A CLOSER LOOK AT PACQUIAO-COTTO
By Michel T Joseph

With the official announcement of the long negotiated fight between current [mythical] pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KO’s) and WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (34-1, 27 KO’s), has come a collective sense of excitement– one could even call it downright jubilance.  And because these men are the type of fighters that they are – warriors to the bitter end, there’s no real need to go over why this fight promises to be nothing short of captivating – at least on paper.

I mention the key words ‘on paper’ because inside the ring, there are some striking differences between both men which could become even more glaring when they face off November 14, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.  Of the two fighters, there is no doubt Pacquiao certainly appears the much fresher, especially in light of Cotto’s not-to-long-ago-war with Antonio Margarito (a fight in which Cotto was stopped in the 11th round).  Moreover, knowledgeable fight fans know all too well that even just one brutal ring war can add age to a fighter exponentially; a good example of this would be Jose Luis Castillo, and the late Diego Corrales, who, after waging one of the most epic and brutal wars modern day fight fans have ever seen, were never quite able to reclaim their peak form again inside the ring.  Though there is certainly something to be said for Cotto, who is still the welterweight champ, many close observers would find it hard to argue that he hasn’t looked quite as fresh as he did pre-Margarito.

 

Cotto’s war with Margarito certainly doesn’t come close to the brutality that was waged between Castillo and Corrales, but it was certainly a mileage-adding affair nonetheless, and the last thing any boxer needs while preparing to go into a ring with Many Pacquiao are the lingering after-effects of one too many ring wars.  Pacquiao has certainly had his share of tough fights as well, however, remarkably he has not even so much as shown a hint of slowing down, let alone any of the wear and tear that such pressure cooker fights can add to a boxer.  In summary, if Cotto has indeed added some significant wear and tear to himself as a result of his fight with Margarito, you can be sure that a fighter like Pacquiao, whose game revolves around his speed, power, and explosiveness, will be sure to bring this truth to light before all, and at Cotto’s expense.

 

And while Cotto will be entering this fight after just escaping with his belt after twelve tough rounds from Ghana’s Joshua Clottey (in a fight where many feel Cotto lost, and all unanimously agree, was extremely close), Pacquiao is coming into this fight still fresh off a second round icing of defensively-challenged Ricky Hatton.  Whereas Pacquiao appears to be aging like fine wine; he’s getting better each and every time he fights, Cotto seems to have if nothing else, hit a brick wall in what he brings to the table as a fighter as far as his development is concerned.  The best that can be said for Cotto is that he’s reached his peak, and some, including myself, are wondering if he’s just a tad past it in light of some of his mileage-adding, fan-thrilling fights.  Though Cotto’s ‘peak’ is far higher than most fighters could ever hope to get near, as his wins over Judah and Mosley (among many others) attest, this writer has a creeping suspicion that somewhere there is a chink in Cotto’s armor – even if it’s only wear and tear as a result of his fight with Margarito – and if that’s the case, most including myself feel as though it’s a safe bet that Pacquiao will find it and crack it.

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