**** the catchweights. Pac should challenge himself and fight Cotto at 147. I'd still put my money on Pac. Cotto doesn't have the tools to beat him even if he's bigger.
"Hatton" is a lot faster than people give him credit as well. But being faster than what has been given credit and compared to a REALLY fast fighter like PAC the disparity will be emphisized in the fight. I don't think Cotto is that much faster than Hatton at all. Neither guy is blazing. Hell...Marg was able to catch up with Cotto who is very slow! But I will say that i "Believe" Cotto will present a much harder challenge to PAC than Hatton did.
WTF is this? Pacquaiao ALWAYS weighs 149? Did you start watching boxing in 2008? Even against Oscar, which was the highest weight in his career, he was below 149
To be honest loosing 12 pounds of muscle is harder, but there are ways to do it correctly and ways to do it incorrectly. From what was reproted they did everything possible to maintain DLH's speed, power and stamina. I won't say DLH was shot or weight drained b/c that would be disrespectful to PAC. Bottom line is PAC dominated DLH and he dominated Ricky. If Roach and PAC took the "GAMBLE" to say DLH would overexcert himself to make WW....that was a very risky gamble. But boxing is a gamble when you thing of it at its most basic form. DLH....an ATG....Hall of fame fighter, the naturally bigger and stronger man who in his best days was at his best at 147. PAC....a great fighter....the naturally smaller but faster fighter having to go up 2 weight division higher than his natrual weight class (where he only had one fight) to face Oscar whom never had been dominated, never been KO'd aside from Nard by a body shot and having to face the fighter whom most said he wouldnt stand a chance against. Risky gamble but it paid off. It could have gone terribly wrong.
This is true. But Hatton could never match Mosley or come close the way Cotto did! Hatton is Bernard-speed underrated (not really fast, but not slow as made out to be!). Hatton fan here, and a Brit, too... I'm tellin ya.. Cotto is much faster. Cotto didn't fight the right fight against Margarito (who I can happily say I picked to beat Cotto... though this was wayyy before handwrap controversy was a mentionworthy factor)... and let himself be chased down, pinned & pummelled by Margarito. It was a great fight, but Cotto should've played something closer to a boxer!.. than letting it become the type of inside-war it became. Hatton still caught Pacman and stopped him moving forward in his tracks once or twice in the fight... with RIGHT HANDS. Pacquiao will always be a sucker for a good counter-puncher.... that Cotto is not. So the only other way to win is out-warrior him... that ain't happening unless you can land with significantly higher-power (given that Manny has a GREAT chin). The question is can Cotto keep up with Pacquiao's speed & follow him about long enough to land meaningful shots that will pay dividends in the 2nd half of the fight (if he does get there!).
I'm a fan of both Hatton and Cotto myself and I honestly can't see Cotto as that much faster. He's got decent speed and it was highlighted against Marg. Shane was faster than Cotto but not by much b/c Shane didn't fight the right fight with Cotto (although I felt shane won that fight by a round). I too picked Marg to beat Cotto based on styles and size. I knew Cotto would be forced into a fight and knew Cotto would try to box. I actually predicted a late round stoppage for Marg.:hey Cotto for his credit did try to box Marg and he was winning the early rounds. To his discredit his has far too much PR pride for his own good. He was forced into a brawl too many times against the larger man who had a LOT better stamina. Cotto ended up gassing out from the pace Marg set from jump and also from the punches that Cotto ate when he decided to trade. But yes.....a great fight! Pac won't have to "out warrior" Cotto to win...although I think he will happily obilge. PAC has enough speed, dynamics and stamina to out box Cotto, win a UD or drownd him late.
This is what most of these guys are falling to realize here...Pac is the man so if fighters dont want to fight on his terms then they wont get a fight with Pacman...Plain and simple. (not saying that I agree with it but thats the reality here)