Oklahoma City, OK– While I will be the first to admit I “gaffed” on the outcome of the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto encounter, I wasn’t wrong on what I thought Miguel would do. No, I miscalculated just how the Pacman (50-3-2, 38 KOs) would react and respond. From the opening bell, when that first punch landed, a hard stiff punishing Cotto jab that snapped Manny’s head back, I thought it was in the bag.
PACMAN TOOK COTTO’S SHOTS WITH EASE!
Cotto even did other things like parrying shots nicely, counterpunched well, and even landed some solid body work. What I didn’t expect was how well Manny not only took it, but the manner in which he responded to the Puerto Rican’s thought to be potent offense.
MAYWEATHER WILL ASSUME “NO RISKS”
Mayweather-Pacquiao is no doubt, essential for boxing’s survival, thus it will happen in 2010, but only after Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) wins the opening round via psychological warfare. The simple truth is that Jr. won’t take a fight unless he knows he can win. Anybody who has followed his career since the Jose Luis Castillo (60-9-0, 52 KOs) fights knows this. The only reason he took the rematch was because he knew he lost the first. As for risks, that’s about as far as Floyd has gone.
FLOYD IS BOXING’S ARTFUL DODGER
Since then, Mayweather has conveniently been unavailable for those opponents who posed a threat (Paul Williams (38-1, 27 KOs), Antonio Margarito (37-6, 27 KOs), Miguel Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs) and Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) just to name some). Now Floyd has been handed a bag of gold, he gets to fight (and beat) the guy who beat the guy (Cotto) from which he ran.
STYLES FAVOR FLOYD GREATLY
Styles make fights and little Floyd knows that better than anyone. Mayweather will dissect Pacquiao, he will take a seemingly exciting super match and turn it into a dull exposé of counterpunching, all the while with that multi-million dollar smirk on his face. In closing, one may not like it, but hell I just report them the way I see them.
NOT EVEN THE POPE SITTING RINGSIDE WILL HELP!
Having the uppermost respect for Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach, I wish them well in the fight, but I’m afraid all the blessings of the Catholic Church won’t save Manny in this one. Floyd prevails here by easy decision or late stoppage.
Matthew R. Grizzle