*Pacquiao vs Cotto...make your pick*

Looking at the poll, this really is close.

 

Cotto wins this for me. Think he may have to concede the first few rounds, due to pacs speed, and may suffer a flash kd. But I feel Cotto's constant stalking, educated pressure, cutting down the ring off a tight defence, and chopping away with short rights and left hooks to the body when he gets close,will eventually wear down and stop pac late on.

 

Cotto is a step too far for Pacquiao. He can't just keep stepping up and beating bigger and better opponents, it has to end somewhere. Cotto's size combined with his all-round game will be too much and he will stop Pacquiao.

I think.

 

Pacquiao TKO.

I reckon probably late, Cotto is taking too many shots.

 

Filipino sensation Manny Pacquiao continues to challenge the best of the best when he takes on Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto in a crack at the WBO welterweight title this Saturday in the States.
Little Manny, who turned pro at light-flyweight back in the day, ‘broke’ out of Asia when he stopped Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera in 11 stunning rounds in Las Vegas in 2003 at featherweight. He continued to light up the nine stoners for years in America, despite stiff competition, and gradually filled out into a dynamite lightweight when he outclassed Chicago’s brave David Diaz for the WBC lightweight crown last year.
Long-hailed as “The Bruce Lee of Boxing” and trained by the immense Freddie Roach out of Los Angeles, southpaw Pacquiao then leapt off the charts when he jumped up to welterweight and pounded Oscar De La Hoya in eight one-sided rounds last December in Vegas, sending the “Golden Boy” into retirement, and when he dropped down a few pounds to light-welterweight and took away Ricky Hatton’s American dream in two vicious-hitting rounds earlier this year. Hatton retired himself afterwards (not officially), now promoting for a living like De La Hoya.
Once upon a time fighters needed to ‘grow’ into a new division but Pacquiao just goes in there and carves his own rules with quick hands, quick feet, heavy hands, both hands. Now he tries it again against the gifted Cotto, a man who won his WBO title with a dominating five-round stoppage of our own Michael Jennings in Madison Square Garden last February – his third world title. Frankly, Chorley man Jennings was out of his depth.
In 35 top-class fights Cotto has lost only to huge Mexican brawler Antonio Margarito in 11 thrilling rounds last year in Vegas. Cotto had his moments but was finally outmuscled and overwhelmed, busted up and bleeding, by a man later found to have used Plaster of Paris on his bandages, so Cotto’s effort – his ‘defeat’ - looks much, much better, make that brilliant, in fact. Essentially, he is still unbeaten.
Cotto represents a major threat to Pacquiao and his recent dazzling run of form because De La Hoya was seriously knocking on when Manny picked him to pieces – indeed, Oscar looked ‘shot’ – while Hatton came out with no defence at all and was torn apart. Cotto, however, is a year younger than Pacquiao at 29 and knows how to work to the points if he fails to budge an opponent, putting his punches together beautifully and hurtfully, particularly to the body. Despite the illegal Margarito beating and a struggle last time out to outscore dangerous and underrated Ghanaian Joshua Clottey over 12 rounds in the summer, Cotto has always beeen ‘class’ and was always two steps ahead of the rugged, aggressive Clottey, for example, everything off the jab as usual, fundamentally complete. One could argue he got in the perfect workout for Pacquiao.
Nothing is perfect, though. There has been ‘trainer’ unrest in Cotto’s camp in the Pacquiao build-up and he does cop more shots than most Puerto Rican greats of the past and marks up, facially, although his chin is pretty solid. He also has real guts and will see this as a great opportunity to make amends for the Margarito ‘sting’. Nothing can be proven but Cotto truly believes he was ‘done’ like the late Billy Collins Junior. One cannot blame him.
The smaller Pacquiao will hold the edge in speed, of course but Cotto’s hands are also fast and he puts them together, as we know. At the risk of repeating oneself, this really is a dangerous match for Pacquiao, who felt, along with Roach, that he had found his true weight when he toppled Hatton so easily at light-welterweight - yet up he jumps to welterweight again (well, up to 145 pounds). It is gambles, gambles, all the time gambles with this kid.
Nevertheless, Pacquiao is the “house fighter” in Vegas (Cotto usually fights on America’s East Coast) where Saturday’s fight takes place and where he enjoys a huge following, and is simply too hot a fighter to disappoint his fans. Expect Manny's quick, sharp, punishing attacks to feature in the early rounds. Cotto’s skill and strength will begin to reduce the gap from the middle rounds but will they be enough to take over?
This is classic "pick ‘em" but with that man Roach in his corner, Pacquiao looks the likelier of the two lads to prevail.

 

cotto in 10

 

Pacquiao To win by stoppage.About 7th or 8th round.

 

pac mid round stoppage,he will have to much speed for cotto,will start backing cotto up after a few fast rounds.
if clottey and margo and even jennings can catch cotto ,a real fast hard puncher like pac can.
ps,i don't think pac is a sensational puncher,but he is one of those who every punch is a jarring sickening one,which make you think 'ouch that hurt,ouch so did that':bbb:good

 

I think Cotto will stop Pac,too strong and too skilled

 

Tentative pick on Cotto

 

I think the main obstacle Cotto has to overcome is not Pac's handspeed or southpaw stance but his footspeed.

In Cotto's recent big fights (Clottey, Margarito, Mosely) he's been facing guys that are bigger than him physically and we've been seeing a lot of Miguel Cotto 'the boxer'. However, if he tries to box with Pac I think he will end up losing a points decision.

If Miguel is to stand a chance in this fight then we will need to see the return of Miguel Cotto 'the stalker'. Cotto will be the bigger man in the ring and he needs to use that to his advantage.

For the first two or three rounds he needs to adjust to Manny's speed of both hand and foot and look to work the body. Then he needs to start walking Manny down which is obviously much easier said than done. Cotto needs to be intelligent, calm and composed. Once he has Manny cornered he can't let him off the hook, he needs to make every punch count. My belief is that eventually Cotto will get to Manny and stop him late (rounds 10,11 or even 12) with Manny possibly holding a slight lead on the cards.

I think this could end up like Cotto-Margarito but with Cotto playing the Margo role. Miguel's chin will hold up against Manny's flurries and hopefully he'll wear down Manny with his attacks.

Ultimately, what I'm really worried about is Miguel's susceptibility to cuts. I fear Manny will rip him to shreds and force the doctor to stop it. I''m still going by Cotto TKO though .


**Obviously, my post has been from a Cotto fan's perspective :good

 

Cuts could play a part but I'm not basing my prediction on it :good

 

Footspeed, right. That's why Pacquiao will win, I believe. He'll fight like he did against De La Hoya rather than Hatton, or opponents where he's stronger. Cotto will be one confused bunny.

Although I do hope I've got this one wrong, Cotto is my favourite welterweight.

 

People talk about Cotto neutralizing Mosley and Judah's speed. Well, Judah fights for 3 or 4 rounds and was doing a reasonable job until the low blow.

Mosley ain't no fast on his feet guy. Mosley is a gunslinger, he stands with you all day long. He ain't looking to be moving in and out, side to side.

We're talking about Cotto neutralizing handspeed not movers.