Pacquiao's strengths and weaknesses By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star)

As the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, Manny Pacquiao is expected to beat Miguel Cotto in their “Firepower” showdown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas tomorrow night (Sunday morning, Manila). The odds are 3-1 in Pacquiao’s favor and the betting is the scheduled 12-round bout won’t go the distance.

Although Cotto is bigger, Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach isn’t losing sleep over it.

“I know Cotto’s a big, strong guy and I worry about that at times,” said Roach, quoted by William Dettloff in The Ring Magazine. “But Manny is very strong also at this weight. I think it’s our toughest fight to date and a much tougher test than Oscar (de la Hoya) or (Ricky) Hatton. I don’t look at it as an easy fight whatsoever and I look for Cotto to come out at his best.”

Glyn Leach, writing in Boxing Monthly Magazine (Oct. 2009), said even as Cotto is the defending WBO welterweight champion, the Puerto Rican is playing “second fiddle in what had once been his own orchestra - the Filipino is the leading man, Cotto is just a bit-part player in the big picture.”

Cotto is fighting for respect and recognition while Pacquiao is aiming to make history. If he wins, Pacquiao will become the only fighter ever to capture seven world titles in seven weight divisions.

Pacquiao, 30, has a 49-3-2 record, with 37 KOs. His only losses were to Rustico Torrecampo, Medgeon 3-K Battery and Erik Morales. The draws were with Agapito Sanchez and Juan Manuel Marquez. He has logged 19 more fights than Cotto who turned pro six years after the Filipino icon.

Pacquiao will be a lot fresher than Cotto when they slug it out. Pacquiao has fought only once this year, dispatching Hatton in two rounds. Cotto took five rounds to dismiss patsy Michael Jennings last February and went through the wringer to eke out a split decision over Joshua Clottey last June. The fact that Pacquiao has fought only two rounds this year compared to 17 for Cotto may be an advantage or disadvantage.

* * *

Here are Pacquiao’s strengths.

• Speed. There’s no way Cotto can match Pacquiao’s hand-speed and foot-speed. Pacquiao throws combinations with incredible rhythm, sometimes in bunches of three or four. Before his opponents can even think of countering, they’re either down on the floor or Pacquiao is a safe distance away. Foot-speed will be particularly critical because Pacquiao must be quick on his heels to avoid Cotto’s rushes. Cotto will attempt to pin Pacquiao along the ropes and trap him in a corner. Pacquiao won’t let it happen and he’ll use his foot-speed to avoid sticky situations.

• Heavy artillery. Pacquiao hits from all angles. Because of Pacquiao’s dizzying hand-speed, it will be difficult for Cotto to read where the punches are coming from. What makes Pacquiao even more formidable is his right is as lethal as his left. He’ll attack Cotto with both fists. Roach said the left will finish off Cotto but the right will set it up.

• Hard to hit. Pacquiao’s defense has improved tremendously through eight years of working with Roach. He uses head movement, his arms and footwork to stay clear from bombs. Pacquiao is a moving target in the ring and unless Cotto is able to bring the fight to the ropes or the corners, he won’t be able to land too accurately.

• Experience. Pacquiao picked up a lot of lessons from his skirmishes with Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Marquez and De la Hoya. He’s learned to fight more methodically. He’s become more patient in creating the openings for his punches. Pacquiao has been a pro for 14 years and Cotto, for eight. In tight situations, experience will go a long way in wiggling veterans out of trouble.

• Heart. Pacquiao is a proud warrior with the biggest heart in the business. He fights not only for himself but for his family, his country and the entire Filipino people. When Pacquiao steps onto the ring, he carries the weight of the Filipino nation on his shoulders. The responsibility doesn’t faze him. He thrives under pressure. Pacquiao’s spirit is as inspiring as it is unflappable.

* * *

Here are Pacquiao’s weaknesses.

• Focus. If Pacquiao is bothered by distractions that come his way in every fight, he could be in danger against Cotto. Because he is a showbiz celebrity in his own right, Pacquiao is fair game for intrigue and rumors. If he’s affected by all the “star” talk, it could be a problem on fight night. Focus is important for Pacquiao who’s up against a deadly serious and highly motivated opponent.

• Size. Pacquiao is smaller and lighter than Cotto who will surely use his bulk to try to overpower the Filipino challenger. Since Cotto is bigger, he has more width and length to cut the ring off and prevent Pacquiao from moving around. Cotto’s ability to fight big or small will be a major headache for Pacquiao.

• Overconfidence. If Pacquiao is looking beyond Cotto and conjuring visions of a megabuck showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. or a third meeting with Marquez, he should wake up to present reality. He can’t afford to take Cotto lightly, no matter if his entourage continues to belittle the Puerto Rican for being a bleeder, slow and easy to hit. What Pacquiao shouldn’t do is to give Cotto some momentum in the fight. Pacquiao should dictate tempo from the start and take away Cotto’s confidence.

• Questionable power. The jury is still out on whether Pacquiao’s punches will be as potent against bigger opponents. He wasn’t able to floor De la Hoya - possibly an indication that a bigger opponent, like Cotto, may be able to take his power. If Pacquiao’s punches don’t kick in, Cotto will attack relentlessly and put extreme pressure on the Filipino. If Pacquiao’s punches kick in, it could be a short night for the Puerto Rican.

• Unfamiliarity. Pacquiao will face a versatile opponent who switch-hits, comes forward or strikes from a distance. If Pacquiao fights on reaction, meaning he doesn’t assert himself, Cotto will set the pace. Cotto could be the toughest opponent ever for Pacquiao who must be ready to make quick adjustments in the ring because the Puerto Rican is a clever operator.


source
---------------

Come Saturday night (sunday-philippines) we will witness how will Manny Pacquiao capitalized his advatnags or his disadvantages ..

jerome pagalan
http://sportspayperview.blogspot.com/

PS. Manny's biggest advantage is his heart.

Freddie Roach Talks to the Rumble: "We're gonna make him quit." by Avi "Shoefly" Korine

Confidence drips from Freddie Roach's voice as he talks about his fighter, Manny Pacquiao, and his chances against Miguel Cotto in the most anticipated fight of the year this Saturday. While it might be easy to dismiss his comments as hubris, his incredible track record speaks for itself. Roach nailed, to the round, Pacquiao's shocking victories over both Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya and claims to be even more confident than ever as his charge prepares to take on the larger Miguel Cotto. If Pacquiao wins the fight he will become a welterweight champion, the seventh weight class he will have done so, an all-time record.

Roach doesn't mince words as the talks about Cotto's flaws and the weaknesses he sees in his counterpart, Joe Santiago, Cotto's trainer.

The Rumble: Thanks for taking the time to talk, Freddie. First of all, what's your general feeling with only a couple of days until the fight?

Freddie Roach: We feel great. We just went for a run this morning. We had a nice long run and everything is right where it's supposed to be.

TR: And how is Manny's weight?

FR: We're a pound and a half over right now. That was before the run, he's close. The weight is no problem.

TR: Against De La Hoya it seemed like you planned even before the fight to use lead lefts and against Hatton it was right hooks. Do you have a specific plan for Saturday or are you just going to wait to make adjustments in the ring?

FR: Well, a lot depends on how Cotto wants to fight. If he wants to try to come at us we're ready for that. If he wants to try to be the counterpuncher, like Marquez, because Marquez gave Manny trouble, we can deal with that too. Whatever he brings we will adapt to it.

TR: Are you as confident going into this fight as you were before De La Hoya and Hatton?

FR: More. I just don't think he's that good. He's too slow. He cocks his left hook. He's got a good left hook, but he telegraphs it, he's not going to hit us with it. My guy is in great shape, everyone thinks because of the typhoon in the Philippines we didn't train but we never missed a day and he's in great shape.

TR: The amazing thing about Manny is that he seems to improve every time we see him. Is he still getting better?

FR: He's punching harder than ever right now and he has really filled out. He is definitely getting better all the time. That's one thing about Manny Pacquiao he loves to fight. Cotto is a little like De La Hoya in that he leads with his power hand, and he's a little like Hatton in that he throws the left hook like Hatton does. We're going to use a little bit of those gameplans and put them together and that'll be enough.

TR: Yeah, Cotto, like both those guys seems to have more power in his left hand rather than the power hand, his right.

FR: He is more of a one handed fighter, his dominant hand is his left. He does have knockout power in his left, the right I'm not worried so much about. The thing is Manny is in great shape. He's on fire right now. I don't even have to ask him to do something, he knows it before I do. He's 100% ready for this fight and, Miguel, we're going to knock him out.

The thing is Manny has fun in training camp, I'm having fun. We're working hard, but he just enjoys what he does and you can see that in his face. I love it also, so there is good chemistry for us and I expect Manny to fight another perfect fight.

TR: Cotto has a relatively inexperienced trainer and team. His sparring partners also didn't seem to be of the same quality as those in your camp. Do you think that will play a role?

FR: Definitely. He has no idea what it's like to be in a big fight, he's never been there before. He's not going to win the fight, I guarantee that.

TR: What is your final prediction.

FR: I think we'll get him in either round one, nine, or ten. We'll either catch him in the first, where we've seen him be hurt several times. Or, if he makes it through the first we'll just break him down, if we don't get him there we'll get him around nine or ten.

TR: Occasionally Cotto can get overaggressive and seems to follow his opponent rather than cut the ring off. Can you take advantage of that?

FR: Of course. Joe Santiago is his ring coach and he doesn't know anything about ring generalship! So we're really going to take advantage of that. You know, Cotto is too slow for Manny right now, he's got a good left hook, but no one is really watching him or is there to keep his fundamentals intact. He's got to train himself at this point to beat Pacquiao. And that's very good for us.

TR: Some people say that Cotto has counteracted speed like Manny's against Zab Judah and Shane Mosley. What do you think about that?

FR: The thing is, that was before he took the beating from Margarito. The beating from Margarito is still in his mind. And, to be honest with you, I think we're going to make him quit.

TR: Thanks for your time Freddie and good luck this weekend.

FR: Thanks.


source
-------------

Come Saturday night (sunday-philippines) we will witness what Freddie Roach has been telling..

jerome pagalan
http://sportspayperview.blogspot.com/

Shawn Porter to Walk Pacquiao into Ring Saturday Night! by PhilBoxing.com

 Los Angeles, CA – 2008 US Olympic alternate Shawn “Showtime” Porter will lead superstar Manny Pacquiao into the ring Saturday night for his showdown with WBO Welterweight champion Miguel Cotto.

Porter, 10-0 (8 KO’s), served as Pacquiao’s primary sparring partner and played the role of Cotto during his six weeks in camp. While swapping punches with the best fighter in the world was often a grueling task, Porter was grateful for the opportunity.


“"It’s truly an honor that Team Pacquiao brought me into camp” said Porter, whose intense sparring with Pacquiao was featured on HBO’s Emmy Award winning 24/7 series. “It was a lot of fun, a great learning experience and something I will remember far beyond my years as a professional fighter.”

Following training sessions in Pacquiao’s native Philippines, fans mobbed Porter for pictures, autographs and to ask about his experience sparring with their national hero. Even though the public attention was quite unexpected, Porter is flattered with his newfound support.

“The type of recognizance I got was unbelievable.” “For people to stop me and say “hey you’re Shawn Porter” thousands of miles away from my hometown of Akron, Ohio is great.”

“The fans treated me as if they have known me for a number of years. I definitely look forward to continually building my fan base in the Philippines because their fans are incredible!”

The highly anticipated Pacquiao-Cotto “Firepower” pay per view hits airwaves at 9 pm ET and is promoted by Top Rank.

Porter’s next bout is taking place November 21 at Fitzgeralds Casino in Tunica, MS. Details will follow in the coming days.


source
---------------

Shawn Porter a primary sparring partner of Manny Pacquiao was picked to lead Pacman to the ring. A rare honor for him...

jerome pagalan
http://sportspayperview.blogspot.com/