FOUR CRITICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FIGHT
Las Vegas, NV– There are several questions that people in boxing are asking about the Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao fight: 1. Can Pacquiao handle fighting a real welterweight? 2. Can Cotto handle Manny’s speed? 3. What happens if Pacman can’t land his money punch? 4. Will Cotto choke and crumble under the pressure of such a huge event?
WILL COTTO CRUMBLE UNDER THE BIG LIGHTS?
The last question we will address first. Cotto was an amateur stud, has won 31 of 32 fights, the lone loss to Antonio Marga-cheato was suspect to say the least. Miguel has performed in mega-events prior, but nothing like the magnitude of tomorrow night in Las Vegas. That being said, Cotto has everything to lose and little to gain in this spot. Were he to lose to Pac, he’ll be labeled a “stiff” that was beaten by a man who turned professional at a puny 107 lbs.
BACK TO QUESTION #1
The fact that Manny Pacquiao turned pro some 40 lbs. ago is a nice bit of trivia, but what about the fact he was stopped in two of his three losses by punches to the body? This right away brings in the can Pac fight a real welterweight? Cotto will weigh close to 160 come fight time, Pac somewhere in the mid 140s. With Cotto having such a tremendous body and fender attack, if he can work Manny underneath, the chances of a Pacquiao victory diminish.
#2 CAN COTTO HANDLE THE SPEED OF PACMAN?
Having fought DeMarcus Corley, who is faster than Pacquiao and is also a lefty, Cotto got dropped by a wide sweeping right hook that Miguel never saw coming. Pacquiao is not as big and rangy as Corley. In addition, I don’t believe Pacman will be utilizing his right hook as an effective weapon, due to the size disparity. Pac will need to use that limb to protect against the Cotto left hook down under.
RIGHT HOOK SHOWED COMPLETE FIGHTER
And while the right hook had been an effective weapon in prior bouts, it also showed that Manny had become a “complete” fighter, having improved from the “one armed bandit” status he earned in the first Juan Manuel Marquez bout. Pacquiao will need to dart in and out. How Cotto deals with this will go along way in saying who wins here.
#3: SPEAKING OF THE “MONEY” PUNCH
If Pacquiao cannot get his left cross to land, he won’t have a prayer here. Never doubt the punching power of a puncher, William Joppy did against Felix Trinidad, as did Ricky Hatton vs. Pacquiao, Cotto need be alert and not walk into anything.
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN AS TO WINNER OR LOSER?
As I laid out in two prior articles this week, Pac Beats Cotto With Ease, & Cotto Whacks Pacquiao Saturday, I can envision this contest going in either direction. Never a fence sitter, thus I am compelled to say I feel more confident in Cotto winning than I do Pacquiao. Having been a fighter of modest means, I can tell you that having the size advantage that Cotto has, if he were to fail to utilize such, will pummeled much like Oscar De La Hoya.
Pedro Fernandez