have felt that with Manny going up in weight, his power would likely decrease. But as shown in the recent Hatton fight, Pacquiao not only shown he has power, he now packs power in both hands. He’s no longer a left-hand dynamite puncher he once was.

His extreme mobility will also come into play. Pacquiao’s quick movements have been the bane of Dela Hoya during the Dream Match. Against Cotto, Pacquiao must move well in order to avoid power shots from Cotto.

Pacquiao’s stamina has been tried and tested. The Filipino southpaw can even go 15 rounds without gassing out. And to make a perfectly clear observation, he seems to get stronger as the fight progresses.

One of Pacquiao’s chinks in his armor is his tendency to be reckless especially when exchanging flurries. At times, he is open for counters and overexerts himself just to win a trade.
Miguel Cotto

Mean body punching will be a key to this fight. Aggression should be Cotto’s mantra if he wants to deliver power shots to Pacquiao’s body.

Cotto is also a durable fighter who can take a punch. His bouts with Clottey and Mosley show how strong this guy’s chin is.

Many do not realize that Cotto is an effective counterpuncher and that will serve him well in his bout against Pacquiao. Pacquiao’s close fights have been with counterpunchers, notably Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez.

Cotto, however, cuts easily and if he is cut in the earlier rounds, he could be in deep trouble as Pacquiao can easily switch from a boxer to a brawler if he smells victory.

My odds in this fight: 60-40 in favor of Pacquiao. Speed kills, you know.