EMANUEL STEWARD: "I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT MIGUEL WOULD KNOCKOUT PACQUIAO"

Having worked with the likes of Thomas Hearns, Oscar De La Hoya and Lennox Lewis, world-class trainer Emanuel Steward is no stranger to talent. Working double duty as an HBO commentator as well as the trainer for heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, Steward's time is limited so it's not often that he's willing to take on new fighters. However, recently, Steward announced that he's eager to work with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto to help him prepare for his highly-anticipated clash with Manny Pacquiao. In fact, Steward is so confident of his abilities as a trainer and Cotto's skills as a fighter, he's virtually guaranteed a knockout victory on November 14 if the two were to team up. "If we reach an agreement to work together, I have no doubt that Miguel would knockout Pacquiao," Steward revealed in a recent interview with Carlos Gonzalez of Primera Hora.

Although Steward has admitted that Manny Pacquiao will go down as one of the all-time great fighters in the sport, he also believes that Miguel Cotto has the tools to defeat the Filipino superstar. "I'm one of the few people that gives Miguel a big chance in that fight because of his boxing. Miguel is perhaps the best body puncher in the sport. I have seen some things that I can improve and I know that he can knock him out," Steward stated. The world-class trainer also points to the fact that Cotto is a tough fighter who's willing to face anyone, as evidenced by his last bout against Joshua Clottey, where he fought through adversity and still won the fight despite suffering a nasty cut over his eye. "I'm a big fan of Miguel because he never refuses to fight the best. No other boxer would accept that fight [against Clottey] much less continue fighting with an injury like that. They don't give Miguel the credit he deserves and I know that many people don't give him a chance to win against Pacquiao, but I do," he continued.

Unfortunately for Steward, he probably won't get the chance to backup that bold prediction. Cotto has remained firm in his stance that his current team will stay intact and Joe Santiago will remain as head trainer. "So far, nobody from Cotto's team has contacted me, but I would love the opportunity," Steward reiterated. It would be interesting, however, if Steward did get that opportunity as he would pit his training skills against those of Freddie Roach, who's already lead Pacquiao to victories over fighters trained by other world-class trainers like Floyd Mayewather Sr. and Nacho Beristain.

Source: http://fighthype.com/pages/content5404.html