The Boxing Fans weigh in on Pacquiao-Cotto

These days it is apparently obvious that there is no event that is more anticipated in the sport of boxing than the coming Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto bout. While many boxing scribes, fighters, trainers, and the like have all had something to say about the contest there hasn’t been one specific group as nearly as passionate as the fans of the sport.
At the end of the day it’s the fans that help keep boxing going and there has been no shortage of verbal warfare heading into the November 14th clash between Manny and Miguel. 8 Count News recently took a quick look across some of the busiest message boards online to get a feel for what the boxing public is saying about the showdown.
In their own words, this is what fans across the globe are saying about Pacquiao vs. Cotto…


Rebel @ BoxingFanatics.com…

“Natural 105 pounder my ass. Pacquiao was practically a teen when he won that title at 112.
Many fighters would've began their careers 2-3 weight classes before their actual debut weight class had they turned pro in their teens. Even our boy Sanchez turned pro at bantamweight. This is not a mismatch in favor of Cotto.
Margarito ruined Cotto and fighting below welterweight will only make Cotto more vulnerable.Pacquiao TKO 5”


Hex-One @ FightBeat.com…
“As we get closer to the fight the more people are siding with Cotto. Cotto isn’t slow. This is where most people are making a big mistake. Cotto's combination punching is actually very fast.”


Pac-Boy @ BoxingScene.com…
“Everyone is confident getting in the ring with Pacquiao. Until the bell rings...then all that confidence seems to go away.”


Stofi619 @ ESPN.com…
“These type of fights are what boxing needs in order to once again be one of the world's most exciting sports to watch.”


Valdosta @ BoxingFanatics.com…
“Yeah don't count out Cotto. He didn't look great against Clottey but he still eked out a win with that huge gash over his eye. Also, who has looked great against Clottey? Unless he gets smashed early it's very questionable how Pacquiao would handle Cotto's strength and yeah power. Cotto might not be a big puncher when fighting other WW's, but in this case he punches plenty hard to hurt Pacquiao badly IMO. I think Cotto is fine as long as he don't go below about 144. That's only 2 pounds less than he weighed against Clottey.”


Lb 4 lb @ FightBeat.com…

“Speed isn't everything if you know how to neutralize it and Cotto showed in the Mosley fight that he does. Pacquiao likewise has shown in JMM fights that having his speed neutralized is basically taking away his main advantage. Cotto doesn't have the technical skill of a JMM, but Cotto's size and strength could more than make up for that difference.”


WorldsBestMCotto @ BoxingScene.com…

“Its good that he is sounding confident and ready to get a perfect training camp going, hopefully he doesn't start talking bout retirement again soon. Cotto is basically preparing by himself again, his trainer now Santiago, is not teaching him something he doesn't know already. He needs to keep that same "Clottey" defense technique when he covers his body and chin instead of the peek a boo style. Got my tickets already... Patiently waiting to see the next Filipino president get his sh!t packing and start the campaign early and have the streets in pr celebrating”


Primadonna Kool @ EastSideBoxing.com…

“I just believe on November 14th, it is the end of the PACMAN hype, at the top of the sport. Because he is going to sustain a violent beat down...
I don't even think Miguel Cotto is the best Welter Weight out there.. But that’s just it, Pacman decided to play with he big boys..
And he is now going to pay.. Miguel Cotto, will not be a weight drained Oscar De La Hoya.. Miguel Cotto is a violent man and I think he is slightly disturbed.
When he sees his own blood it only makes him fight harder... The fight is over already, done..! Game, Set...and Match...!”


Zboxz @ BoxingFanatics.com

“In his last fight Cotto was eating straight shots down the pipe.I am sure Pac Man was all eyes.If Pac Man did not think he could win he would not take the fight. Too much to lose.”


Joony @ FightBeat.com…

“I’m looking forward to a good fight. Hopefully, Cotto won't get blasted out in the first 6 rounds.”


Vergudo @ BoxingScene.com…

“This isn't the old Cotto that I used to know......not that there's anything wrong with it. But for this fight, he's been talking a lot. Normally, he just keeps his lips shut, train his ass off, and then let his fists do the talking on fight night. This is the first time I've heard him make a prediction that he's gonna win. Anyway, Cotto is gonna be the most dangerous opponent Pac will ever face. Let's see if Pac can get pass through him......can't wait.”


BigReg @ EastSideBoxing.com…
“Cotto is getting his ass knocked the fuck out in this fight. I'm looking forward to the all the excuses that come rolling out afterwards.”


BKING @ BoxingFanatics.com…
“I have watched the Pacquiao/DLH fight, Pacquiao/Hatton fight, and Cotto/Clottey fight multiple times. When I think about the fight on November 14, I look back at those three fights and ask myself, "Who would I rather be going in this fight?"
Quickness, thinking, and out pointing VS. Power, strength, and willingness to go war. Quickness and thinking is going to win this fight.

Pacquiao is a fast, young southpaw who has begun to use his right hand as well as his lethal left ever since his schooling at the hands of Erik Morales in 2005. I also feel his boxing skills have improved immensely and he is more than capable to boxing circles around Miguel Cotto. Cotto has all the heart in the world, but you can't make mistakes against Pacquiao. That dude is a buzz saw, and when he starts getting heated up as the rounds progress, he is a storm that is very difficult to contain or control.

Cotto has some boxing skills, but the Margarito fight had to have affected him in some way. At least when I look back at the Clottey fight, I see a guy who can definitely punch (he knocked Clottey down with a JAB in the first round), but he's too straight up and down for a speedy little fox like Pacquiao. Cotto is not as fast and he's not going to out punch Pacquiao.

Pacquiao has actually grown smarter as a fighter; he's well aware that Cotto can punch and he's not going to rush recklessly and try to take Cotto out early in the fight. He didn't rush in against Hatton either and that's why Hatton didn't have a prayer in that fight; he fought intelligently and let Hatton come to him and he exposed his leaky defense sooner rather than later (as I suggested months earlier could happen). Pacquiao going to war with Cotto early and trying to knock him out will give Cotto is best chance to score a KO himself. On the contrary I see Pacquiao using a lot of movement early on, pecking away with his straight left. Cotto's guard is actually pretty wide apart and I think that's a clear target for Pacquiao's straight left.

Where people who pick Cotto are going to be shocked on November 14, is their insistence that Pacquiao can't hurt Cotto! Hatton didn't think Pacquiao could hurt him either, until he was lying on his back seeing stars. It's the punches that you don't see coming that really hurt you and Pacquiao has a knack for catching his opponents at just the right angle to the point that the punch shouldn't have been so lethal, but it's perfectly placed and connects such devastation that it paralyzes his opponents.

Pacquiao is going to hit Cotto early and often, boxing carefully for the first 5 or 6 rounds, and when Cotto gets frustrated, it's going to turn into a beat down in the later rounds. Pacquiao will hurt Cotto late in the fight and take him out, I'm guessing in 9 or 10 rounds. It'll look like Raheem/Morales for the first 7 rounds, and it will turn into Hopkins/Trinidad in the last few.”


TexMex @ FightBeat.com…

“Manny's foot speed and how Cotto handles it is the key to this fight.”


Valentino @ BoxingFanatics.com…

“Cotto only looks bad when he has a nasty cut from a head butt or when plaster of Paris is used to beat him up. And even then...he came coming forward. And either won or was arguably ahead.

I doubt PBF would have done the same (judging by the drama he pulled when his hand hurt). And I doubt Pac would have done the same too (judging by non-decision against Agapito). My point is...unless Pac comes with plaster of Paris or unless Cotto suffer a nasty cut that would incapacitate his vision...everything else equal...I pick Cotto”


DatBo215 @ EastSideBoxing.com…

“I am confused with the large number of posters who actually believe Manny is going to KO Cotto. Manny has yet to hurt a WW fighter much less KO one. Couple that with the fact that Cotto, aside from the knees he took against Margo, has only been even knocked down ONE time. Cotto has only had trouble with larger fighters and even the larger fighters he's faced weren’t able to floor him. The fact that many of you feel Pac KO Hatton equates to Pac KO Cotto is dumbfounding. Pac is a really good, naturally talented fighter, who presents a lot of problems for Cotto with his speed and movement, but to objectively look at this fight and conclude that there is a high possibility of it ending with a Pac KO is ridiculous.”


Bigdawg @ FightBeat.com…

“The question will be how will Manny handle a solid punch from a true welterweight with heavy hands. That's going to the question. Remember Cotto ain't the weight drained old ass DLH now is he the very limited Hatton so therefore he will be hit and hit often. If he can not handle Cotto's power then he will be done and could possibly get ko'd. The only way Cotto does not catch Manny is if Cotto's arms are cut off. Cotto is a world class fighter. I do not understand the under rating of Cotto. He'll look at what Morales did to Manny when they fought and one could say that Cotto is at least on his level. But he will catch Manny and when he does Manny will know that he's in the fight of his life. Great fight and I can not wait until this shit jumps off.”


Rabid Kimba @ BoxingFanatics.com…

“Pac by ass whooping.”


Pimp C @ EastSideBoxing.com…

“Cotto could win this fight in a big way if he fights smart. Uses his jab, goes to the body roughs Pac up. Cotto is a very live dog in this fight.”


Fighter @ FightBeat.com…

“I don't think Pacquaio will REMAIN inside long enough for Cotto to work his body. Second half of the fight, it will be the BALLZY great little man shooting ACCURATE combos on the bigger man, breaking HIM down and winning another divisional title setting up a huge fight with Mosley”


Pugilistic Power @ EastSideBoxing.com

“I don't even think he needs to fight smart to win. I think his power will stun Pacquaio early, his movement in the early should keep him away from the power shots Pacquaio usually lands early and it will be a race to the 6th round.

If he tires, like he did in other fights, he might be in trouble against Pacquaio who is relentlessly conditioned.

But prior to that? I think he'll avoid the major shots Pacquaio throws, land to the body and land to the jaw of Pacquaio at will for the first few rounds and that could be enough to finish the job.”


Jack1000 @ BoxingFanatics.com…

“Do you think that Cotto will have to dominate Manny to win if it goes to the cards? As far as I know there are no plans for a Cotto-Mayweather fight in place, and the judges might be influenced by this in giving close rounds to Manny. Or do you think they will be fair to Cotto?

I think that the earlier the fight is, the better it is for Cotto, as the fight goes on and if Manny can take Cotto's punch, I will pick Manny by a fair decision or a late stoppage.”


Mangler @ BoxingScene.com…

“Cotto is the bigger guy, and he better fight like it. If he does, he got it locked. If he tries to box, he's getting fukked up by Pac.”


Bad_Intentions @ EastSideBoxing.com…

“Cotto is taking two knees against the Pac Man.”


Xplosive @ BoxingFanatics.com…

“Speed kills, and its gonna kill Cotto”

Source: http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/1983/2009-10-12.html