Cotto hard at work in Tampa gym

TAMPA There will be a time when someone asks boxer Miguel Cotto how he spent his 29th birthday.

His reply might sound sarcastic, but it is the truth. He was in a Tampa gym, where the temperature floated around 90 degrees.

Cotto will face Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs), who some believe is pound-for-pound the best fighter in the business, on Nov. 14. Not even his birthday can get in the way of preparing for what could be the biggest fight of his career.

"I work here every day more than 100 percent," Cotto said Thursday during his media day workout. "I'm going to be ready for him. Every fight is special. If I didn't have any of the fights before, I wouldn't (be here) today. But I have to prove to myself I'm still one of the best boxers.

"I don't have doubts, and I know what I'm capable of doing in the ring, but when you want so much for yourself, you want to bring more everyday."

Cotto, a native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, will defend his WBO welterweight belt in a fight that promoter Bob Arum said will bring the biggest payday for both fighters. Pacquiao will get more that $20 million, while Cotto will earn more than $10 million.

This is the second consecutive fight in which Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) has trained at The Fight Factory on Spruce Street. He said it helped him find peace following his acrimonious split with trainer and uncle Evangelista Cotto.

Pacquiao is among boxing's elite, but there are those who believe Cotto's ability to brawl can earn him a victory.

"Style-wise, if I had a fighter fighting Pacquiao, I'd fight him like Cotto," said legendary trainer Angelo Dundee. "Cotto's got the style to beat a southpaw. And not that I'm such a genius, I've managed six southpaws. I managed one of the best southpaws outside of Pacquiao in Michael Nunn. He was the best."

Cotto will face Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Nov. 14, and the fight will air live on HBO Pay-Per-View starting at 9 p.m.

Source: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/oct/29/cotto-hard-work-tampa-gym/sports/