For Pacquiao and Cotto, More Than Just a Title Is on the Line

Throughout the promotion leading up to Saturday night's mega-fight between challenger Manny Pacquiao and his champion fighter Miguel Cotto, trainer Joe Santiago's reputation has taken a verbal beating from his counterpart, Freddie Roach.

A Hall of Fame cornerman whose hopes to guide Pacquiao to an unprecedented, seventh world title in a different weight class, Roach has taken shots at Santiago's relative inexperience.

But during Wednesday's press conference at the Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand Hotel where Saturday night's clash will be held, Santiago stepped up to the podium and carried himself the same way that he has throughout the fight's buildup.

With a confidence, a calm demeanor, a calculated speech and, ultimately, control.

"Miguel is the best he has ever been, and I hope that Manny Pacquiao will be at the same level," Santiago said. Santiago will be in only his third fight as the lead trainer when Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) steps into the ring against Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) in defense of his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title at a catchweight of 145 pounds.


"We are only three days away from the fight," Santiago continued, "And it will be a great victory for Puerto Rico."

And then, Santiago smiled before looking over at Pacquiao and Roach and delivering this zinger.

"Good luck to Manny," he said. "You're going to need it."

Cotto, who will make $4 million compared to $7.5 million for Pacquiao, wants to be as famous in his native Puerto Rico, where boxing is steeped in a tradition, as Felix Trinidad, Wilfredo Gomez, Wilfred Benitez and Carlos Ortiz.

But to do so, Cotto must turn in perhaps the performance of his life against a fighter many consider to be the best in the sport, pound-for-pound.

"We created a game plan for the fight. We are sure it's going to be a great fight for boxing, but especially for the Latino fans, and for the Puerto Ricans around the world," said Cotto, who turned 29 last month. "This is one of the best camps I have ever had, because I know that I will be facing one of the top guys in boxing."

As for Pacquiao, not since former Philippines greats Francisco (Pancho Villa) Guilledo and Flash Elorde achieved ring excellence has the nation witnessed such gifts.

Guilledo was the nation's first world champion, going 80-5-3, with 24 knockouts from January of 1919 through July of 1925, and ending his career at 115 pounds.

Elorde went 88-27-2, with 33 KOs from June of 1951 through May of 1971, topping out as a 137-pounder with career wins over Sandy Saddler, Harold Gomes and Ismael Laguna.

Pacquiao has racked up victories over notables such as Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, earning the nickname, "The Mexicutioner."

Also known as "The Pride Of The Philippines," Pacquiao considers his defining moments to be recent stoppages over Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, which earned him honors as Fighter Of The Year and Roach the honor of Trainer of the Year for 2008.

Pacquiao has fought once each at 135 -- a ninth-round knockout of David Diaz and at 142, his largest, against De La Hoya, and then at 140 against Hatton -- all in succession.

"Manny's hitting harder than he did in his last fight with Ricky Hatton. He's really filled out," said Roach, adding that Pacquiao dropped four pounds in one day and weighed out at 144 on Tuesday. "He's punching really really hard. He's got power in both hands."

Roach expects Pacquiao to enter the ring at "around 149" on Saturday night.

"I feel stronger at this weight than I ever have. My punches are harder, my speed is intact," Pacquiao said. "I keep getting warned about Cotto's body attack. Cotto should be worried about my body attack.

"I have more than one plan going into this fight. 'Master' Freddie Roach has me doing well, and I am prepared for anything Miguel Cotto has to offer. I have studied all his tapes, and I feel like I know him like I know myself. It's going to be a great fight between two great fighters."

Cotto concurred.

"I'm pretty happy to be here. I'm pretty comfortable to be here. I have trained a lot, like never before, because I know the skills of Manny," said Cotto. "I'm not worried about Manny's speed, but he should be worried about Miguel Cotto's power."

Cotto's best chance at slowing Pacquiao's anticipated superior foot movement appears to be with a fierce body attack, punctuated and dictated by his left hook.

"Good luck to Manny. You're going to need it."
- Joe Santiago, Miguel Cotto's trainer Pacquiao has been stopped twice before and each time it was in the third round. One of the knockout losses came as the result of a body shot, which Roach admits was a devastating blow.

"The first time Manny got knocked out...he got knocked out with a body shot," said Roach. "He showed me both knockouts, and I asked him, 'Do they bother you still?'

"He said, 'No big deal, it happened, but it will never happen again.'"

But Cotto will likely have to eat punches on the way in to get set up such a punch.

For Pacquiao is likely to take aim at the scar tissue above that still tender left eye of Cotto's, which was sliced open during his July 2008 11th-round knockout loss to Antonio Margarito as well as from an accidental head-butt during June's 12-round split decision victory over Joshua Clottey.

"Right now, my speed is still the same," said Pacquiao. "My speed will be there always, even moving up to higher weight divisions. If you have speed, you can create your own power."

Look for Pacquiao to try to counter Cotto with double- and, triple-lefts -- as he did several times against De La Hoya -- and to use the right hand over the top to attack the champion's left eye in the hopes of getting the crimson flowing early and to create the element of doubt.

"The first round is where we set the pace of the fight," Roach said. "We can't give Cotto momentum and confidence, because he will grow. We need to put the doubt in his head right away so that he says, 'What the heck is this?' -- just like we did with Oscar and Hatton.

"I really hope that Miguel comes out to try to show his strength early in the fight. I think that's his best shot to win the fight. I hope that happens, because I think that he'll get knocked out earlier."

Roach added that Pacquiao's advantage would be to make Cotto someone he's not.

"If he tries to lay back and be a counter-puncher like Juan Manuel Marquez -- which a lot of people try to do because of his success with Manny -- I like when they do that because they become someone else. And once they get hit, they revert back to what they were," said Roach.

"Again, the first round is big. We can't give him momentum or confidence. I respect Miguel, but he'll get knocked out in this one."

If a cut happens, however, Cotto said that he is better for the experience with Clottey, particularly with cutman Joe Chavez working his second fight with the titlist.

"Chavez was the factor in the Clottey win. His experience from all those years in the sport helped us on fight night. And the Margarito fight is a chapter from the past. We have a new chapter with Pacquiao," said Cotto.

"Since [strength trainer] Phil [Landman] came to camp, he has always come with a lot of things to work on, like nutrition and strength training. Phil, as you saw in the last fight, made me much better. Our corner is stronger, and we work better than before."

Cotto continued: "You get used to winning, and losing is hard. But those things that came out after made me feel better about this fight. Overall, I've prepared for the best Manny Pacquiao, the fastest Manny Pacquiao, and I will be ready for anything he brings in to the ring."

Cotto said wins over swift and skillful fighters such as Shane Mosley and Zab Judah, the latter of whom is a southpaw, prepared him for how to neutralize a rival's speed, among other things.

Even Roach and Pacquiao have indicated that the 147-pound weight class may be the highest the Filipino star can perform at peak level. On Saturday night, Roach expects Pacquiao to enter the ring weighing "around 149" and expects Cotto "to be at around 160."

Given that, Cotto believes that if he lands a hard, solid punch -- like he did in turning the tables at times on Mosley and Judah -- the smaller Pacquiao will not be able to absorb it as easily as he has from punchers at the lower weights.

"Cotto is the biggest obstacle in Manny's path. He's a true welterweight, a strong welterweight, with a heart as big as this room," said promoter, Bob Arum.

"And Cotto will acquit himself like he always has, and show he is one of the best in the world today. And when the bell rings, there won't be one legend in the ring, but two great fighters fighting for their people and their country."

If Cotto drops a bomb, the question is, will the traditionally smaller man, Pacquiao, hit the floor? And if he does, will he be able to beat the count and perhaps endure subsequent punishment before the round-ending bell tolls yet again.

"I don't think that it's [Pacquiao getting hurt] going to happen, but both guys like to engage. Our plan is to box this guy, move in and out, and be smart about it," said Roach.

"But Manny's character is to exchange at times. We will exchange, and we will get hit, and we'll deal with it as it comes. But it will be an action-packed fight."

Cotto has a record of 3-0, with as many knockouts against southpaws in championship fights, having stopped, in succession, DeMarcus Corley, previously unbeaten Carlos Quintana, and Zab Judah, in five, five, and, 11 rounds.

So it is with that in mind that FanHouse is picking Cotto to win by decision, and, possibly late-round stoppage, with his body attack and durability factoring heavily in the analysis.