Manny Pacquiao Is a Cut Above Miguel Cotto

Los Angeles Times ^ | November 15, 2009

[nickcarraway]

After a slow start, Pacquiao dominates to win his seventh title.

Lightning kept striking in sharp, penetrating bursts Saturday night in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Most of it was hitting Miguel Cotto's face.

Finally, 55 seconds into the final round of the 12-round welterweight boxing match, referee Kenny Bayless stepped in and stopped the thunder and lightning and huge headaches being administered by the incredible fighting machine, Manny Pacquiao.

Pacquiao had won with yet another epic performance. The pride of the Philippines has now become the pride of all boxing. The Puerto Rican Cotto, one tough customer, was reduced to spending the last four or five rounds simply running, surviving, maybe hoping for enough energy for one lucky shot.

"They should have stopped it three rounds earlier, when Cotto started to run," said Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, who, once again, called the shot on how this one would go.

"We will just start right out and overwhelm him with Manny's speed," Roach had said. "We need to break him down." And so Pacquiao did.

In the end, Cotto's face was battered, swelling and bloody. His white shorts had turned pink from his own blood. Like so many Pacquiao opponents in recent years, he had now experienced Pacquiao, a whirlwind wearing boxing gloves.

In recent fights, the bigger David Diaz didn't have a prayer. The great Oscar De La Hoya went sitting on his stool in the corner. And Ricky Hatton went flat on his back, with his eyes rolled back.

And now Cotto, one of the toughest, most feared welterweights of the era, was reduced to dancing and ducking backward, apparently praying for a miracle. Afterward, Cotto said what has become obvious to all now.

"I have fought all the greatest welterweights," he said, "and Manny is the best."

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I would have lost my money if I’d bet this fight - I thought Cotto’s size advantage would eventually wear Pacquiao down. Fortunately I don’t bet LOL.

[nickcarraway]

Have you seen Pacquiao’s last few bouts? I wouldn’t have bet against him. He looks like his opponent’s size doesn’t matter.

[eclecticEel]

Size is meaningless when you’re fighting someone who can move as fast as Pacquiao.

[PUGACHEV]

I knew that Pacquiao was going to win. It's simple, Pacquiao/Mayweather would be the biggest money fight ever, and one with extraordinary international appeal. Do you really think that Bob Arum was going throw that away and let his fighter, Pacquaio, get into the ring with someone who was going to beat him? Remember too, that Arum promotes both Pacquiao and Coto, so this was an especially profitable night for him, but Mayweather/Coto would never be as big as Pacquiao/Mayweather. Arum knew that Coto was not the same after the Margurito beat-down, albeit with loaded gloves, and figured, correctly, that a victory over Coto would help him in negotiations with Mayweather over the split. In professional boxing, always follow the money.