*Pacquiao vs Cotto...make your pick*

Cotto doesn't have a good lead right hand, that is the one that will work for Mayweather. He's left hand dominated, you don't believe me but you'll see when they take the left hand away from Cotto to a large extent and he'll be helpless. The counter jab might work best for him but its hardly enough alone to beat Pacquiao.

 

Manny Pacquiao will dominate this fight. Here is why ...


1. Circling. Manny Pac will circle clockwise around the ring when he is not engaging. Cotto's excellent jab will become less of a factor, his left-hook to head and body becomes less of a factor. He will have to engineer situations just in order to get his favoured punches off which will present opportunities for Pacquiao.

2. Footwork. How will be able to do the above so effectively? This is why. Manny Pacquiao is one of the best movers today, he is quite a lot quicker on his feet than Cotto. Cotto's timing will not negate Pacquiao's footspeed like he is able to do for handspeed, the handspeed is not so much the issue as footspeed, rather it just adds to Cotto's woes. The only way to negate footspeed is anticipation and even if Cotto has that in his armoury he will be massively hindered as a lefty fighting orthodox against a southpaw because the punches will not be there for him as often.

3. Cotto freezes. When Clottey lead against Cotto, Cotto did not manage to counterpunch him effectively after the jab in the first round which put Clottey over. His preference was to shell up, even before the cut. This will create a situation where Pacquiao knows he can have his way once he is in position without fear of repurcussion, and then he can continue his movement and essentially get in and out, and then laterally without Cotto tasting any success.

4. Cotto's defence. It is serviceable but still not absolutely top notch. When confronted with Pacquiao's attacking arsenal it will likely not hold up. Cotto's guard is not the best technically, it can be punched through and under. The left hand of Pacquiao will be successful, and when that is the case he wins. The hook/uppercut that came to fruition in the Hatton fight will also be successful as a lead instead of a counterpunch, probably later in the fight when Cotto is not functioning so well.

5. Stamina/cuts/damage. They are wearing 8oz gloves combined with Pacquiao's slashing punch technique there is a high probability of a cut suffered by Cotto. I also think with the way Cotto's chin is tucked, and the angle and technique of Pacquiao's punching Cotto could also suffer a nose injury and have breathing difficulties. Even without a cut Cotto's stamina is 'good', but Pacquiao's is great. There will come a point in this fight where Pacquiao has worn Cotto down, or the intensity of the battle will wear him down, enough that Pacquiao realizes he is the stronger man in the ring and at this point Cotto is toast. Cotto can NOT take a backwards step against Pacquiao and win the fight, he doesn't have the defence or counterpunching. I think around 7 rounds this change in momentum in the fight will occur and from then on it the contest is over.

 

Pacman to win widely on points.

I think Cotto will pose some questions for Pac in a similar way to JMM who counterpunched him well. Cotto will use his ring intelligence so won't be rushing on and taking shots like Hatton but I just can't see him doing enough to win enough rounds.

 

I'm undecided, I can see a cuts win for Pac, but I can also see a body KO win for Cotto

Strange I know, but everythine I read or hear opinion on this fight I change my mind, thats why I'm looking forward to it so much, its too close to call, hope it lives up to the hype

 

I think Pac's ability to hurt Cotto may have been overestimated off the back of the Hatton fight. I see Pac being very fast and mobile early on. But think Cotto will be able to close the distance and make it more his type of fight. Cottos jab and lead left hook are underestimated also,and maybe key. I know one thing for sure, we are going to see Pac in a proper fight,against a big powerful man, who can take a shot.

 

TFFP, as ever your points are lucid and reasonable, but you've fallen in love with Manny and, truthfully, aren't being very balanced in your approach here.

All those things, yep, Manny does them well, but Cotto can counteract them. He cuts off the ring excellently on a moving opponent and he only needs Manny against the ropes once and he can finish it. Manny is on a tightrope here. It's not a wasted old Hatton with no gameplan and no defence, it's a methodical grinder who knows he won't get the early rounds, but will use his timing and own under-rated footwork to get inside with Manny and bull him backwards.

You see this being a clear win for Manny, but you're really discrediting Cotto. I'm not 100% that Cotto will win, but this is going to be a very close fight. Manny always takes punches. Always. Until we see how he copes with Cotto's punches, we don't know hoe things will really go.

 

I see the Pacman ending this with a knockout. I won't discuss skills because I'm a little bit blinded by his amazing victories, so I won't bet against him.

 

Will do. There will be no feeling out round, Pacquiao is one of the fastest starters I've ever seen. I can see Pac landing some hurtful shots in the first round, with his right around the side of Cotto's left; he leaves a gap when he blocks and if he throws, the punch can be countered. I could even see a knockdown within the first two rounds, which would be more of a balance knockdown, caused by a straight left as Cotto backs away.

Cotto makes some adjustments in round three and uses distance to avoid the best of Manny's work who will be limited to throwing rights to the body. Cotto has some success with the jab but the left hook is nullified as Pac circles to his left and darts in and out.

The result of Cotto's adjustments is that he's now become negative and this spurs Pac on to be more aggressive. 5th round is bad for Cotto, he has punches come through the guard and he's on the backfoot. In the 6th, being the warrior he is, Miguel tries to stand toe toe but this just plays into Pac's hands, who beats him to the punch. The straight left again puts him down, but this time he's hurt. He gets up but his unwillingness to hold or spoil means he eats more leather and is KO'd.

 

pac possibly stoppage around the ninth maybe on cuts

 

Trainers pick - from Ring TV.

Joe Goosen

Rudy Hernandez

Eddie Mustafa Muhammad

Ronnie Shields

Shadeed Suluki

John Scully

Naazim Richardson

Henry Ramirez

Ken Adams

Robert Garcia

Interesting stuff. Thoughts?

 

I've finally made my pick, Cotto decision for me.

I can see Cotto timing Manny on the way in and discouraging him. Making Pacquiao fight Cotto's fight.

But I think Manny will stay on the outside enough to avoid a KO.

 

Agreed. Though I see a late rounds stoppage. It'll be tit for tat till round 9, then Cotto takes over.

 

I'm sticking with my original pick of Pac in the fifth. I have had so many scenarios go round in my head but I've decided to stick with this. I just see Pac being to quick of hand and especially foot.

I've been watching their previous fights all week and I am well pumped for it. I just hope it doesn't end on cuts early which I feel may happen.

I hope to fook I am wrong though, I hope Cotto stops him late in a great fight.

 

50-49.

Closest we've had in a while.