Pacquiao ready for heavier Cotto

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - Boxing coach Freddie Roach believes Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto would "do a Floyd Mayweather" and said he has prepared Manny Pacquiao for that.

"I'm prepared for that possibility," Roach said about Cotto, the World Boxing Organization welterweight champion, going two pounds heavier than the required catch weight of 145 pounds when he fights Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Nov. 14.

Mayweather Jr. weighed 146 pounds, instead of the agreed catch weight of 144 pounds, when he pummeled Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez last Saturday.

Roach said that in the contract they had with Cotto, the Puerto Rican would not be heavily penalized financially if he went beyond the catch weight.

Boxing analyst Frank Lotierzo, writing for sweetscience.com, said "emulating Mayweather" is the Puerto Rican's only realistic chance of beating Pacquiao.

Lotierzo said Pacquiao could easily handle fighting boxers above his normal weight.

"The truth is Pacquiao has handled the move up in weight much better than Marquez. In fact, Manny is one of the few fighters who's carried his big punch into the higher divisions he's fought," Lotierzo said.

Mayweather paid Marquez $600,000 for weighing two pounds over the catch weight.

"But that's no problem," Roach said. "I'm not worried."

"One or two pounds heavier, we are not worried. We have the best fighter here," he said.

Roach did not even remind reporters gathered at the Shape Up Boxing Gym at Cooyeesan Mall here that the last time Pacquiao fought, his opponent (Ricky Hatton) was also two pounds heavier than Pacquiao during their weigh-in last May.

Hatton weighed in at 140 pounds, the catch weight for the light-welterweight division, while Pacquiao weighed 138 pounds. Pacquiao demolished Hatton in only two rounds.

At this early stage, Pacquiao weighed in at 151 pounds. Roach said that the way Pacquiao is training now, it would be an easy time for him to get to the proper weight.

Source: http://sports.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20090923-226582/Pacquiao-ready-for-heavier-Cotto