Papa Mayweather: Miguel Cotto can knock Manny Pacquiao's ass out

Floyd Mayweather Senior’s wrinkled face is a map of hard living.

There are as many nooks, nicks, crannies and crevices on his face that you might think you’re looking at a lunar map.

For a guy whose middle name is Joy, there’s been plenty of pain and anguish, some of it self-inflicted, in his years.

He’s 56 now and, on Saturday he buried his estranged father, Theartha (age 81).

His own ring career was sabotaged by a prison stint for slinging drugs. They say he was once shot at while holding his son, future world champion and boxing supernova Floyd Joy, in his arms.

I don’t know if there is a right side of the tracks in gritty Grand Rapids, Mich., but Mayweather, whose father took a hike when he was only 15, was to the ghetto born.

I don’t claim to be a close friend of his. I’m certainly no associate or confidante of the poetry spouting, Mountain Dew swilling trainer.

But I have been in his presence enough to know he’s not the Heckle & Jeckel cartoon character he portrays on the HBO 24/7 minstrel shows.

Mayweather Sr. is a real man and he knows boxing, the mechanics of the sport, inside and out. If he knew cars the way he knows fighters, he would working on Porsches and Mercedes Benz vehicle and not some gas guzzling clunkers.

I was surprised that Papa M was willing to discuss boxing, seemingly a more mundane topic than ever as he prepared for his father’s wake on Friday in Michigan. But he was and this is part of what he had to say.

On the cold public reaction to Marquez-Mayweather: “Some fights catch on as they get closer to happening. That may be the case here, that the excitement will build as the fight gets closer.”

On his brother Roger’s criminal law problems: “I stay out of it because that is his business. He’s the one that’s got to deal with it, not me. I will say this, though…if he doesn’t learn and learn real fast, it’s going to end in something that’s not so nice.”

On Li’l Floyd showing ring rust Sept. 19: “Every fighter has some ring rust after a layoff. But he will win this fight with Marquez. Marquez is a good, tough fighter but my son is too slick for him.Marquez’s hands will be just too slow. Marquez won’t be able to counter punch Floyd the way he did Pacquiao and others. It’s going to be a big difference in timing. Marquez might think fast but can he get off fast? Floyd won’t let him do that. My son's feet, his hands and his brain are too fast."

On dealing with a lung disease: “It makes you short of breath but I feel good know. I’m going back to Vegas on Tuesday. I want to keep trying to help my son get ready for Marquez.”

On the Pacman-Cotto fight coming Nov. 14: “I think Pacquiao is too much for Cotto right now but my thing is if Cotto can hit hard to the body and to the head, he can knock Pacquiao out. Cotto knock his ass out! If he don’t land those shots, he is not gonna win against Pacquiao.”

Maybe this is an appreciation of Floyd Senior. Come to think of it, it is.

Deal with it because, when it comes to boxing and the hard knocks of life, this man is an expert.

He never went to college but he is loaded with common sense.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d23-Papa-Mayweather-Miguel-Cotto-can-knock-Manny-Pacquiaos-ass-out

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Arum: Pacquiao-Cotto contract to be inked Wednesday

MANILA, Philippines -- Top Rank head Bob Arum said he has crossed the t’s and dotted the i's for the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto showdown, adding that he is expecting signed contracts from both camps by Tuesday, Aug. 11 (Wednesday, Aug. 12 in Manila).

Speaking to Michael Marley of examiner.com, the ageless promoter said the fight would be held at a catch weight of 145 pounds, and with Cotto’s WBO welterweight title on the line.

"Everything has been decided and agreed to," Arum told Marley. "Cotto is defending the title and the weight limit (will) be 145 pounds."

Earlier reports said Cotto was not keen on putting his welterweight strap on the line, mainly because the Puerto Rican did not want to pay the sanctioning fee required by the WBO.

Cotto also reportedly insisted on a 147-lb weight limit.

"There are no (more) disagreements or problems. Now, everything is cleared up," Arum added.

This development opens up a rare opportunity for Pacquiao to become the first boxer in history to win seven world titles in as many divisions -- having previously wrested the WBC flyweight, IBF super bantamweight, Ring Magazine featherweight, WBC junior lightweight, WBC lightweight and IBO junior welterweight crowns.

Arum added that tickets for the Pacquiao-Cotto bout will be available for sale on Aug. 17.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=494775&publicationSubCategoryId=200

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Manny Steward Says 'Miguel Cotto lo noqueará'

... Or, in English, “Miguel Cotto will knock him out.”

He’s referring, of course, to Manny Pacquiao, who Cotto is scheduled to fight on November 14. Steward, a Hall-of-Fame trainer who is best known for training Tommy Hearns and Lennox Lewis, is aggressively angling for the job of training Cotto for the Pacquiao fight. Yesterday, in an interview with the Puerto Rican daily Primera Hora, he stated flatly that if Cotto retains his services, there is no doubt in his mind that Cotto will knock Pacquiao out.

Of course, Steward wouldn’t be so publicly clamoring for the Cotto gig were it not for the fact that Cotto recently had an explosive split with his long-time trainer (and full-time uncle) Evangelista Cotto. Tensions that simmered between the two for years finally boiled over this past April, leading to a fistfight that started in a Puerto Rican gym and eventually made its way out to the parking lot, reputedly concluding with Evangelista hurling a cinder block through the windshield of his fighter-nephew’s Jaguar.

Since that incident, Cotto fired his uncle and promoted his nutritionist, Jose Santiago, to be his head trainer, a move that left many in the boxing world scratching their heads. Cotto is known to be very loyal to his circle, but how long can he expect to compete at the elite level without an elite trainer?

Manny Steward is about as elite as they get, and he clearly thinks the time is now for Cotto to step up to the A-list as far as his training goes. He told Primera Hora that he’s a big admirer of Cotto and that he believes there are many ways that he can improve the fighter. Should Cotto take him up on the offer, it definitely would raise the octane level of what is already shaping up to be the biggest and possibly best fight of the year. Not only would there be two superstar fighters in the ring, but each would have a superstar trainer in his corner. And just as Freddie Roach vs. Floyd Mayweather Sr. stole some headlines from the Pacquiao/Hatton fight, no doubt Freddie Roach vs. Manny Steward would become a major storyline for Pacquiao/Cotto.

Source: http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/entry/view/29430/manny_steward_says_miguel_cotto_lo_noquear%C3%A1

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Pacquiao-Cotto vs Mayweather-Marquez: Top Rank over Golden Boy in the Early Rounds (Plus ask Freddie Roach!)

Two mega bouts just months apart and Top Rank has won the promotional fight by fueling the media with doubts. Of course I’m referring to the Manny Pacquiao / Miguel Cotto fight. Bob Arum may be a genius or is it raw luck? Since he announced that the Ninja and Cotto had agreed to throw down in November the following events have captured the boxing fans attention:

- Arum goes on vacation leaving both camps to negotiate a deal.
- Both teams can’t agree on money or the weight limit.
- Pacquiao’s camp says they might fight Mosley instead of Cotto.
- Arum gets back from vacation and settles all disputes, maybe.
- The Ninja wants belt number seven but Cotto and the WBO say he gets it at 147lbs. not 145 lbs.

Now let’s take a look at the other mega fight set for next month. That would be Floyd Mayweather Jr. / Juan Manuel Marquez. What’s happening in this camp? No news is not good news in the world of boxing promotion. Why is Mayweather Jr. not talking to the media? Where are the controversial statements? Why the trouble selling out this event? Could it be no publicity coming from Golden Boy Promotions? Oscar where are you when we need you? Are you counting on 24/7 to draw the PPV viewers? Haven’t we already seen Marquez up in the mountains pounding tires with a hammer? How about Mayweather Jr. bragging how he is the greatest boxer in history? Been there done that!

Do you really believe that Cotto would turn down a fight against the Ninja which would fill his bank account with millions and millions of dollars? Do you think that a two pound difference would cause the fight to come to a screeching halt? Mosley belongs to Golden Boy and Cotto belongs to Top Rank. Let’s do the math together, if the Ninja fights Cotto then Arum gets all the promoters share of the fight. If the Ninja fights Mosley then Arum splits the money with Oscar De La Hoya. No way Mosley takes Cotto’s spot against the Ninja.

In a nutshell….Pacquiao / Cotto was a done deal the night of the Cotto / Clottey fight when the Ninja told Bob Arum he wanted to fight Cotto. The rest is all hype benefiting the promotion of the event.

Super trainer Freddie Roach says “he is tired of the back and forth nonsense, I just want my fighter in camp preparing for the fight.”

Lee Samuels of Top Rank believes that Pacquiao/ Cotto is capturing the public’s attention because “both fighters are so evenly matched no clear winner, it’s up for grabs.” Hmmm…not so sure about that Lee. The last time I saw the Ninja he was throwing power punches so fast they left vapor trails.

Early on it looks like the Mayweather Jr. / Marquez fight will have trouble selling PPV buys. The flip side of the coin is everyone can’t wait for the Ninja to do his thing against Cotto. Fireworks for sure!!!

Source: http://www.doghouseboxing.com/DHB/Tyler080609.htm


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Floyd’s trainer: ‘Pacquiao got guts to face Cotto’

MANILA -- There’s nothing new in recognizing Manny Pacquiao’s ferocity in facing guys bigger than him.

Unless the recognition came from Roger Mayweather, the uncle-trainer of former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

In an interview with fight Fan.com’s Ace Freeman, Roger said it takes some serious guts for a small man like Pacquiao to face Miguel Cotto.

“Obviously if Pacquiao is taking the fight with Cotto, he thinks he can beat him. That should tell you right there… for a little guy, he’s got some balls,” said Roger.

Roger, who himself fought as a professional and was a former world champion in the late 80’s, also admitted that he may have underestimated Pacquiao in the past.

“Obviously he’s a much better fighter than I thought he was. Regardless of how he beat [Oscar] de la Hoya, he still beat de la Hoya. Regardless of how he beat Ricky Hatton, he beat Ricky Hatton. Obviously, he’s a better than I thought he was,” he said.

However, he thinks it will be a different story when Pacquiao meets Cotto, whom he described as the bigger guy and a very good puncher.

“I don’t think he’s going to beat Cotto. If he does beat Cotto, I’ll be amazed… I’ve got to see him beat Cotto… I’ve got to see it with my own eyes,” said Roger.

Pacman vs Floyd
Roger also said that he would also like to see how Pacquiao would fare against his nephew, Floyd.

“That would be the biggest fight in the world for Pacquiao. It would also be the biggest fight in the world for my nephew if they were to fight in the near future,” he said.

Roger, however, thinks it will only happen if Pacquiao beats Cotto.

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/07/28/09/floyd%E2%80%99s-trainer-%E2%80%98pacquiao-got-guts-face-cotto%E2%80%99

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Legacy matters to Manny Pacquiao fans worldwide

Bob Arum went on record stating that “nobody in the US’ cares whether Manny Pacquiao fights Miguel Cott for the WBO welterweight title on Nov. 14.

That inspired me, based on a reader’s suggestion, to call for a Pacquiao and a Cotto Fan Roll Call at my email address of mlcmarley@aol.com.

I only asked those supporting Pacman-Cotto as a world title bout, giving Megamanny a chance to garner a record seventh weight division title, to give name and where they reside.

Maybe “nobody in the US” cares about this issue but I’ve had thousands of responses in a few short hours and they come from all over the world.

News Flash to Arum: to Pacquaio's ardent fans, legacy matters.

Here are some of pugilistic precincts which are demanding Packy-Cotto have the belt on the line:

Cebu, RP

San Diego

Miami

Jersey City, NJ

Singapore

South Africa

Saudi Arabia

Dubai, UAE

Wicklow, Ireland

Metro Manila

Davao City, RP

Toronto

Perth, Australia

West Valley City, Utah

Columbus, Ohio

Waxhaw, North Carolina

Taiwan

What do you think of that, Uncle Bob?

But “nobody cares” right?

Last time I checked, North Carolina, Utah, Ohio, Florida and California had not seceded from the Union.

Keep those emails coming to mlcmarley@aol.com, mark them ‘ROLL CALL’ and give your name and where you live.

The fight goes on! the crusade continues!

Btw, my fellow Examiners are cordially invited to participate as are boxing scribes anywhere, especially the Pinoy stalwarts. Paging Messrs. Giongco, Lagumbay, Trinidad, Cordero and all the rest.

The more the merrier.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m7d26-Roll-call-for-Pacquiao-fans-draws-worldwide-response

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Cotto crown at stake in tiff vs Pacquiao

THE WORLD Boxing Organization welterweight belt will be on the line when Manny Pacquiao tangles with titlist Miguel Angel Cotto on November 14 in Las Vegas.

WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel made this assurance to Michael Marley of Examiner.com Friday afternoon to assuage fears of Pacquiao fans that Cotto’s crown won’t be staked because the fight, slated at the MGM Grand, is set at a catch weight of 145 pounds and not at the regular limit of 147 pounds.

Valcarcel said he appreciated Pacquiao’s quest for a seventh weight division world title, adding that it would “be ridiculous not to dangle the WBO title” considering that a highly respected champion (Cotto) is fighting the No. 1 contender (Pacquiao).

Officially, Pacquiao has reigned as World Boxing Council super featherweight, flyweight and lightweight champion and International Boxing Federation super bantamweight titlist.

Pacquiao, the pound-for-pound king, currently holds the International Boxing Organization light welterweight crown, snatching it from British icon Ricky Hatton, whom he demolished in two rounds on May 2.

In addition, Pacquiao, who’ll be fighting at over 140 lbs for only the second time in his sterling career, has been recognized as the Ring Magazine’s featherweight, super featherweight and light welterweight champion.

In his initial foray as a welterweight, Pacquiao sent future Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya with an eight-round stoppage last December also at the MGM Grand.

This early, bettors have installed Pacquiao a -215 favorite and Cotto, who’s going below 147 pounds for the first time in nearly three years, a +175 underdog.

This means that a $215 bet on Pacquiao would just net $100 while a $100 wager on Cotto would generate $175.

Both Pacquiao and Cotto, who hails from Puerto Rico, are being promoted by Top Rank’s Bob Arum, assuring the 77-year-old lawyer of a windfall in gate receipts and pay per view buys of the 12-round bout dubbed “Fire Power.”

Source: http://sports.inquirer.net/professional/professional/view/20090726-217260/Cotto-crown-at-stake-in-tiff-vs-Pacquiao

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Bradley takes shot at Pacquiao

Timothy Bradley is undefeated, a two-time titleholder and confident. He also seems to be frustrated about the perception of a particular fighter from the Philippines.

The product of the Southern California desert town of Palm Springs said a victory over Nate Campbell on Aug. 1 in neighboring Rancho Mirage will solidify his position as the top 140-pounder in the world. Then he remembered Manny Pacquiao.

Bradley is rated No. 1 at 140 pounds by THE RING, one notch below champion Pacquiao.

“Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter supposedly … whatever,” he said Thursday on a conference call, which included Campbell. “He’s the poster kid. He’s not fighting the best in the division, though. He’s fighting bigger fighters who are cutting weight and chopping them up because they’re weakened coming down in weight.”

Yes, it sounds like sour grapes. However, no one can say Bradley (24-0, 11 knockouts) is just sitting around complaining; he’s fighting hard to get to the top.

Case in point: He will have fought three of the best 140-pounders in the world in a 14-month period, an extremely impressive feat.

He went to England and narrowly beat Junior Witter in May of last year to win the WBC belt, he survived the only two knockdowns of his career to outpoint Kendall Holt and win the WBO version of the title, and he faces Campbell a week from Saturday.

He has a long way to go before he catches Pacquiao but he’s on the rise.

“To be the best, you have to beat the best,” Bradley said. “He’s one of the best fighters at 140 pounds, including myself. That’s the reason I’m taking the challenge. I want to be the best fighter in the world at 140. I have to beat Nate Campbell to do that.”

The fighters engaged in some spirited trash talking on the conference call but it was good natured. They seem to respect one another.

Bradley was asked what he thought of Campbell’s stunning split-decision upset victory over then-undefeated Juan Diaz last year in Cancun, Mexico. Clearly, he was impressed. And Campbell’s subsequent majority-decision victory over tall, hard-punching South African Ali Funeka? Again, impressive.

So what makes Bradley think he’ll fare any better against the seasoned old (37) veteran?

“Because I’m not Juan Diaz,” he said. “I’m not one dimensional. He’s one dimensional; he can’t move, he can’t box, he can’t adjust in the ring. What makes me confident is that I can pretty much do it all – box, bang, stand and trade. I can move and I can fight too.

“I can make adjustments in the ring. That’s what makes me feel a lot more confidence.”

Meanwhile, Campbell (33-5-1, 25 KOs) will be fighting for the first time in an official 140-pound bout.

He lost the 135-pound titles he took from Diaz when he failed to make weight against Funeka in February. He weighed in at 137½.

He said he was on weight Thursday.

“You’re able to shrink down when you’re young,” he said. “As you get older, you can’t shrink down as much; you lose strength. I’m feeling stronger than when I’ve been at a higher weight. I feel really, really strong. I’ll be here for a while.”

More disrespect: Bradley took a shot at the sport’s pound-for-pound king. Not to be outdone, Campbell took one at another well-known 140-pounder – Amir Khan.

Khan took the WBA’s version of the junior welterweight title when he easily outpointed Andreas Kotelnik last Saturday in the UK, only three fights removed from a first-round knockout loss to Breidis Prescott.

“Is that spelled CON?” Campbell said, purposely misspelling Khan’s name. “I don’t know how that boy got a title shot. That boy there shouldn’t fight for a junior title let alone a world title. Didn’t Prescott take his lunch money a few months ago?”

Bradley showed more respect for the talented Englishman, who is 22.

"He better hold onto the title as long as he can," Bradley said. "That's all I have to say. I don't have much to say ... congrats on winning the world title. He fought a smart fight. Congrats to him. Basically, that's all I can say. I can't say anything bad. He won a world title. He beat a good, seasoned guy. Kotelnik had been in the ring with Witter and so on. Good job. Congrats."

Source: http://www.ringtv.com/blog/912/bradley_takes_shot_at_pacquiao/

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Manny Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto Ready To Explode November 14th!

Manny Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto Ready To Explode November 14th: Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto has the pin taken out of the grenade and is ready explode in Las Vegas November 14th. The fight has been made at a catch weight of 145 Lbs. Both of these fighters are regarded as two of the most exciting fighters in the world and it should be a treat to fight fans worldwide. Pacquiao is widely regarded as the best pound-4-pound fighter on the planet while Cotto is the #2 ranked welterweight contender.

While most boxing fans were hoping to see a Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao to be made, this could actually be the better match-up. The boxing betting line has not yet been set for the Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto fight but Vegas Sharps expect Pacquiao to be a 2-1 favorite at Sportsbook.com.

Read full story: http://www.onlinesportshandicapping.com/news-9/fight-picks/072209-manny-pacquiao-vs-miguel-cotto-ready-explode-november-14th.html

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V8: Pacquiao/Cotto, Roach, Mayweather, Kirkland, and more!!!

Cotto/Pacquiao: Who Holds The X-Factor?

In Manny Pacquiao you have a fast, intense, and deadly accurate fighter whose vocabulary has never included the word quit. In Miguel Cotto, you have a strong warrior whose commitment to the body alone makes him one of the most feared men in the sport. Pacquiao comes in on a high note - soundly defeating Ricky Hatton; While Cotto comes into the fight with an ego that was badly bruised against Margarito, and subsequently jarred by Joshua Clottey. The momentum appears to be in favor of the Filipino, but the one thing that isn't, and perhaps the biggest detriment to him overall in this affair is power. The power of Marquez, Barrera, and Morales (all featherweights at the time - and perhaps the biggest punchers Pacquiao has ever faced) strongly pale in comparison to that of the man who now stands across from him. Power thrills and speed kills, but what gives? With so many attributes to consider and compare, perhaps the main intangible will come down to the influence and strategy of the men in the corners. We know Roach is a chess-master, but if the services of Emmanuel Steward does come into the fold for Cotto, will that wide gap narrow quickly? In the alphabet, the letter "W" comes before X, but in this case, Cotto will need this "X" (factor) before he can truly have a chance to get the "W". Think about it...

Freddie Roach: Could He Be The Best?

Freddie Roach has been the lead-man in the corner of some very prominent fighters. A list which includes the likes of "Iron" Mike Tyson, Oscar De la Hoya, James Toney, and a countless amount of others. Despite having a direct hand in the ring affairs of such greats, it's two men currently on his roster that have best demonstrated his true worth. Both came into the professional landscape of the sport with a certain amount of talent, but many would argue that neither could have reached this level without his 'finishing touch'. Pacquiao's intensity, paired with his ring knowledge and style have been brilliant, but in the case of Amir Khan, he was able to take a vastly unproven fighter with a broken ego and tap into potential that most new of, yet had never seen in top form. To call him the greatest ever is debatable, but to deny his worth as potentially the best in the sport today...some would say far from.

Read full story: http://www.8countnews.com/news/138/ARTICLE/1766/2009-07-22.html

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Pacquiao vs. Cotto: Big Fight, Good Fight

Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions officially announced yesterday that the Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto fight, scheduled for November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, is a done deal at a catch-weight of 145 pounds. In what has been a strange, transitional year for the sweet science, this is likely to prove the only true super-fight of 2009 in terms of both the legitimacy of the match-up and the interest it generates.

So far this year, there’s only been one really big boxing event – Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton on May 2. And though that was a high-profile bout that garnered a lot of crossover attention and did big business (over 800K in PPV buys), when Pacquiao pulverized Hatton in only two rounds, it confirmed the belief of most boxing pundits that the fight was a mismatch from the start. Once again, Hatton rode his rabid following and great popularity in the UK to a gigantic payday, and once again he proved to be a second-rate fighter with first-rate drawing power.

Other than Pacquiao/Hatton, the only other meeting of A-list names in ’09 was January’s fight between Shane Mosley and Antonio Margarito at the Staples Center. But while that was also a very successful promotion, the mere fact that it wasn’t a pay-per-view event indicates its stature in the category of bling. When a fight is really big, it’s PPV, no questions asked. Mosley/Margarito was right on that pay-per-view bubble, and in the down economy, the promoters chose to put it on regular HBO, a smart move for all concerned.

Read full story: http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/entry/view/28584/pacquiao_vs._cotto_big_fight,_good_fight

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