Fight fans are beginning to breathe easier now that the finalization and signatures of contracts are appearing to draw closer and closer as each day passes for what may easily be the fight of the year between arguably the two best fighters in the game, Pound for Pound King and 6-Time World Champion Manny Pacquiao, 49-3-2, 37 KO’s, and the hard hitting, technically sound and current WBO Welterweight Champion Miguel Cotto, 34-1, 27 KO’s. It’s always been said and widely understood that styles make fights and never has that been more true in the matching up of these two fighters. Pound for Pound King Manny Pacquiao’s speed and constant movement always presents a danger to any fighter that enters the ring with him and in his most recent fights has proven to be too much of an obstacle to overcome and sustain for his opponents. In his fight with Oscar De La Hoya, Pacquiao’s speed and ability to move around the ring proved to be too much of a deterrent for Oscar to effectively carry out his game plan. Throughout the entire fight we saw De La Hoya try to simply contain his opponent long enough to simply throw a punch, let alone land any. All the while Manny was too busy tagging Oscar’s face with jabs, straights, hooks, uppercuts and I even think I saw him throw a kitchen sink at Oscar also at one point during the fight. The end result was Oscar being exposed as a fighter who can no longer come up with wins in his big fights and who should probably hang up the gloves while his reputation as a great fighter was still safe from persecution and criticism and Mr. Manny Pacquiao claiming his throne as boxing’s undisputed Pound for Pound King. Another fight that captured the speed and complexity of Pacquiao’s boxing ability is his most recent destruction of British National Icon Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton. I don’t think I need to remind everyone of the obliteration that took place that night. We all felt and continue to feel bad for what happened to the likeable lad. Simply stated, The Hitman proved to be no match for The King. While Pacquiao razzles and dazzles his opponents with speed and throwing many punches from many different and awkward angles, Miguel Cotto has proven to be one of boxing’s most sound technicians of executing strategy and literally breaking down opponents. In his thirty four victories, twenty seven of them have come by knockout proving that he is also an extremely heavy handed hitter who is capable of breaking down an opponent to the point of submission if you haven’t been lucky enough to be knocked out by one of his all leverage, pure power hooks or straight right hands. What amazes those who watch Cotto is his ability to adapt during the fight, the high boxing intelligence that he possesses is evident when you see him make the necessary adjustments mid-fight in order to do what is needed to earn the victory. In his most recent fight with legit contender and hard hitting Joshua Clottey, we saw Cotto fight through a nasty cut in which I believe any other fighter would have turned to their corner or the referee to stop the fight and go to the cards if they were up on them for the decision; as was Cotto, to outlast, outpoint and outpunch Clottey. While some may say that Clottey was robbed, it was evident that Cotto was the busier fighter, with the more effective punches. Honestly, say what you will about the fight but the heart in which Cotto showed is what won over all the critics, judges and fans of the sport and in boxing, heart matters. When Pacquiao’s speedy and busy style meets with Cotto’s hard-hitting and stalking technique fight fans all over will watch with awe, amazement and appreciation of what these warriors will have to offer on fight night. I honestly believe that the winner of that fight will depend on which fighter has the better temperament that night. If Manny enters the fight and wants to go toe to toe with Cotto in the center of the ring like he likes to do with opponents at times in order to prove his heart and entertain the fans then I do believe Manny will get a taste of his own knockout medicine which he administered to Hatton. Simply stated, if they brawl the naturally bigger, stronger and harder hitting Cotto will knock Pacquiao out cold. However, if Manny sticks to the game plan that his hall of fame and possibly the greatest trainer in the game Freddie Roach composes, then he has a better shot of earning a decision over Cotto. Although Pacquiao is the faster and busier fighter, Cotto’s versatility and boxing skill will prove to be a heavy load to deal with for Pacquiao. In his fight against future Hall of Fame fighter and current WBA Welterweight Champion Sugar Shane Mosley, Cotto displayed his superb boxing skills which completely baffled Mosley and led Cotto to earn a decision over the similarly fast and busy fighter Mosley. Again, if Cotto makes the necessary adjustments mid-fight I can see him etching out a split decision over Pacquiao as a result of constantly stalking and probably landing the more effective punches (two key components of judging). The only thing that Cotto fans have to worry about is whether or not cuts will play a major factor and if the memory of his tainted loss to former WBA Welterweight Champion Antonio “Loaded Gloves” Margarito, is still lingering in his mind. If so, then Pacquiao’s skill and style will prove to be too much for Cotto. However, I don’t think it will, seeing as how his professional relationship with his uncle Evangelista Cotto is done and having overcome a nasty cut and a comparably similar Joshua Clottey to Antonio Margartio; all of which can do nothing but boost Cotto’s confidence. Pacquiao fans should be a little nervous about this match up because this fight will probably Manny’s biggest test and Cotto will be his toughest opponent and seeing as how Manny has been knocked down and hurt in the past to fighters who were much smaller and weaker than Cotto, they should be even more concerned for his crown. All in all, I see the Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto fight being fight of the year and Pacquiao’s warrior heart being his downfall in leading him into a brawl with the powerful Miguel Cotto and Cotto knocking him out somewhere after round eight. ....source
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