Cotto-Bobby Pacquiao dead-even fight
PROMOTER cum lauded Bob Arum, no doubt, has the highest respect for world boxing pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.
But Arum will have to elaborate on what he honestly thinks of Pacquiao as a fighter following his latest pronouncement.
Arum made a shocking claim in New York on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) which sent many Pacquiao diehards wondering what the revered promoter was up to.
* * *
Arum was only kidding?
“He (Cotto) and Pacquiao is a dead-even fight,” Arum was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.
Maybe Arum thought nobody was listening when he made that lofty assessment of Cotto, who’s also under contract with Top Rank.
Problem is the whole world heard what Arum claimed he thought of both Pacquiao and Cotto.
* * *
The unbelievable comment came on Sunday, after a bloodied Cotto eked out a contested split decision win over Josh Clottey of Ghana at the Madison Square Garden.
Arum was at ringside with Pacquiao to watch the main event.
But it’s easy to believe Pacquiao was not within hearing distance.
* * *
Anyway, knowing Pacquiao, the Filipino boxing icon would’ve humbly smiled off the Arum comment, if it ever reached his hears.
Here at home, Pacquiao fanatics have every reason to feel insulted.
Of course, Filipino fans, who Arum claims he truly adores, are not expected to raise hell.
But these same fans will not hesitate to tell Arum that Pacquiao deserves a worthier opponent.
* * *
It’s like this: In displaying faded skills, Cotto, although physically bigger, visibly disqualified himself as a decent candidate for Pacquiao’s next foe.
In fact, there followed suspicions that all Arum plans to give Pacquiao is another punching picnic, a final ring outing for the year, before the Pacman joins the 2010 political race.
There are only very few fans who believe that Cotto will not turn into another swollen statue like David Diaz, who got stunned stiff after Pacquiao exploded with blinding fistic fireworks.
* * *
Now, if Arum honestly wants to enhance Pacquiao’s chances in the political ring, he should think of a worthier foe, without insulting the intelligence of Filipino fans.
The way things appeared after Cotto’s flat-out win in New York, Arum was caught peddling silly tough steak with that cock-eyed line.
Arum had also been suspected of trying to grow a longer nose than Pinocchio’s by Sir Michael Marley, the famous ringside wit who writes for boxingconfidential.com.
Arum has no choice but to rethink his sales pitch.
Unless he means Bobby Pacquiao, the Pacman’s luckless younger brother, is pretty even with the faded Cotto.
http://sports.inquirer.net/
But Arum will have to elaborate on what he honestly thinks of Pacquiao as a fighter following his latest pronouncement.
Arum made a shocking claim in New York on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) which sent many Pacquiao diehards wondering what the revered promoter was up to.
* * *
Arum was only kidding?
“He (Cotto) and Pacquiao is a dead-even fight,” Arum was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.
Maybe Arum thought nobody was listening when he made that lofty assessment of Cotto, who’s also under contract with Top Rank.
Problem is the whole world heard what Arum claimed he thought of both Pacquiao and Cotto.
* * *
The unbelievable comment came on Sunday, after a bloodied Cotto eked out a contested split decision win over Josh Clottey of Ghana at the Madison Square Garden.
Arum was at ringside with Pacquiao to watch the main event.
But it’s easy to believe Pacquiao was not within hearing distance.
* * *
Anyway, knowing Pacquiao, the Filipino boxing icon would’ve humbly smiled off the Arum comment, if it ever reached his hears.
Here at home, Pacquiao fanatics have every reason to feel insulted.
Of course, Filipino fans, who Arum claims he truly adores, are not expected to raise hell.
But these same fans will not hesitate to tell Arum that Pacquiao deserves a worthier opponent.
* * *
It’s like this: In displaying faded skills, Cotto, although physically bigger, visibly disqualified himself as a decent candidate for Pacquiao’s next foe.
In fact, there followed suspicions that all Arum plans to give Pacquiao is another punching picnic, a final ring outing for the year, before the Pacman joins the 2010 political race.
There are only very few fans who believe that Cotto will not turn into another swollen statue like David Diaz, who got stunned stiff after Pacquiao exploded with blinding fistic fireworks.
* * *
Now, if Arum honestly wants to enhance Pacquiao’s chances in the political ring, he should think of a worthier foe, without insulting the intelligence of Filipino fans.
The way things appeared after Cotto’s flat-out win in New York, Arum was caught peddling silly tough steak with that cock-eyed line.
Arum had also been suspected of trying to grow a longer nose than Pinocchio’s by Sir Michael Marley, the famous ringside wit who writes for boxingconfidential.com.
Arum has no choice but to rethink his sales pitch.
Unless he means Bobby Pacquiao, the Pacman’s luckless younger brother, is pretty even with the faded Cotto.
http://sports.inquirer.net/
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