Pacquiao vs Margarito | Pacquiao Fight Updates

Latest news and updates of Pacquiao fights.

Pacquiao Down Hatton

Saturday, May 2, 2009 - It was two rounds of brutal action and a two round blowout for Filipino sensation Manny “The Pacman” Pacquiao as he walked through, around, and all over Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton (45-2 with 32 KOs). It was a crowning achievement for Pacquiao who became the first man to beat Hatton.

Cotto Beats Clottey

Saturday, June 13, 2009 - Miguel Cotto retained his welterweight title with a split-decision win over Joshua Clottey. Cotto is now 34-1 (27 KOs), Clottey 35-3 (20 KOs). Cotto recorded the fight's only knockdown when he caught Clottey with a hard left jab in the final 15 seconds of the first round.

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'Pacquiao too fast, strong for Cotto'

Posted on Friday, June 19, 2009 No Comments
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MANILA, Philippines – Even at 147 lb, the welterweight limit, Manny Pacquiao should have the upperhand against Miguel Cotto.

“Masyado mabagal (Too slow),” said a Team Pacquiao insider of the champion from Puerto Rico who has agreed to face Pacquiao on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas at a catchweight of 144 to 145 lb.

“Kahit sa 147 mahihirapan siya. Masyado mabilis si Manny. Tatamaan (Even at 147 he will find it difficult. Manny is too fast. He’ll get hit),” added the insider, referring to Cotto, the WBO champion.

Pacquiao agreed to fight Oscar dela Hoya at 147 lb last December, but weighed in at only 142 against Dela Hoya’s 145. On fight night, Pacquiao was 148 1/2, and the latter, 147.

It could happen again against Cotto – whether the fight is held at 144, 145 and yes, even 147. Pacquiao will simply use the same formula, weigh in at around 142 and climb the ring around 148.

At 148, Pacquiao will be as fast and as strong, or faster and stronger perhaps, than he was against Dela Hoya (out in eight rounds) or Ricky Hatton (out inside two rounds of the 140 lb contest).

Cotto has never weighed in lower than 146 lb in his last five fights. The last time he tipped the scales at 145 lb was for Zab Judah in June 2007, and he scored an 11th round technical knockout.

Cotto defended his 147 lb crown with a narrow and bloody split decision against Ghana’s Josh Clottey in New York last Sunday, and Pacquiao watched from ringside with his promoter, Bob Arum.

After the fight, Pacquiao asked Arum to set him up against Cotto, who looked so slow with his hands and feet. The only thing he proved that night was his ability to go on despite a nasty cut over his left eye.

Arum has opened his doors to the Cotto people regarding the fight. Negotiations are on and based on reports, both camps are close to striking a deal. It’s no longer the weight, but money matters, that’s keeping the fight unofficial.

“I was on the phone with Cotto’s people yesterday and I outlined to them the terms and points of the deal. I expect their response by the end of the week,” Arum told the Los Angeles Times.

Pacquiao’s Canadian adviser, Mike Koncz, flew to the US and is scheduled to sit down with Arum this Sunday. They will discuss the fight details, and what should be best for both fighters.

“Koncz will take that information to Manny next week, we’ll have further conversations then, and then likely put this thing to bed,” Arum was quoted as saying.

The ageless promoter said weight is no longer an issue.

“Cotto is a welterweight and the (his) nutritionist is saying the lowest he can go is 144. Manny will be fine with that. He doesn’t want a guy to get in there and injure himself by fighting at an unrealistically low weight,” Arum said.

Initially, Pacquiao and his trainer, Freddie Roach, wanted Cotto to go down to 142 lb for the fight to push through. But it’s a different story now, after what they saw at the Madison Square Garden last Sunday.




http://www.philstar.com/

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Salud: Cotto won't last 7 rounds vs. Pacquiao

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CEBU, Philippines - Even though the dotted lines have yet to be signed, Cebuano topnotch promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud made an early prediction that Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Angel Cotto won’t last seven rounds against Filipino boxing great Manny Pacquiao.

“It’s going to be a great and exciting match. Cotto is a very aggressive fighter. He’s strong and powerful. He couldn’t be taken lightly, but as far as I am concerned, I don’t think will he get past seven rounds against Pacquiao,” said Salud in a long distance call from General Santos City.

Salud, a confidant of Pacquiao, said that the Pacquiao-Cotto superfight is close to being a done deal, with Top Rank chairman Bob Arum expected to present his proposal to Pacquiao in relation to the Cotto fight in a week’s time.

“Within a week from now Bob Arum will submit his proposal to Pacquiao with regards to an imminent Cotto fight. As what I’ve said earlier, I believe there’s no much problem in setting up that bout because both boxers are being handled by Arum,” said Salud, who is amenable that the fight weight would be 144-145 pounds.

If he is to decide, Salud said he wants a 65-35 split of the prize money in favor of Pacquiao. “Manny can demand such purse split not only because he’s the main draw but also because of his stature right now. But let’s just wait and see what Arum presents on the table.”

The 30-year-old Pacquiao further cemented his status as the world’s pound-for-pound king with devastating knockout victories over Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton. In that two blockbuster fights, the Pacman earned $30 million combined that greatly contributed for him to be listed by Forbes Magazine as the world’s six highest-paid athlete next to Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Kimi Raikkonen, and David Beckham.

Meanwhile, Cotto, when asked of his view of a probable giant clash with Pacquiao, said it would be the most defining moment in his career.

“(Pacquiao) would be the biggest fight and the biggest achievement of my career. Everything I have had in my career has been about challenges. Everything I have worked for has revolved around that and I have endeavored to reach certain achievements, and I have achieved,” Cotto told Primera Hora as posted on boxingscene.com.

The 28-year-old Cotto barely kept his WBO welterweight title with a spolit decision victory over 12 rounds against Joshua Clottey a week ago at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

In that bloody match, Cotto sustained a nasty cut on his left eye that required 21 stitches to close it up. As a result, the New York State Athletic Commission has suspended Cotto for three months to give him ample time to heal his wound.

Thus, if the Pacquiao-Cotto deal will be sealed, it will likely take place sometime in November.




http://www.philstar.com/

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Pacquiao’s wallet to grow bulkier

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Manny Pacquiao is likely to increase his already formidable financial portfolio as he lines up more bouts this year and next.

If Pacquiao eventually decides to face Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto on November 14 in Las Vegas, Top Rank chief Bob Arum said there’s a big possibility that Pacquiao will end up earning the biggest paycheck of his illustrious career.

“Because,” said Arum in his typical New York drawl, “Manny’s got a bigger percentage in this fight.”

Pacquiao had to settle for a 33-67 revenue split when he fought and stopped Oscar De La Hoya in December 2008 and agreed to a 50-50 split with Ricky Hatton last May although Arum had to dig deep into his own pocket in adding an ‘‘extra’’ to make Pacquiao feel like a king.

Against De La Hoya, Pacquiao was guaranteed $10-million, while against Hatton it was $12-million, plus share in the pay-per-view and other revenue-generating schemes.

Forbes magazine reported a few days ago that Pacquiao’s victories over De La Hoya and Hatton totalled $30-million with revenue from more than two million pay-per-view buys in the US and England included, making him the sixth-highest paid athlete in the world.

According to Forbes, Pacquiao has amassed $40-million this year and last, trailing perennial topnotcher Tiger Woods, who earned $110-million. Ranked sixth overall, Pacquiao is just behind such luminaries as NBA star Kobe Bryant, the retired Michael Jordan and F1 ace Kimi Raikkonen, all tied for second spot with $45-million.

British soccer icon David Beckham got $42-million for solo fifth place.

Pacquiao is bunched at sixth with another NBA hotshot, Cleveland Cavaliers’ Lebron James and golfer Phil Mickelson and ahead of tennis idol Roger Federer and Nascar star Dale Earnhardt Jr.

When ranged with the salary and other perks of some of the country’s top athletes, Pacquiao’s earnings do not compare with the highest-paid professional basketball player taking just P500,000 ($10,000) a month, the undisputed king of billiards lucky taking home $100,000 in prize money from a competition overseas and a pair of US-based women parbusters occasionally striking pay dirt but nowhere near Pacquiao’s.



http://www.mb.com.ph/

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Shane Mosley dumps on Pacquiao-Cotto

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WBA welterweight titleholder Shane Mosley was interviewed by Julius Stecker of PhilBoxing.com, and "Sugar" was hardly polite or reserved when discussing the imminent fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto.

The fight does not make any sense to me. A fight with me will make more money. I know there have been numbers going on out there like Cotto making 5 or 6 million and Manny making 10,11 or 12. But in a fight with me, he will make more money. Bob Arum is being the puppet master putting this together, but Manny will make more money fighting me.

And why fight Cotto? He almost lost to Joshua Clottey. It was a fight that he easily could have lost. Cotto ran around the ring in the last few rounds. The fight with Cotto is not the best fight for boxing or fight fight fans, or Manny Pacquiao fans. It is the best fight for Bob Arum. Even if you look at Cotto’s gash, do you think it will heal in time? It might just open up again if he fights Pacquiao. The fans need to know that the best and biggest fight in boxing right now is with me.


I am trying to make the fight happen. I threw a bone out to Pacquiao saying I would fight him at 144. I am the Welterweight Champion of the World, Cotto isn’t. I am the former Pound for Pound champion, Cotto isn’t. Pacquiao is the pound for champion. We should be fighting. Bob Arum is not letting this happen.


There is a part of me that knows this is most likely just a tactic, Shane throwing all his cards on the table and trying to talk his way into a fight with Pacquiao, but there is also part of this that should be discussed as if Shane is just full of it.

1. Mosley is not the welterweight champion. He and Cotto are both titleholders, really no different from one another other than Mosley earned his by beating a better fighter (even with Plastergate, Margarito is a damn sight better than Michael Jennings).
2. Mosley is not as big a star as Cotto is. This is a sad fact, perhaps, because Sugar Shane has earned a legion of supporters, but they've just never been there. Cotto has the rabid and loyal Puerto Rican fanbase in his corner. Mosley does not have anything close to that.
3. That said, it is highly unlikely there is more money in a Pacquiao-Mosley fight than there is Pacquiao-Cotto. Cotto brings more fans, which means a likely higher buyrate. Either fight would sell out in Vegas, largely due to the presence of Pacquiao.
4. Yeah, Cotto almost lost to Joshua Clottey. But he didn't.
5. Cotto beat Mosley in 2007 in a close, epic fight that had great action, real drama, and was one of the best fights of that year. But nobody thinks Mosley won that fight.

All that aside, Mosley just really wants this fight, and you cannot blame him for that. Shane has made a career of fighting top opponents. When no one on earth would TOUCH a fight with Winky Wright, Mosley fought him. He lost and fought him again, and lost again. Three men have been able to beat Mosley: Wright (twice), Vernon Forrest (twice) and Cotto.

It's not like Miguel Cotto is some bum. Taking Plastergate into account now, Cotto's only loss is treated with skepticism at this point. Cotto beat Mosley. Cotto fought Margarito, fought Clottey, fought a then-unbeaten Carlos Quintana -- he's another guy that fights the best fighters he can. And you can make a good argument that Mosley and Cotto are really 1A and 1B in the welterweight rankings.

Mosley accuses Arum of lying to the public with this fight, and says that Pacquiao-Mosley is "much bigger" than Pacquiao-Cotto. When the years pass, it may well have turned out that that would have been the case. As far as all-time standing goes, Mosley is miles ahead of Cotto for the time being. But Cotto is in his prime. Mosley is nearing 40.

It's a toss-up in terms of promising action, being a great fight, being a desirable fight, etc., so it comes down to business. And Shane and everyone else at Golden Boy understand that Bob Arum makes more money with Pacquiao-Cotto. If those same Golden Boy folks think the public doesn't get that, they're mistaken. We get it.

No one is saying Pacquiao-Mosley wouldn't be a great fight. But why pretend Pacquiao-Cotto won't be a great fight? Saying these things won't make Pacquiao-Mosley happen. Unless Cotto breaks his legs jogging up and down stairs or something, it's simply not a possibility for this year.

Mosley also notes, as he likes to do, that he loves his job. Well, then fight. He knows for a fact that the Pacquiao sweepstakes are over. Clottey's out there. Berto's out there. Williams is out there. Right now, all he's doing is spending precious time slamming another fight, and in turn not fighting.

Final note: Bob Arum has said that the Pacquiao-Cotto weight will be 144 or 145 pounds.



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Floyd's 'injury' forces Pacquiao into Cotto clash ensuring Top Rank US bout for boxing fans

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So much for Floyd Mayweather’s eagerly anticipated comeback. Just two months after announcing his Las Vegas showdown with Juan Manuel Marquez, he was last week forced to withdraw through injury.

Barely four weeks have passed since Mayweather was in the London hyping the fight. And then last Sunday he called it all off citing a rib injury.

One week on and there’s been no word on whether or not the bout will be rescheduled. A lot has been made of Mayweather’s injury and his silence has lead some to question if he was injured at all.

Mayweather was tempted back to the ring under the pretence he’d get a shot at current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao before the year was out.

However recent events have seen Mayweather slip down the Pacquiao pecking order, and the prospect of that fight being made looks increasingly unlikely.The 32-year-old’s pay demands are said to have all but KO’d the fight and some ask if he’s trying to save face.

Indeed, Top Rank supremo Bob Arum has grown tired of Mayweather, blasting the self-styled ‘Pretty Boy’ for what he calls absurd demands.

“He’s taking the position that unless he gets more money, there will never be a fight” said Arum. “Manny is the most sought-after boxer on the planet. If Mayweather persists with this position, a fight will never happen.”

US boxing pundit Steve Farhood doesn’t believe that Mayweather is faking, given the extent of his financial woes. He argues it was only a matter of time before he had to return to the ring – whether it was against Pacquiao or not.

“I don’t doubt the injury. The longer Mayweather goes without a payday the worse for him because his money issues are well documented” said Farhood. “I can’t picture him turning down the chance to make X-amount of millions for four or five months.”

With Mayweather having priced himself out of the reckoning, Pacquiao will turn his attention to Miguel Angel Cotto.

In this column last week we touted this match up. And following Cotto’s defeat of Joshua Clottey in front of a full house at Madison Square Garden in New York it seems more likely than ever.

Bob Arum has wasted no time in naming a date for this October. For him making the Pacquiao v Cotto fight is considerably easier than Pacquiao v Mayweather because both fighters are promoted by Top Rank.

Pacquiao has become a world wide phenomenon, and Cotto gave The Garden its biggest attendance at a boxing match in almost 10 years.

Cotto will be hoping the fight takes place in the Big Apple, given his huge following there. And Farhood was impressed that Cotto drew such a sizeable crowd.

“It doesn’t happen that often” he said, “It speaks volumes of Cotto as an attraction in New York City. He’s become something of a franchise, the only fighter who can draw that crowd.”
So Pacquiao v Cotto looks a dead cert. Whether the fight takes place in New York or in Las Vegas, it will be a huge box office draw.

But it raises questions about what weight the fight will be fought at. Pacquiao, given his P4P status, can fight at any weight, but for Cotto it’s not as straight forward.

“Cotto is not a small welterweight” said Farhood, “we know how much he struggled to make 140lbs. I can’t see him doing what Shane Mosley ‘s apparently doing, which is dropping three or four pounds to accommodate Pacquiao.”



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Sugar Shane Mosley Interview—Manny Pacquiao will Make More Money Fighting Me!

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Just as it seems like Miguel Cotto may get a shot at the great Manny Pacquiao. I wanted to speak to Sugar Shane Mosley, to get his take on that probable fight and also his potential showdown with Manny Pacquiao. Let it be known here, after speaking to Shane I realized that this fight to him wouldn’t be about money. (He discussed his portfolio with me, lets just say he will be fine regardless if he gets the Pacquiao fight) A fight with Pacquiao would be about legacy, then fans, and the people. Even though a fight may now be unlikely. Mosley, ever the fighter is not giving up, and he promises a fight with him will provide more money to Manny Pacquiao, and he says, “It is a no lose fight for him.” Answers are in bold.

Shane, how are you doing?

Mosley: I am doing well, just driving right now headed to a workout.

I heard you are a big Laker fan, did you get to see any of NBA Finals games at all?

Mosley: No I didn’t, I just watched. But I was happy to see Kobe and them win.

Now back to boxing, what are your thoughts about Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao? It seems to be a done deal almost?

Mosley: The fight does not make any sense to me. A fight with me will make more money. I know there have been numbers going on out there like Cotto making 5 or 6 million and Manny making 10,11 or 12. But in a fight with me, he will make more money. Bob Arum is being the puppet master putting this together, but Manny will make more money fighting me.

And why fight Cotto. He almost lost to Joshua Clottey. It was a fight that he easily could have lost. Cotto ran around the ring in the last few rounds. The fight with Cotto is not the best fight for boxing or fight fight fans, or Manny Pacquiao fans. It is the best fight for Bob Arum. Even if you look at Cotto’s gash, do you think it will heal in time? It might just open up again if he fights Pacquiao. The fans need to know that the best and biggest fight in boxing right now is with me.

There has been talk of a catchweight of 144 for Cotto, ironically the weight you disclosed a few weeks ago? Could you come down more?

Mosley: I am trying to make the fight happen. I threw a bone out to Pacquiao saying I would fight him at 144. I am the Welterweight Champion of the World, Cotto isn’t. I am the former Pound for Pound champion, Cotto isn’t. Pacquiao is the pound for champion. We should be fighting. Bob Arum is not letting this happen.

But would you fight him at say 143?

Mosley: You now what, it doesn’t matter, let’s say I say 143. Then Cotto will do 143, and then 142 and so on. It is a fight for the Welterweight championship, not the Jr. Welterweight championship.

I just can’t see how a guy who barely won, and a lot of people think he lost. I am one of them. Who gets a chance to fight Manny Pacquiao. I earned this fight.

Now back to this money thing. You are telling me that Manny Pacquiao will make more money fighting you, how so?

Mosley: It is a bigger fight. So there is more money out there. I am more well known then Miguel Cotto. You saw all the celebrities at my last fight. Yes there were a lot of fans out were there to see Margarito, but the celebrities were there to see me, because I am a legendary fighter. I shocked the world that night….I have been on more pay per views.

What do you say to people who say you are fighting for the money. And that that is only reason why you want to fight Pacquiao.

Mosley: I don’t need the money. I have money. Yes the money is nice. But I want to fight the biggest fights for the fans. The legacy fights. When I started fighting pro, I was fighting for $1,000, $2,000, but I didn’t care because I knew one day I would be world champion and my time would come. I love the sport, you can ask anybody. I love going to gym and sparring. I love what I do.

You spoke to Freddie Roach didn’t you about this fight possibly? Eloborate.

Mosley: Yes I talked to Freddie Roach before the Hatton fight. And he said he would rather have Pacquiao fight me because it is the best fight money wise and action wise. Manny would fight me at 147, but Freddie said I would have to come down a little. But he knows that fighting me is a much bigger fight then Cotto. There are 3 pound for pound champions, I used to be, Floyd(Mayweather Jr.) used to be. And Manny is now. I just want Bob Arum to stop lieing to Manny and the public. Manny Pacquiao versus me is a much bigger fight then Cotto.

Before Manny signs on the dotted line with Cotto, what would you say to him and his advisors?

Mosley: Do the right thing Manny. Fight the best fight for the fans, and the best fight for your legacy. You have nothing to lose by fighting me. There will be more prestige in fighting me then Cotto. I will enhance your legacy. Whatever Bob Arum money can offer you, I can offer more and then some.

Manny and me are the same. We will fight anybody. If he were to lose to me, I would give him a rematch. That is what I do, I am a fighter. I fought guys nobody would fight, Vernon Forrest, and Winky Wright. That is the same with Manny. You have every thing to gain by fighting me. It is a no lose situation.

In closing, what about a Thrilla in Manilla II? Would you fight him there?

Mosley: I would probably do something crazy like that. I would train in Big Bear though before I went. I don’t think I could train out there. The Philippines and the fans there are great and they love boxing.

Thanks Shane

Thank You.



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Arum: Pacquiao-Cotto fight weight would be 144-145 pounds

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Boxing promoter Bob Arum was on Olvera Street on Thursday to hawk his Latin Fury 10 card July 25 at Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, headlined by the latest Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. bout (more on that later).

Since the boxing world's most fervent interest is in another Arum fighter, Manny Pacquiao, I asked him if there was any news on the negotiations to stage a Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight Nov. 14 in Las Vegas.

"I was on the phone with Cotto's people yesterday and I outlined to them the terms and points of the deal," Arum said. "I expect their response by the end of the week."

Arum said Pacquiao, meanwhile, has informed him again that he wants to fight Cotto. Arum has a Sunday meeting scheduled in Las Vegas with Pacquiao's U.S. business advisor Michael Koncz to discuss specifics of the deal.

"Koncz will take that information to Manny next week, we'll have further conversations then, and then likely put this thing to bed," Arum said.

Arum expressed confidence there will be none of the drawn-out drama that took place in the negotiations before Pacquiao's May 2 second-round knockout of Ricky Hatton.

One of the potential sticking points has already been defined, Arum revealed Thursday. He said a consultation with Cotto's nutritionist has made it clear the catch weight must be in the 144-145-pound range.

"Cotto is a welterweight and the nutritionist is saying the lowest he can go is 144," Arum said. "Manny will be fine with that. He doesn't want a guy to get in there and injure himself by fighting at an unrealistically low weight."

Cotto hasn't fought below 147 pounds in three years.

As for the more prickly subject of the purse split, Arum declined to discuss proposed percentages.

Meanwhile, for Shane Mosley followers, Arum said that although it continues to appear that the Pomona fighter will be deprived of Pacquiao and Cotto immediately, he'd like to arrange a title fight at Staples Center between world welterweight champ Mosley and Joshua Clottey, who fought Cotto to an entertaining split-decision Saturday night in New York.

"Nothing can be done until I finish with Pacquiao and Cotto first, though," Arum said.

Before that, there's Chavez Jr.'s upcoming super-welterweight bout against Maine's Jason Lehoullier. Chavez (39-0-1), a top-five contender by the WBC and WBO, is riding his name recognition and charisma to an estimated 75,000 to 100,000 pay-per-view buys for his Latin Fury appearances.

The July 25 show will also feature unbeaten featherweight Yuriorkis Gamboa and unbeaten lightweight Urbano Antillon (26-0, 19 KOs) from Maywood.

Although the wait for a Chavez Jr. title fight is testing the patience, Arum has done something about it: He's hired West Los Angeles trainers Jon Jon Park and Todd Rushworth of Legacy Gym to make his prized prospect more fit.

The trainers' task is to keep Chavez Jr. under 160 pounds and put him on a routine that accounts for fitness, diet, rest and supplements. Next week, Chavez Jr. will be sent for the first time to train in the high altitude of Big Bear.

"He's young, but he's trainable," said Park, who added that the fighters he's worked with are 28-2. "It's an awakening for him, but he's willing to do it. That's the key."




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Making Sense of the Pacquiao Rumors

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So many rumors out there in Fistiana, so much hype, and all of it surrounding the next move for ol' Mighty Manny Pacquiao, the Ferocious Filipino. Pacquiao vs. Cotto? Pacquiao vs Mayweather? Pacquiao vs. Mosley? Let’s sift through the various gases floating around the sweet science hothouse right now and see if we can make some sense of it all.

Pacquiao vs. Cotto

Bob Arum, the promoter of both Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, says he has a deal in place for this fight and that he likely will have it signed by the end of the week. Of course, Arum has been pushing this matchup on the world since the moment Ricky Hatton’s head hit the canvas on May 2, so who the hell knows? Cotto came out today and told Primera Hora that fighting Pacquiao would be "the biggest fight and greatest achievement of my career", so clearly some kind of deal is on the table. All along, Cotto has seemed to me like the wrong fight for Pac Man (and vice versa), and I felt certain that in the end his name would turn out to be nothing but a bargaining chip used to haggle with Captain Money Mayweather for the terms of the mega-fight on everybody’s mind. If that’s still true, however, one has to admit that Arum is taking the ruse pretty far.
Manny Steward?

The rumor has been around for a while now that Hall-of-Fame trainer Manny Steward is interested in training Cotto, and that rumor really has heated up in the past few days. Evidently, Steward contacted Arum about Cotto recently, and Arum told him to talk to Cotto’s team directly and gave him the appropriate phone numbers. Cotto addressed the situation today by saying that he is very happy with his team, but that he is willing to consider Steward’s offer.

Leaving aside for a moment the question of Cotto’s "team" (to my eyes, they looked about as tight for the Clottey fight as did Mike Tyson’s corner when he fought Buster Douglas), here’s my question about this development: Would Steward want to train Cotto if he’s NOT getting the Pacquiao fight? There’s a strong possibility that if the Cotto/Pacquiao fight doesn’t go off, then Cotto’s next fight will be a welterweight unifier with WBC belt-holder Andre Berto. I don’t know, and maybe I’m wrong about this, but I somehow doubt that Manny Steward, possibly THE premier trainer in the sport, is calling up Bob Arum because he’s dying to train Cotto for a Berto fight. Not that this means anything necessarily, other than that it gives me the sense that among the insiders working the strings of this puppet show, Manny Steward at least is thinking that Cotto is next in line for Pacquiao.

The Machinations of Lil Floyd

Is there anyone out there in Boxing Land who believes that Floyd Mayweather actually has a rib injury that forced the postponement of his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez originally scheduled for July 18? I haven’t talked to a single person about this who simply says, "yeah, he’s injured, that’s the whole story." Everybody has an angle on what’s going down, and every angle leads to one essential conclusion – that Floyd wasn’t happy with how the promotion was going for Marquez and pulled out for fear that he was about to take a bath at the box office. All week, while the Pacquiao/Cotto talk has dominated the media (via Arum’s never-ending quote machine), there have been whispers behind the scenes that Pacquiao is still dead-set on fighting Floyd, and that what’s really going on right now is that the powers-that-be are working to free Floyd from his Marquez contract so that he and not Cotto can serve as Pacquiao’s opponent on November 14. Granted, this would be one hell of a blockbuster announcement, and though it might seem far-fetched, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least. The main thing that makes it a possibility to my mind is the sudden appearance of Floyd’s "injury." Floyd doesn’t get injured. Something is definitely up with that.

The Golden Boy Takes Up Mosley’s Cause

Oscar De La Hoya stepped up to the mic this week for his Golden Boy partner, Shane Mosley, in Sugar Shane’s ongoing and seemingly quixotic quest to land himself the next Pacquiao assignment. De La Hoya reached out to boxing writers personally, including ESPN’s Dan Rafael, to make the case that while Cotto is deserving of respect, Mosley is most deserving of the next fight with Pacquiao because "Shane is the top guy at welterweight."

Of course, that assertion is debatable. Yes, Shane beat Margarito in January, who in turn beat Cotto last July. But if you go look back a little in the current welterweight round-robin, you find that Cotto beat Mosley by disputed but unanimous decision when they fought in November of 2007. Which muddies the picture considerably, and reduces Mosley’s claim to its essence – he wants the fight because he wants the fight, plain and simple. Fair enough, but it seems almost certain that he’s out of luck. The best shot that Sugar Shane has at a big make in the next year is if Cotto gets the Pacquiao fight in November and wins it. Then I think it would be very likely that there would be a unanimous call from pundits and fans alike for Cotto/Mosley II.

The Wrap

For now, let’s face the facts – Pacquiao doesn’t give a crap who the top welterweight is. He wants the biggest fight with the least amount of danger, title-belts and weight classes be damned. Mosley doesn’t satisfy either of those requirements, so he’s out of the sweepstakes. Freddie Roach, Pacquiao‘s trainer, has said to my face that Mosley is without question the most dangerous possible opponent for Manny. Mosley has a very good claim on being the physically strongest guy currently fighting at 147, and he proved it in January by pushing Tony Margarito (a gigantic welterweight) around the ring like a rag doll. In my estimation, Roach is wary of Pacquiao fighting either Mosley or Cotto because of their size, but in a lesser-of-two-bruisers decision, he’d take Cotto in a heartbeat. That’s why we very well may see that fight announced in the next few days.

But I still can’t help but wonder about Floyd. On the “most money, least danger” front, Floyd wins hands down. Even if Floyd beats you, he’s not going to hurt you, not a fighter like Pacquiao anyway. And after watching Miguel Cotto walk through fire to earn a split decision over a monster like Josh Clottey this past Saturday, I’m thinking Cotto might seriously hurt Pacquiao, even if Pacquaio manages to beat him. In the end, I suspect that this whole mess is coming down to one question: Can Floyd free himself of his contract to fight Marquez? That can’t be a difficult question to answer, but I’m guessing we’ll know the answer within a week or so. If I was a betting man (and I am), despite all of the public pronouncements about the state of the Pacquiao/Cotto negotiations, I’d still put my money on them making the Pacquiao/Mayweather fight and leaving Cotto and Marquez out in the cold. Follow the money, as they say, and the money in this thing still points to the man called Money.



http://www.sportingnews.com/

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Pacquiao vs. Cotto: Greatness in class

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As the proposed Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto mega-fight inch closer to becoming a reality, and while Top Rank boss Bob Arum finalizes all the fine print and small intricacies to get the bout signed, sealed and delivered, I wanted to share my thoughts on why I think this bout was made in Boxing heaven.

We already know that Pacquiao and Cotto are two of the best fighters in this era so I’ll avoid restating the obvious. The thing I really like about this fight is that this will be a clash of not only two of the best boxers in the world, but also two of the classiest competitors as well.

I’m all for hyping up a fight and fighters strutting their stuff, talking a bit of smack here and there- that’s fine. It does add excitement to fights and help sell tickets, but there’s something about great athletes who show humble confidence that I can’t help but respect and admire. Think about Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and John Stockton. I’m talking about great athletes who let their games speak louder than their words. Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto fit in that mold.

There’s an old Chinese saying that “silent water runs deep” and it just makes sense that a person who is truly confident of his abilities need not waste their time trying to verbally convince people how great they are. The proof is in the pudding. Actions speak louder than words.
Cotto and Pacquiao have both been respectful towards each other thus far in their careers. Before his fight against Clottey last weekend, Cotto had some good words to say about Pacquiao saying that the Filipino fighter deserves everything he has achieved in his career and eluded that Pacquiao was indeed the best Pound-for-Pound fighter in the world. Pacquiao, who was in attendance to watch the fight was surprisingly greeted with a nice ovation by predominantly Puerto Rican crowd at The Gard. Cotto went as far as saying that a fight with Pacquiao would be “the biggest fight in his career”.

While would be challengers continue to taunt, flatter and disrespect Pacquiao in an effort to get the Pacman’s attention and maybe land a big payday with the sport’s cash cow, (Forbes ranked Pacquiao the #6 highest paid athlete tied with LeBron James and ahead of any boxer for 2008) Cotto remained focused on the task at hand but remained open to a the possibility of a Pacquiao clash. Without saying a word and letting his fists dictate his destiny, Cotto is now the frontrunner to a mega-fight with Pacquiao and deservedly so. While Mayweather insults Pacquiao and while the Golden Boy crew still desperately try to find an angle to lure Pacquiao to fight “Sugar” Shane Mosley, it’s Cotto who looks likely to be given the opportunity to dethrone the sport’s best fighter.

Not saying that Cotto’s affiliation with Top Rank has nothing to do with it, but at the end of the day it’s Pacquiao who chooses his opponents. I guess Golden Boy hasn’t learned much from their previous tactics of trying to get a fight with Pacquiao that a way to a Pacquiao fight is not through hype and media. Just ask Juan Manuel Marquez. Not contented? Juan Diaz was a young and undefeated lightweight champion when he started calling Pacquiao out, daring the Filipino to fight a young Mexican champion and criticizing his victories over the Mexican legends saying he fought over the hill fighters. Two losses after, where is Juan Diaz now in reference to Manny Pacquiao?

Pacquiao is great because he aims to achieve great things. That’s the same reason why he is on a quest to be the next president of the Philippines. The manner he has done it though is a road less travelled. He is soft-spoken and humble, but has proven that good guys can finish first. To that extent, Pacquiao respects people who show the same class as he does. After demolishing the then WBC light weight champion David Diaz last year, Pacquiao has become great friends with David and even had David as a guest of honor in his last birthday celebration.

With all that said, I’m pleased to see Pacquiao and Cotto fight because I know I will be seeing a fight between two grown men and not a bunch of spoiled athletes acting like a bunch of middle school kids. It won’t be hype like a lot of these big mega-fights have been. These are two fighters that will engage and do their best to earn the right for their hand to be raised at the end of the night. As a fight fan, all I want is to see that regardless of who wins, I can stand up, tip my hat to both fighters for giving it their all as in the case of Cotto and PAcquiao . Last time I checked, none of the trash-talk Floyd Mayweather Sr. said against Pacquiao did anything to stop Ricky Hatton from kissing the canvas. The press conferences may very well be boring, but the true action can only happen in one place anyway- and that’s inside the ring.



http://www.examiner.com/

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Cotto: Fighting Manny Pacquiao is the pinnacle of my career

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Without a mark on him from his May 2 contest against Ricky Hatton, Pacquiao could have fought this summer, arguably in July or August.

Shane Mosley is a formidable opponent, but he was never really the right opponent. What would it have proved. Even before the discussions began, I always felt the skills of Pacquiao, if they are to be tested fully, would have been better measured against Miguel Cotto.

At welterweight, not light-welterweight, that is, though I understand the fight is being discussed as a catchweight contest. Pacquiao should go the whole hog and fight the Puerto Rican at 147lbs. He has it in him.

We are told by promoter Bob Arum that Nov 14 MGM Grand Garden Arena is on the cards; it could be the greatest defining moment yet for Pacquiao in his golden career. If he can defeat Cotto at welterweight, there can be no talk of victories over a potentially weight-drained Oscar De La Hoya, or a troubled Ricky Hatton.

Cotto makes no bones about it. He already believes it is “the greatest fight of my career”. Cotto knows that he will be properly tested by Pacquiao, and it promises to be one of the best fights this year, if it can be finalised.

There is also a nagging itch for another Pacquiao-Marquez fight. Over-egging it ? Not for a minute. They are both at their supreme best, and let’s see if Pacquiao can ‘box’ Marquez in a final, third, encounter…

There is a gathering school of thought that Pacquiao’s inclinations towards politics is a waste of time, and that now, in his prime as a fighter, he might consolidate his immense popularity within the thing he does best: out-thinking and out punching opponents in the ring, thrilling millions worldwide.

Every boxing fan, and indeed casual sports fan I have come across in the UK since that devastating, one-sided victory over Hatton, has a deep respect for the physical, sporting skills of the Filipino icon.

I’m still amazed by his incredible popularity. He received 21,391,818, and came twenty-second in Time Magazine’s online pole of the most influential people in the world in 2009. He received more votes than anyone else in the top 100. And only one sportsman was ahead of Pacquiao. Kobe Bryant, in ninth place.



http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/

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‘Pacquiao win over Cotto will be good for Floyd’

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Roger Mayweather, the uncle and trainer of former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., thinks Miguel Cotto may pose problems to international superstar Manny Pacquiao because of his size.

“Cotto is a little too physical for him, too strong,” said Roger. “Pacquiao is smaller.”

Roger said that even if Pacquiao and Cotto agree to duel in a catch weight, the Puerto Rican may still come in bigger come fight night.

But he said a Pacquiao win will be good for his ward.

“If he wins, it’s better for me so he can fight my nephew,” said Roger.

The elder Mayweather said the former world champion is currently taking the much-needed rest after sustaining an injury in his right rib cage.

“There’s nothing you can do about it, it’s a fractured rib right now. He is resting and it should be a couple of months before he can go back,” said Roger.

Fight fans are eagerly waiting for a Pacquiao-Mayweather match up especially after the Filipino demolished Floyd’s erstwhile opponent Ricky Hatton in just two rounds.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, however, is pushing for a Pacquiao-Cotto match since a duel with Floyd could cause negotiation problems.

Floyd was supposed to fight Mexican champion Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18. The fight was postponed after “Pretty Boy” sustained the training injury.

“The fight is still gonna go on,” said Roger. “We are just moving it on September or October but it’s gonna happen.”



http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/

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TOP 10 REASONS COTTO COULD LOSE TO PACQUIAO!

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New York, NY- Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) was ringside at Madison Square Garden for the Joshua Clottey vs. Miguel Cotto match Saturday night. Seated next to his promoter Bob Arum, who also promotes Cotto, this gave Manny a chance to size up his potential next opponent. As of right now, it appears that Pacquiao and Cotto will fight in the fall. This is due to the fact Floyd Mayweather has postponed his July 18th fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, claiming to a rib injury. Pacquiao sees something in Cotto that he believes he can exploit and he's not alone. I ran over this fight in my mind and I could find ten reasons why Cotto might not want to make his next fight against Pacquiao.

1. Speed: Miguel has decent speed, but he's not as fast as the fiery Filipino. Cotto will have a hard time dealing with several rounds of Pacquiao’s punches constantly coming at him in barrages. Undoubtedly, even if Cotto is able to block some of Pac's punches, others will get through and with his power, they can indeed cause serious damage.

2. Intensity: Cotto has had problems with determined and intense fighters. In his only loss, Cotto was stalked and walked down by Antonio Maragarito, who scored an 11th round TKO last July. If Cotto thinks that Margarito was intense, Pacquiao may redefine intensity altogether for him. With Pacquiao‘s added speed, it’s hard to image Cotto winning a whole fight going backwards.

3. Power: Pac has amazing power for someone who started off as a minimum weight (105 lbs) and now is knocking out welterweight (147 lb.) and junior welterweight (140 lb.) opponents at the sports highest level. Cotto has been down and hurt before in more than one fight, so in my opinion Pac would be very dangerous should he land in the proper spots. No one knows yet how Pac's punches may affect Cotto, but if/when the bell rings it will be too late to reconsider.

4. Momentum: Manny Pac in the eyes of most boxing experts is the best ‘pound for pound’ fighter in the world. Millions love him as legions of new fans are added to his movement every time he fights. He has the entire Philippines behind him and if you watched 24/7, stars like Mark Walberg, Mickey Rourke, and others were all on hand during his training sessions. It would be a pro Pac atmosphere leading up to the fight, something Cotto is surely not used to.

5. Durability Cotto has been in several tough wars. He was cut badly in two of his last four bouts. He's looked tired and beat in the later rounds although he still is aware what's going on. Pac is a lot fresher of a fighter at this point in his career and because of this, would make him less likely to fade than Cotto. Clottey looked like he had Cotto almost beat. It’s likely Pacquiao would have the tools to bring Cotto that much closer to the edge.

6. The Money: Right now Bob Arum seems to be leaning toward giving Pacquiao the lion share of the money for the fight. It has been reported as high as 70 percent. Pacquiao is the bigger star and he’s looking to cash in on his popularity while he can. Considering a 30% share of the fight, Cotto should not even take the fight. But on the other hand, it will be his biggest payday yet.

7. Weight: Although Cotto moved up from junior welterweight (140 lbs) to welterweight (147), he has not fought there in some time. Pac is going to try to bring him down to 142 to even out the weight difference and make Cotto less comfortable, if not drawn and unable to fight much like Oscar De La Hoya in the fight. This plan worked well against Oscar and I’m sure Pac’s trainer, Freddie Roach won’t mind.

8. Location: It's likely that this fight will not happen in New York, but rather in Las Vegas where bigger and better accommodations could me made for the numerous high profile guests that would attend. Cotto is used to fighting at his virtual home in New York and fighting in Las Vegas may be strange for him. Simply put, Miguel would have a spot on the biggest stage, but he wouldn't be the star.

9. Cotto’s Fight To Lose: Being that Cotto is the naturally bigger man a win would certainly not mean much for him as his opponent. If he beats Pac, he's defeated a smaller fighter, who although is magnificent still may be seen by the public to be too small for the naturally bigger Cotto. If he loses to Pac, Cotto will likely have a tough road to rebuild his career, particularly if he is knocked out. It would indeed make it two knockouts in his last four bouts and undoubtedly the curtains on his career would start to squeak and close.

10. Smarter Fights Out There: Cotto arguably hasn't lost a fight, considering the plaster of Paris ordeal with Antonio Margarito. He is tough and still marketable. With this being the case, he still has quite few options for opponents who would love the opportunity to fight him as well. He can focus on becoming the linear welterweight champ by going after WBC’s Andre Berto (25-0, 19 KOs). Or he can rematch with WBA champ Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs), whom he has already beaten and would likely have a solid chance of repeating given he sticks to the original game plan.

In closing, I’m not saying that I don’t want this fight to happen, or that Cotto can’t win. It will be very exciting, even more so if Cotto can pull off the upset. It’s just that the odds are seriously against him and he might want to explore what else is out there before putting it all on the line in the fall.



http://ringtalk.com/

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Hopkins and Schaefer Claim Pacquiao Avoiding Mosley

Posted on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 No Comments
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After Miguel Cotto's narrow split-decision victory over Joshua Clottey this past Saturday, pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao licked his chops as he told promoter Bob Arum, "get me Cotto on November 14!" During a recent interview, Arum revealed, "There's no question he wants the fight. And he told me to put the fight together." With those instructions, he immediately began ironing out details of the purse split and the weight at which the Filipinno and Puerto Ricans icons would meet. Golden Boy Promotions, however, quickly took exception to the proposed bout, stating their case that Shane Mosley, widely regarded as the top welterweight in the division, should be next in line as Pacquiao's opponent.

"Cotto has a deep cut; Shane's ready to go. 'Sugar' Shane Mosley is the best fighter in that division. He can punch more, he has more speed. Shane really wants this fight and is willing to make concessions. This is the fight people want," Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer quickly pointed out. Bernard Hopkins, a partner with Golden Boy, would echo those sentiments about Mosley in a separate interview, stating, "Sugar Shane Mosley, who is coming off a big win, that should have catapulted him upwards. Everybody knows he could fight and everybody knows his legacy is there, but when you're not supposed to win and you win impressively, you should become the man to beat."

Both Schaefer and Hopkins are quick to point to Mosley's last fight, a dominant and impressive victory over Antonio Margarito, who holds a victory of his own over Miguel Cotto. What they fail to mention, however, is that just two bouts prior to that, Mosley himself lost a narrow unanimous decision to Cotto. As the brass at Golden Boy Promotions do their best to get Mosley the fight, Arum seems unconcerned with their comments that allude to Pacquiao avoiding their fighter. In fact, he offers nothing but praise for Mosley as Arum readily admits that, although he's an option, he's simply the second choice for Pacquiao, who's clearly in the driver's seat as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. "Shane's a terrific fighter, but for now, he's the second choice. If we can't put together a Pacquiao-Cotto fight, we'll reach out to Shane," Arum would tell Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times.

Despite what Golden Boy Promotions may think, it looks like Miguel Cotto will indeed be tapped as Manny Pacquiao's next opponent assuming all goes well in negotiations. Although Pacquiao was originally penciled in for an October 17th date, November 14th is now the new tentative date, which should give Cotto plenty of time to heal from the cut that he suffered in his bout with Clottey. "I hope to put it together this week, to get an agreement on terms," Arum stated. Seeing as how a clash with Pacquiao will earn Miguel Cotto a career high payday, it shouldn't be difficult for Arum to seal the deal and an official announcement should be coming soon.

Now that Mayweather's bout with Marquez has been postponed, it looks like Mosley may be left without a dance partner for the remainder of the year. Don't be surprised if he decides to spend his free time with a different type of dance partner as he patiently waits on the sideline for a big money fight to come his way. I hear Dancing With The Stars is looking for some new contestants...call me crazy, but it wouldn't be the first (or the second) time that we saw a boxer on the show.



http://www.fighthype.com/

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Hall of Famers Should Fight Hall of Famers-No to Cotto-Pacquiao

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After watching this past weekends fight between Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey, I thought 2 things. One was how much I admire Miguel Cotto as a fighter. He is tough, he has heart and he is skilled. But I was also thinking to myself, was that a hall of fame performance. Was that worthy to earn him a fight with Manny Pacquiao? Now Cotto may one day be Hall of Fame worthy, which I think he will eventually be. But he isn’t today. Pacquiao should be looking elsewhere for a challenge.

Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter of his generation; he has won titles in 6 divisions and has been a 4 division lineal champion. He only has few fights left. He should settle for nothing less then legacy fights. And while Cotto is an excellent fighter, he is not yet a legendary fighter. What Pacquiao needs is fights against legends. Anything less then Floyd Mayweather Jr, Sugar Shane Mosley or a 3rd match against Juan Manual Marquez would be unsatisfying. Let’s examine the prospects.

Floyd Mayweather Jr

Positives: This is the biggest monetary fight in boxing. It would be the former Pound for Pound vs the Current Pound for Pound. It is the biggest fight that could be made in boxing. And it would do well over 1 million buys in the PPV market. It is the sort of Mainstream fight that would draw in mainstream fans, which is what boxing needs.

Drawbacks: Mayweather style is hit and don’t get hit. Which will make for a non-fan friendly fight and could be difficult for Manny. The money factor would be an issue too, would Manny or Floyd take less money. I doubt it.

Sugar Shane Mosley

Postives: The best combination fight in boxing. Has the potential the be the whole package. A great fight, a mainstream draw, and a box office hit. It would be another match-up of a former pound for pound king vs the current pound for pound. Would be historic as well as Mosley is considered by most as the Welterweight Champion and a current top 5 pound for pound fighter. Manny could win his 7th title in this 7th Weight Class.

Drawbacks: Mosley will 38 when the fight would take place. Would he get old overnight? Does not sell tickets well when on his own.

Juan Manuel Marquez

Positives: A 3rd match between the 2. Would be a great fight on paper once again. Could become one of boxing’s great trilogy’s. Manny would not have move up in weight and both fighters are around the same size.

Drawbacks: Not a PPV blockbuster, has little US appeal. While a great fight it will be hard to sell to regular sports fans

Miguel Cotto

Positives: Good action fight. Most winnable fight on Paper for Pacquiao. Cotto has a title belt. Cotto while the bigger man, Pacquiao is the much faster fighter. Cotto is a good boxer evidenced by his close decisions over Mosley and Clottey. His defensive is not the best, and can be hit.

Drawbacks: Least accomplished of the other 3. Outside of New York and Puerto Rico is Cotto really a mainstream draw? This fight will do the least for Pacquiao’s legacy. Will there be huge build up with the US national media? No.

Verdict

There are 2 answers here. Mayweather is the best fight for the money. I think both men could clear 20 million a piece. It would be the biggest fight in the sport in since Julio Cesar Chavez-Pernell Whitaker. A forgettable fight with a horrendous decision. Do we really want to see that type of fight again?

The best fight if you want to include everything is Sugar Shane Mosley. It brings a legendary fighter, action fight, money, mainstream appeal, and legacy. Ask anybody honestly the question, what is the best fight to watch? Pacquiao-Mosley would be one for the ages. You just have to convince Bob Arum, Freddie Roach, and others to make the right fights. Anything less then Mayweather or Mosley is unacceptable.



http://www.boxing24.com/

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Miguel Cotto is now the logical next opponent for Pacquiao!

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Apparently a Pacquiao vs. Cotto clash for this fall became the frunt runner while Miguel Cotto was still engaged in combat with Joshua Clottey last Saturday night in New York. Manny Pacquiao’s presence loomed large at ringside for the bout and he sat next to Top Rank boss Bob Arum.

Reports are now circulating that Pacquiao was impressed with Cotto’s fan base at Madison Square Garden, and evidently he saw something he liked watching Cotto at work. Arum has stated Pacquiao asked him to make a fight between the two star fighters while they sat watching the action. With Floyd Mayweather Jr. injured this week, Pacquiao vs. Cotto is now the most logical option for all involved.

It is highly unlikely Mayweather would opt to return off nearly two years of inactivity straight into the lion’s den against Pacquiao. With the Mayweather option now seemingly out of the equation for this fall, an all in-house Top Rank clash between Pacquiao and Cotto looks increasingly certain for Nov. 14 in Las Vegas. Arum has apparently received the green light from Manny, and reports are now circulating the fight is heavily in the works.

Despite all you read, it still remains uncertain Cotto’s nasty cut suffered last Saturday in combat will be fully healed in time, but for now the wheels do look as though they are in motion. Pacquiao vs. Cotto at a catch weight below 147 looks like it will be boxing’s biggest fight this fall.



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Miguel Cotto deserves better than Arum , Top Rank

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Dignity and pride. Two words that describe Miguel Cotto. You never hear him trash an opponent and you don't hear him make excuses. Miguel Cotto is and has been the consummate professional his entire career.

So why does it seem that Cotto is being treated as the red headed stepchild. His fights are entertaining and big draws in New York.

Now his promoter , Bob Arum , has pretty much sealed the deal for Cotto to fight boxing's number one draw , Manny Pacquiao. Is this a golden parachute gift for the years of service to Top Rank or is it a lamb being led to slaughter? Arum recently said that this was an even fight. Remember a couple of years ago when Floyd Mayweather versus Arturo Gatti was considered an even fight by some people. It just wasn't so.

And now Cotto is becoming the Puerto Rican Gatti. He boxes well and is highly intelligent , but he seems to be taking a beating in recent years. Gatti changed from slugger to boxer with good results until he ran into Mayweather. Cotto has become more of a boxer since moving up from junior welterweight. The results have been mixed. His fight with Shane Mosley could have been a draw and he couldn't seem to keep Margarito off of him last year , illegal wraps or not.

So why doesn't his promotional team step in and take control. Let him know that it would be more beneficial to become the aggressor in fights? Bob Arum hardly uttered a word in Miguel's defense after the Margarito debacle. However , you could find him with his lips firmly planted on Margarito's backside even when his fighter was caught red and illegally handed.

It could be because there have been rumblings that Cotto will not be back with Arum when his contract runs out at the end of the year. Cotto has taken the high road and refused to engage in a media war of words with his promoter. Cotto was lucky to escape with a win on Saturday night. The consenus has been that Miguel didn't win the fight as much as Joshua Clottey lost the fight. Can you imagine Pacquiao not throwing punches the way Clottey did in some rounds? Me neither. It is hard to think of Pacquiao not being active the whole three minutes of any round. So how is this an even fight?

Miguel Cotto has been a major plus for boxing and deserves the same in return. Here's hoping that Miguel can hold his own against Pacquiao and give the fans a memorable fight and move on to Golden Boy where they appear to know how to treat their fighters. Remember Manny was all set to sign with Oscar when Arum threatened legal action against Golden Boy Promotions. Maybe it's because a former boxer knows what other fighters go through and is willing to stand behind them through the tough fights. Here's hoping Miguel is able to go twelve rounds with Manny , win or lose , and have the last laugh on Bob Arum.



http://www.examiner.com/

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Manny Pacquiao versus Miguel Cotto? It's tentative for Nov. 14 in Las Vegas

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Promoter Bob Arum is negotiating terms, including weight -- probably below welterweight -- and purse split. Meanwhile, Shane Mosley says he's the man Pacquiao should be fighting.

Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto have each told their promoter they want to fight each other next.

Now that promoter, Bob Arum, is working out the details to make a bout that is penciled in for Nov. 14 in Las Vegas.

"I hope to put it together this week, to get an agreement on terms," Arum told The Times on Monday in a telephone interview from his Top Rank headquarters in Las Vegas.

Arum identified the two major points of negotiation as weight and the purse split.

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 knockouts) watched from ringside Cotto's dramatic split-decision world welterweight title victory over Joshua Clottey on Saturday in New York after picking up his award for 2008 fighter of the year across town.

Cotto sustained a deep cut to his left eyebrow late in the third round, forcing him to wipe blood from his eye as he out-punched Clottey in the final rounds. Afterward, Pacquiao expressed confidence to associates that he could beat Cotto. Arum said Pacquiao told him later that night that his first preference was to fight Cotto.

Pacquiao fought Oscar De La Hoya at the welterweight limit (147 pounds) in December, but was back at junior-welterweight (140) in his second-round knockout of Ricky Hatton last month.

Pacquiao, whom many experts consider boxing's best pound-for-pound boxer, will dictate at what weight a potential Cotto bout would be fought. Sources say it will probably be around 142 pounds, though Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) hasn't fought below the welterweight limit since June 2006.

Pacquiao also will determine how the purse is split.

Shane Mosley, the world welterweight champ from Pomona, has announced he'd agree to fight Pacquiao for a 60-40 split, and Arum made it clear Cotto also would receive a minority share.

"Shane's a terrific fighter, but for now he's the second choice," Arum said. "If we can't put together a Pacquiao-Cotto fight, we'll reach out to Shane."

Mosley's promoter, Richard Schaefer, called the push for a Pacquiao-Cotto bout "ridiculous" since Mosley knocked out Antonio Margarito in January and Margarito knocked out Cotto last summer. (Cotto beat Mosley by decision in 2007.)

"Cotto has a deep cut; Shane's ready to go," Schaefer said. " 'Sugar' Shane Mosley is the best fighter in that division. He can punch more, he has more speed. Shane really wants this fight and is willing to make concessions. This is the fight people want."

There would even be more interest in a Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. bout, and Pacquiao's interest in maximizing revenue makes that bout a near certainty in the future. Mayweather's camp reported Sunday, however, that he'd suffered a rib injury last week training for his comeback fight July 18 against Juan Manuel Marquez, forcing a postponement.

The timing was curious and brought up the question of whether it might be a way for Mayweather to get out of a fight that was struggling to reach sellout status.

But Schaefer, who is also the promoter for Marquez, said Mayweather is locked into a contract to fight Marquez and asserted, "It's absolutely not a ploy. It's a legitimate injury, he's in a tremendous amount of pain."

Schaefer said he'd like to reschedule the fight in September.



http://www.latimes.com/

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Pacquiao-Cotto: Bobfather's Dream Comes True

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What a weekend for the fight game. First, there was the insane Miguel Cotto vs. Josh Clottey fight in New York City, one visited by gruesome gashes, a multitude of fouls, a "body slam," and then punctuated with a highly controversial split decision in Cotto’s favor that left Clottey foaming at the mouth and calling for a rematch.

In other words, on Saturday night, professional wrestling returned to Madison Square Garden.

Then, on Sunday afternoon, another fighter who knows a little something about the wrestling biz, Floyd Mayweather Jr., sent shockwaves through the boxing world with a press release announcing that his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, scheduled for July 18 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, would have to be postponed due to a rib injury that interrupted Floyd’s training. Although no makeup date has been announced yet, the word on the street is September 19.

And so, in the space of 24 hours, promoter Bob Arum’s nightmare, in the person of Mr. Cash Money Mayweather, recused himself from the Manny Pacquiao sweepstakes, and Arum’s ultimate dream fantasy with a lot of zeroes on the end of it and a cherry on top came to unlikely fruition. It now appears all but certain that Cotto and Pacquiao, both promoted by Arum’s Top Rank Inc., will fight later this year at the MGM Grand, with the date on the table right now being November 14.

Arum has been pushing for a Pac Man/Cotto match-up since the moment Pacquiao knocked out Ricky Hatton on May 2. I admit that I never thought it would happen. Cotto is too dangerous an opponent, and the money to be made from a Pacquiao/Mayweather too ridiculous, to take such a risk in the meantime.

And I honestly doubt that Cotto’s name would figure into this drama as anything but a negotiating ploy right now if Floyd were still going forward with the Marquez fight on July 18. Today, Arum is insisting in the press that Pacquiao, who was ringside at the Cotto/Clottey fight and received a huge ovation when introduced to the predominantly Puerto Rican crowd, asked Arum to make a date with Cotto soon after the final bell had rung on Saturday night, long before they knew anything about the Mayweather/Marquez postponement. Based on insider reports, I find that dubious at best. The word floating around the press after the Cotto/Clottey fight was that WBC welterweight champ Andre Berto was next in line for Cotto because Pacquiao was entirely fixated on fighting Floyd.

Obviously that changed with Sunday’s news from the Mayweather camp, and now, after a razor-thin margin of victory for Cotto over Clottey and an unexpected shocker from Money May on Sunday, Arum finds himself suddenly posed with every promoter’s dream situation – negotiating a mega-fight in which he represents both principals. All he has to worry about is striking a deal between the two camps for the bout’s catchweight. Pacquiao’s camp has been adamant that Manny would not fight either Cotto or Shane Mosley above 143 pounds. Meanwhile, Cotto has said that he wouldn’t consider anything below 145.

Something tells me that once the truck shows up carrying all the burlap sacks with dollar-signs on them, both sides will find some unforeseen wiggle room. I’m guessing it’ll get made at 144. And after that’s hammered out, Arum is sitting pretty. He came out today and said that he was going to try and have the entire deal signed and sealed by week’s end, and I bet he’s going to try his tail off. I’m not sure that I think fighting Miguel Cotto is the right move for Manny Pacquiao at this point, and, depending on the catch-weight, I’m not sure it’s such a great idea for Cotto either. There’s really only one person in the world for whom Pacquiao vs. Cotto is a no-brainer, and he’s known to all residents of Fistiana as The Bobfather.



http://www.sportingnews.com/

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Pacquiao Looking to Take a Page Out of the De La Hoya-Mayweather Playbook

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Throughout his career, Oscar De La Hoya was often criticized for conning fighters in to make concessions which would perceivably give him an advantage in a bout.

On the way up from super featherweight (130 lbs) to junior welterweight (140 lbs), he was criticized for making smaller fighters move up to face him in a weight class he was more comfortable at.

At welterweight (147 lbs), he continued the trend by making Julio Cesar Chavez, a smaller past prime great, move up to welterweight for their rematch.

At middleweight, he attempted to gain the upper hand by enticing Bernard Hopkins to put up his middleweight titles while weighing several pounds below the middleweight limit (160 lbs).

In 2007, he convinced Floyd Mayweather Jr., to move up to junior middleweight (154 lbs) for the first time in his career, hoping this tactic would again work out to his benefit.

In his last fight prior to announcing his retirement, he thought he’d pull a fast one by convincing Pacquiao (a 135 lb lightweight at the time) to square off against him in the the welterweight division.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. continued the trend by convincing Ricky Hatton, a prime junior welterweight, to move up to welterweight to challenge him for his welterweight title.

Now officially unretired, for his comeback bout, Mayweather has suckered Juan Manuel Marquez, the past prime featherweight (126 lbs) Mexican great, to move up four weight classes (to the welterweight division) from where he was fighting at just a few years ago.

Now Pacquiao is looking to take a page out of the De La Hoya-Mayweather playbook as Freddie Roach has stated that potential fights against top welterweights like Cotto and Mosley would have to be fought at a catch weight, somewhere between 141-146, preferably 142-144.

De La Hoya and Mayweather have both been heavily criticized for making fights where their opponents agreed to make certain concessions that would potentially put them at a level or two below their best.

If Pacquiao does challenge Cotto, Mosley, or whomever, at a catch weight for a welterweight title, Pacquiao would also be subject to the same criticism.

Pacquiao may have won his first title at flyweight, but from 112-140, he’s proven to be vastly better than the majority of his opponents. At 140, he looked better than ever as he flattened Ricky Hatton in two rounds.

Therefore, is the welterweight division really that much more dangerous?

Why not defeat welterweights at welterweight and go down as an even greater fighter? Who wants an asterisk next to an accomplishment? Who wants detractors to diminish a victory?

Defeating a weight drained welterweight at 142-144 for a welterweight title will diminish the quality of the victory.

Pacquiao’s bitter rival, Juan Manuel Marquez, only moved up several years ago from 126 lbs to 130-135 lbs to chase Pacquiao. After conquering the lightweight division, he’s now moving up two more weight classes to face Mayweather at welterweight.

That’s right. No catch weight. Mayweather will be able to weigh as high as 147 because it’ll be a welterweight bout. This is unreal considering Mayweather is a more dangerous opponent than any fighter Pacquiao has faced to date.

Many feel Marquez is in way over his head, but one cannot fault him for displaying great courage and tackling such a monumental task considering he’s a natural featherweight. Win or lose he’s earned everyone’s respect, and should he win, there won’t be an asterisk diminishing the accomplishment.

Perhaps Pacquiao should take a page out of the Juan Manuel Marquez playbook.

However, if Freddie keeps getting his way, you can scratch that idea out.

Should Marquez lose to Mayweather whenever that bout finally takes place, you can bet Freddie will definitely advise Pacquiao to stick with the De La Hoya-Mayweather playbook. And with Pacquiao and Mayweather both playing by the same rules, expect negotiations for that bout to be as dfficult as the U.N. dealing with North Korean President Kim Jong II.



http://boxingfanatics.com/

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Cotto-Bobby Pacquiao dead-even fight

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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/

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Mayweather-Marquez: Potential new date, lots of talk

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While Juan Manuel Marquez has come out and said that his postponed July 18 fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. may be moved to September 19, the biggest stuff going on is the doubt being bandied about by boxing fans and writers.

While Mayweather's rib injury appears 100% legit, FightHype's Ben Thompson says that poor ticket sales may be just as much if not more to blame for the postponement of the bout. The 11 weeks of promotional time was pretty short, but it seems doable for a Mayweather return. They went on an immediate press blitz, but an anonymous source said bluntly, "Ticket sales suck."

I'm no conspiracy theorist, and I'm no Floyd basher, and I'm a huge Marquez fan, and I was looking forward to the fight even though I had reservations about how competitive it would be, and since I think it will still wind up happening, I maintain those reservations.

But ticket sales were bad and this fight was not measuring up to the level of anticipation I think Golden Boy and Mayweather expected. Part of this may even be blamed on "Mayweather Promotions," which was the lead promoter for this fight, not Golden Boy, but that is pure speculation on my part, and only relevant, I feel, because Mayweather and Leonard Ellerbe are not experienced at leading promotion for a card of this magnitude.

I have defended Floyd as a big star, and I still think he's a big star. But I'm ready to accept that he lost a lot of his post-Oscar, post-Hatton buzz with a series of blunders:

1. Dancing With the Stars: Yes, it's a popular show, and yes, it gave him some crossover appeal, but housewives and teen girls aren't about to follow his boxing career just because he has a winning smile. This is the least of the three, since I don't think it mattered much either way.
2. WrestleMania: I've said before I grew up a huge pro wrestling fan, still enjoy the older stuff I've always loved, and that I have no real beef with pro wrestling. But pro wrestling -- while hugely popular in fad periods -- is just not all that popular right now and I don't think it did him any favors. He went from talking about fighting in the UFC to pretend fighting The Big Show, you know? He could have been continuing his successful boxing career as the big dog, but instead he went to Monday Night Raw to cut rotten promos.
3. Retirement: No one bought it, it wasn't real, and all it did was cool his jets. I don't believe for one second he intended to never fight again.

Mayweather had fans, and still has them, but do I think he's really any bigger of a gate draw than Pacquiao right now? No, I don't. Probably less of one, in fact. I don't even think Mayweather could sell a Madison Square Garden fight the way Miguel Cotto can.

He's not the star he thinks he is. And I've said this before, but I think the biggest reason he "retired' was a not-even-lukewarm response from fans and press about his rematch with Oscar de la Hoya. Never forget that that fight was a go -- they had the press tour lined up. Suddenly, Mayweather retired. Why? What changed?

No one wanted that fight. And I don't think there's a whole lot of interest past Mexican fans when it comes to Mayweather-Marquez. It definitely isn't the huge fight HBO and Mayweather and Golden Boy thought it was going to be. You can talk about the economy, and it has a part in this, but people came out for Pacquiao-Hatton and bought the fight in big numbers.

Was an "ehhh" response from those in and around boxing partly to blame for Mayweather-Marquez getting pushed back? I'm not one to be sure about these things, but I think there could be something to it. If Mayweather-Pacquiao is to eventually happen, Mayweather will go out of his way to leverage the lion's share of the split. A poor financial showing with Marquez would've really hurt his position, no matter if or how he won the fight.

It's food for thought, at the very least.



http://www.badlefthook.com/

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Manny Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto November 14th In Vegas?

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It's no secret promoter Bob Arum had Miguel Cotto firmly on his list of potential next opponents for pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao - even before Cotto's win over Joshua Clottey this past Saturday night. Now that Cotto has won and is still the holder of a world title, it seems as though Arum is keen to get the fight made a done deal. There was reportedly a short list of possible opponents for Pacquiao's next fight (originally thought to be set for October) and it sure looks like Cotto is at the top of that list now.

Pacquiao doesn't seem keen on taking on "Sugar" Shane Mosley, at least not yet. Floyd Mayweather has just pulled out of his July fight with Juan Manuel Marquez with an injured rib, meaning those two greats will have to wait a while - possibly until September - before finally getting it on.. This leaves just Edwin Valero and Cotto from the list we heard about pre-June 13th. Box-Rec already have the Pacquiao-Cotto fight up on their site as happening at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 14th, and moments after his Top Rank fighter won via a somewhat debatable split decision on Saturday, Arum spoke to some members of the press about a possible fight between the two huge names.

"Cotto-Pacquiao is the fight I want to make," said Arum. "It's the fight I really want to make."

Cotto, understandably, needs and is going to take a vacation. But if the fight takes place on November 14th, some five months away as it is, Cotto could surely be ready for "Pac-Man" by then. There will be the not too small matter of the bout's weight to be agreed on, and from what Arum reportedly said post-fight on Saturday, a catch-weight affair at somewhere around the 142 to 145-pound mark is what he'll shoot for.

If it does happen, at a weight both guys are happy with (143 sounds as fair as can be) what can we expect?

Fans are still arguing as to whether or not Cotto deserved the win he was awarded over the dangerous Clottey. Hit plenty in the 12-rounder and content to back-pedal his way to the final bell over the bout's last four-rounds, Cotto impressed some and disappointed others. Some fans have even gone as far as to suggest the Puerto Rican star may be finished. Although that's going way too far, it does certainly seem as though Pacquiao will be the fresher man in the ring on November 14th (if they meet).

"Pac-Man," too, has been in his share of tough fights, but his last two wins have been pretty easily acquired ones - De La Hoya offering next to nothing over 8 one-sided rounds, and Hatton making things easy for Manny by discarding all defence on his way to being starched in the 2nd round. Ready for another fight that will test his greatness, Pacquiao definitely has plenty in the tank for a prospective fight with Cotto.

Then again, would even a 143-pound (on the scales) Cotto be too big for the Filipino sensation? By fight time it's possible Cotto would hold something like a ten pound weight advantage over the southpaw. When it comes to speed, both guys are very fast punchers. Power? The edge has to go to Pacquiao.

Aside from Pacquiao-Mayweather and "Pac-Man"- Mosley, Cotto-Pacquiao is the most attractive fight involving the superstar from Manila that can be made right now.

Let's see if Arum - who calls the fight "Dead-Even" - gets to see the fight he is seemingly desperate to make happen.


http://www.eastsideboxing.com/

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Pacquiao-Cotto Gets Boost With Mayweather Injury

Posted on Monday, June 15, 2009 No Comments
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With the recent announcement that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is injured, a potential showdown between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto is the frontrunner mega-fight to take place in the fall. Mayweather injured his ribs and was forced to withdraw from his July 18 bout with Juan Manuel Marquez. The fight was scheduled to take place the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Questions are lingering over the Mayweather withdrawal.

Numerous sources within the industry have said the ticket sales for Mayweather-Marquez were not doing well. Mayweather's promotional company was the lead promoter for the event. The speculation of "event issues" grew bigger when the injury announcement was released to the media after Cotto was able to decision Joshua Clottey on Saturday night in New York's Madison Square Garden. Cotto and Mayweather were the two frontrunners to fight Pacquiao in the fall. Pacquiao sat ringside for Cotto's win over Clottey and he was expected to sit ringside for Mayweather-Marquez. Now Pacquiao's decision became a little easier to make.

Bob Arum of Top Rank, who promotes both Pacquiao and Cotto, is already working on a deal to match the two fighters in November. Mayweather is expected to fight Marquez in the fall. According to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, Mayweather will likely only fight once in 2009, which leaves a lot of time and a lot of roadblocks before Pacquiao and Mayweather could actually meet in the ring. He says Mayweather's injury is legit.

"It's a legitimate injury," said Schaefer to Sports Illustrated. "We have talked to a doctor. My understanding is that it is muscle related. It's a tough injury for Floyd because he was looking to fight twice this year. Now he is probably only going to get to fight once.


http://www.boxingscene.com/

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Mayweather stalls Marquez with a bad rib -here comes Manny vs. Floyd

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It was announced today by Golden Boy Promotions that Floyd Mayweather would be pullinf out of his scheduled July 18 fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.

"I am extremely disappointed that this fight has to be postponed," said Mayweather. "I was training very hard and looking forward to getting back in the ring on July 18th."

Funny, an injured rib is much harder to verify than a broken hand or torn ligament. The ambiguity of Floyd's injury timed with a recent report of Bob Arum's willingness to split the purse 50-50 for a future fight between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao makes me think Floyd became injured to go directly to a fight with the Filipino.

Sure Floyd was favored to beat Marquez -- a man coming up to fight as a welterweight for the first time -- but the Mexican ring technician was no walk in the park tune-up.

Look for Floyd to skip past Marquez, with no re-scheduling, and fight Manny Pacquiao during November, 2009.

Pacquiao Would Whip Cotto?

My column yesterday caused a handful of Manny-Maniacs to tell me that their idol could whip Miguel Cotto based on the Puerto Rican's performances against Antonio Margarito and Joshua Clottey.

Don't get it twisted my Filipino friends, Manny is one for the ages, but Cotto was being challenged by legitimate welterweights, not souped up featherweights.. Manny does not have the physicality to over power Cotto in the manner that Clottey and Margarito were able to. Not to say that Manny could not when, but Cotto vs. Pacquiao would be an even ordeal -- at best!


http://www.examiner.com/

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