Pacquiao-Cotto: Counting down the numbers

Not everything in the sport of boxing is anticipated or welcomed with open arms, but it seems to be unanimous that the upcoming Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto clash is a showdown that is well worth the wait. Day after day the buzz on the bout continues to grow and the moment this article hits the net their will be just 21 days remaining until the two men collide.


So far every aspect of the contest has been covered full tilt, from the training camps of both men, to predictions from various people in the boxing industry on the matchup, as well as several opinionated pieces from boxing scribes all over the the net. Wanting to take a different look at the contest, I have decided to not only just count down the days until Pacquiao-Cotto jumps off, but also the numbers that represent each man’s life and career.


Below is a comprehensive and significant look inside some key numbers that are worth noticing in regards the Pacquiao-Cotto clash. While everyone is busy counting down the days I have decided to also count down the numbers…


96,061,680

This number represents the estimated population of the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao’s home land. It’s hard to recall a fighter in recent times who has generated so much passion, love, and support from his country. While Pacquiao’s supporters are often brash and outspoken, they are beyond loyal towards their fighter and he surely must draw great motivation from them. At the end of the day their undying support of their man only adds to the intrigue of it all.

17,157

The estimated capacity of the MGM Grand and Casino, where Pacquiao-Cotto will take place. In recent years the venue has become the go to place for many of the sport’s biggest events and it goes without saying that on November 14th the aura in the air will be something very special. There should be a healthy dose of supporters for each fighter mixed in with die hard boxing fans, making for an atmosphere that only a true super fight can produce.

7,241

That is the estimated distance in miles from Los Angeles, California to Baguiao City, Philippines. It’s well known that Pacquiao moved his training camp from the Wild Card Gym in L.A. to Baguiao City but so far the move has had seemingly mixed results. While Pacquiao is reportedly looking sharp in sparring, others have cited that the move was a bad one due to the distractions that Manny has to deal with. Team Pacquiao is reportedly going to move their bases back to the Wild Card sometime this week and hopefully that will be enough time for him to adjust as he goes into the home stretch of training for the Cotto clash.

2008

2008 was a stellar year for Manny Pacquiao, one in which he was declared the Ring Magazine fighter of the year. He started the year off with a scintillating split decision win in his rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez, followed it up by punishing Chicago’s David Diaz on his way to a 9th round stoppage, and capped it off by shocking many with a dominating 8th round stoppage of Oscar De La Hoya. Even before the calendar year began Pacquiao was considered one of the sport’s finest athletes but this campaign put him on a whole new map.

1775

Founded in 1775, the city of Caguas is located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico. Caguas would serve as the place of upbringing for Cotto and for as long as he can remember boxing has been in his blood. Puerto Rico has a rich boxing history and the people on the island have undying love for their combatants. Cotto has followed the championship footsteps of Alfredo Escalera, Wilfredo Gomez, Felix Trinidad, and others by giving his country something to cheer for.

651

After defeating Ricky Hatton in December of 2007, very few would have imagined that it would be another 651 days, or roughly 21 months, that Floyd Mayweather would be out of the ring. Like him or not, Mayweather brings something completely different to the game and his talent makes him a threat to anyone near his weight class. In defeating Juan Manuel Marquez last month Mayweather put himself back in the picture and will certainly have a keen eye on the Pacquiao-Cotto fight, as both would serve as intriguing opponents to him in the near future.

365

The amount of days that Antonio Margarito was suspended for, exactly one year, by the California State Athletic Commission in February. Before his bout with Shane Mosley it was revealed that Margarito’s handwraps were found containing two primary elements of Plaster of Paris, sulfur and calcium, and a cloud of doubt and negativity has been surrounding the Tijuana fighter ever since. The suspension set off a wildfire of accusations from Cotto supporters who believe that the same substance very well could have been used by Margarito in his fight with Cotto in July of last year, obviously giving him an unfair advantage. In the contest Margarito overcame an early deficit on his way towards stopping Miguel after 11 heated rounds. While there is controversy regarding that fight, it doesn’t change the fact that Miguel suffered an extreme amount of punishment, enough to make some question whether he will ever be the same fighter again. A fight with Pacquiao is Cotto’s chance to dispel those notions and put the ghost of the Margarito fight fully behind him.

240

At the moment Pacquiao is currently a -240 favorite to emerge victorious against Cotto according to odds in Las Vegas. This certainly is an unfamiliar role for Miguel, who has never been an underdog in such a manner before this fight. Those odds go to show that people are still very high on Pacquiao after his great run as of late and that perhaps people aren’t sold as to whether Cotto has fully bounced back from the Margarito defeat. Rumor has it that Cotto has taken this to heart and is using this is as extra motivation in his camp.

113

After twelve back and forth rounds, the first Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez encounter ended up a draw, due to the fact that judge Burt Clements had the bout even at 113 apiece. Despite flooring Marquez three times in the first round, Pacquiao’s early momentum was negated by the Mexico City fighter’s brilliant technique and ability to adapt. The fight showed that despite his deadly combination of speed and power, that Pacquiao isn’t unbeatable and any fighter is susceptible in this sport. Cotto possesses similar qualities to Marquez in that he is fundamentally sound and mentally strong, and if he is able to get past the early rounds he could make the bout all the more interesting.

106

On January 22nd, 1995, Pacquiao made his professional debut with a four round decision over Edmund Enting Ignacio in Occidental, Philippines. It’s surprising to consider that Manny has been a pro for nearly 15 years but even more striking is the fact that he weighed only 106 pounds in his first contest. Throughout recent years Pacquiao has had an amazing ability to rise in weight and his bout with Cotto is being fought at a catch weight of 145 pounds, 39 more than when he first started.

70

With a combined 62 knockouts in their 89 wins, the two fighters have amassed a nearly 70 percent knockout ratio. While that number may seem a bit low, one has to consider that both me have faced the finest of competition throughout their careers, and as the competition rises so too do the hard fought decisions. Still, 70 percent is a fairly high number when considering everything and their will indeed be damage inflicted in this bout. Much pain should be dished out from both parties and either man is capable of ending things early.

54

Throughout 54 fights in his career their hasn’t been a whole lot you can say against Pacquiao. He has been winning impressively against fine opposition as of late, but if someone were to point to one possible red flag it would be the fact that the Filipino sensation has been around for a lot of years and racked up a lot of miles on his odometer. He still appears to be in his prime but in the sport of boxing you never know when you are going to hit the wall, whether in the form of an opponent or father time.

25

In his 25th professional fight we saw Miguel Cotto’s fighting heart on full display. Fighting against Columbian bomber Ricardo Torres at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, Cotto would be dragged into a life and death battle that few beforehand could have envisioned. Cotto would drop Torres in the first round and seemed to be in full control until he got careless and was staggered by Torres in the following stanza, eventually being dropped through the ropes by a flush uppercut. The bout was wild but through it all Miguel kept his composure and would go on to drop Torres three more times, eventually emerging victorious by way of seventh round stoppage. It was the first time that Cotto had been down as an amateur or professional and while some weaknesses may have been on display what stood out most was his fighting spirit. Miguel is no stranger to being caught and even stunned but he has never been one to go away easy.

18

Represents the amount of combined fights the two fighters have had in Las Vegas. Early in his career Cotto fought often at Mandalay Bay, appearing on such undercards as Oscar De La Hoya vs. Fernando Vargas and the rematch between Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera. Lately Cotto has made Madison Square Garden his venue of choice but is no stranger at all to the buzz that Sin City creates. Pacquiao has become a recent staple in Nevada, with eight of his last eleven fights having taken place in Las Vegas. The bottom line is that both men are accustomed to fighting under the bright lights and should be prepared for a fight of this magnitude.

14

In June of 2001 Pacquiao made his debut on American soil when he dissected Lehlohonolo Ledwaba at the MGM Grand to capture the IBF Super Bantamweight title. What some people forget is that Ledwaba was originally scheduled to face Enrique Sanchez and that Pacquiao was brought in as a replacement on roughly two weeks, or 14 days, notice. While Pacquiao’s greatness may not be in question, things might not have played out the way they did for him without that rare opportunity over eight years ago. No matter how much talent you have, every fighter needs a little bit of luck on their quest towards greatness.

13

Win or lose against Cotto it is presumed Pacquiao will be fighting again, as he is tentatively slated for a March 13th appearance at a location to be announced. This just goes to show that after they do battle most likely both men’s careers will still find a way to move forward. There are numerous options out their for both guys, win or lose, and even though all reports state that there is no rematch clause in the bout, Perhaps Pacquiao vs. Cotto will be a great enough fight to generate interest in a rematch. Whatever happens, life goes on for both men after November 14th.

10

10 seconds must have seemed like an eternity for Ricky Hatton as he stared up at the bright lights of the MGM Grand after being knocked nearly unconscious by a wicked left hand from Pacquiao in May of this year. The Pacquiao-Hatton encounter was expected to a completive duel but the Filipino fighter got off to a fast start and didn’t look back. He seemed to land on Hatton at will and the bout was quite the encore to Pacquiao’s drubbing of Oscar De la Hoya five months earlier. The Hatton showcase showed that Pacquiao means business at the higher weight classes and his power is for real.

6

One of Pacquiao’s most impressive rounds was the sixth candle in his rematch against Erik Morales. In their first fight in March of 2005 Pacquiao seemed to be surprised by Morales’ aggression and willingness to engage. The Tijuana fighter took everything that Pacquiao threw at him and didn’t budge on his way to winning a unanimous decision, brining up serious doubts as to how Manny would do in a rematch. Ten months later they would meet again and early on Morales seemed to have the edge through five rounds. It was the sixth stanza that Pacquiao made a stand for himself and his career. Showing himself to be more versatile than given credit for, Pacquiao turned the tide of the fight and battered Morales with pinpoint punches to the body and head. Pacquiao would carry that momentum with him late into the fight as he eventually stopped Morales in the 10th round. It was this fight, and specifically the sixth round, in which Pacquiao gave new life to his career.

2

Despite all the buzz that Pacquiao generates and the tremendous support he receives from his country, this fight isn’t about just one fighter; it’s about two world class boxers. Cotto himself brings a tremendous wealth of championship experience and pride to the table as well as serious skills that could present danger to his foe. Coming from different backgrounds, both men have an amazing story to share and this isn’t a showcase fight for either. Whoever wins, gut feeling here is that it won’t be easy.

1

There’s an old saying that goes ‘There can be only one’ and every year the debate on who is world’s best pound for pound fighter seems to come up. With his win over Juan Manuel Marquez in September, Floyd Mayweather reminded everybody of the skill and precision that he possesses, with some even going far enough to reclaim him as boxing’s best. On November 14th Pacquiao will have a chance to remove all doubt as to who is today’s best while Cotto will be doing everything he can to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-22973-Miami-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m10d24-PacquiaoCotto-Counting-down-the-numbers