Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach is standing by his prediction that his ward will knockout Miguel Angel Cotto in the first round to capture the International Boxing Organization welterweight crown now held by the Puerto Rican.
Less than three weeks from now, the world will know if Roach’s uncanny ability to predict in which round Manny Pacquiao will win will again be tested.
Cotto isn’t indestructible. He lost badly and by technical knockout to Antonio Margarito and barely survived Joshua Clottey in his last fight.
He knees buckled when he fought Carlos Quintana.
But those guys are natural welterweights and Cotto is at home in this division.
But then again, those were the same arguments pundits made when Manny fought Ricky Hatton and Oscar de la Hoya – that the Filipino boxing sensation is stretching his luck too far out by fighting men bigger than himself.
That’s what separates Manny from today’s class of fighters when weight divisions have been watered down since the days when there used to be only eight weight classes. When it is not uncommon for boxers to fight opponents as much as 10 pounds heavier, except in the open-ended heavyweight division. Back then, professional boxing was at its purest.
Will Manny knock out Cotto in the early rounds, if not the first?
I say it depends on Cotto's game plan.
While Roach may have already devised a strategy for Manny to put away Cotto, the Puerto Rican may not oblige so easily.
The only way Cotto will hit the canvass for good is when he gets careless and underestimates Manny’s knockout punches.
Or when he gets rattled and forgets his Plan B or Plan C against a boxer whose speed is undeniably unparalleled in today’s professional boxing, if not of all time.
Fighting Manny is on-the-job training. You never get to know him until you get in the ring with him. Ask Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, all of whom fought Manny at least twice.
Morales got the better of Pacquiao in their first encounter but there remains an asterisk to that victory and a lot of ifs. Like if Manny hadn't got cut by a headbutt and hadn't his then promoter Murad Mohammad fleece him out of his deserved purse and cut of the pay-per-view. But Manny's second and third engagements with Morales were works of art.
Barrera was never the same man after he succumbed to Manny in eleven rounds at the Alamodome in 2003.
Marquez gave Pacquiao fits but he never really worked outManny despite his claims of wining both fights against the Filipino southpaw.
De la Hoya and Hatton committed the same mistake – underestimating Manny’s strength and newfound boxing prowess.
Cotto without doubt is preparing and priming himself up for Pacquiao. He will not expect Manny to come out charging. He will time Manny’s attacks and hope to counter them effectively.
The trouble is Manny is at his dangerous best when his opponent prefers to wait for him.
Look at what Manny did to David Diaz. He turned Diaz’s face into a grotesque mask before mercifully ending the bleeding in the ninth round. Marvel at how he reduced De la Hoya into a sitting duck and ‘stationary speedball’ – peppering him with precision punches almost at will. Look at how he attempted to brutally murder Hatton in two rounds.
Cotto will fare better than all of them only because he is heavier and stronger.
But there is no escaping Manny.
Cotto can run but he cannot hide.
He can rush but he cannot hit.
Only when Manny commits the mistake of opening his rib cage and offering his chin can Cotto hope to win.
I will disagree with Roach, Manny won’t knock out Cotto in the first but a knockout there will be.
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FirePower starts to flame.. Miguel Cotto & Manny Pacquiao will soon explode their bombs.
Watch fight night on Nov. 14, 2009..
jerome pagalan
http://sportspayperview.blogspot.com/
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