PACQUIAO FACES DEFINING FIGHT

On November 14 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Manny Pacquiao will cement his legacy as one of the sport's greats.

Win or lose against Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand, the Filipino southpaw will simply stand himself even further apart from the plethora of paper champions who hide behind their empty alphabet 'world' titles and make ridiculous claims to greatness.

While the sport is continually undermined by the bullying tactics of many so-called champions picking on men they know are inferior and getting paid handsomely for the privilege, the little scrapper from General Santos City continues to buck the trend by seeking out bigger and stronger men and throwing caution to the wind.

Pacquiao's achievements are too numerous to list fully. What makes this multi-weight world champion special is the circumstances in which he achieved them and the magic with which he is carrying the spirit of the 'Sweet Science' forward in the 21st century.

In an age when his peers hide behind 'unblemished' and over-inflated records, Pacquiao has lost three times and drawn twice and showed that those setbacks are not terminal by any means.

He has bypassed governing bodies and their over-rated titles to make meaningful fights happen. He has constantly sought to match himself against the best out there and thrown caution to the wind.

And he has done it all with a smile on his face and a respectful attitude, another quality so alarmingly lacking in the vast majority of fighters.

When he turned professional as a teenage boy in 1995, Pacquiao weighed seven stone 8lbs. On November 14, he fights Cotto for the WBO welterweight title with the Puerto Rican champion certain to enter the ring over the agreed 10st 5lb catchweight - two pounds below the usual welterweight limit.

When he describes the Cotto showdown as his hardest test so far, he isn't simply talking up the fight. The Puerto Rican - like Pacquiao in his own homeland, a hero to his countrymen - has been in and around the pound-for-pound hierarchy for years.

However, there remains something enigmatic about the sulky Cotto, not least because of his recent performances.

A surprise stoppage defeat in 2008 by Antonio Margarito - who was found with illegal substance in his gloves in a subsequent fight against Shane Mosley - was damaging and a war with Joshua Clottey in June left more questions than answers as he defended the WBO belt he won against Michael Jennings in February.

Pacquiao, however, is wise enough to prepare for a peak Miguel Cotto.

"This is the toughest fight of my career and I won't waste the opportunity," said Pacquiao - who was busy starring in a film in his native Philippines recently.

"I'm treating this fight with the seriousness it deserves.

"I won't let myself get carried away with other people's comments. Many are saying the punishment from Margarito and Clottey has affected him, but I won't depend on that.

"Cotto is still a very strong fighter and bigger than me. I have to fight smartly and not underestimate him."

While he boasts superb victories over bigger men such as Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya, Cotto still represents a significant step up. Hatton was a light-welterweight while De La Hoya was clearly past his best. On November 14 he faces a fearsome, hungry fighter with something to prove.

Pacquiao has adjusted his preparations accordingly.

"The intensity remains the same but maybe what has changed somewhat is the type of training, because we have to adjust to a particular style to fight Cotto," said the 30-year-old.

"We need to apply certain techniques. I have spent many hours on studying with Freddie to identify Cotto's weaknesses and strengths, to find his key points.

"We are ready for what they bring. We have studied him very well. What I do is stand in the ring, box and put on the best fight possible.

"I'm not looking for a knockout but I'll welcome it if it comes."

Only time will tell how dangerous Cotto still is. But the very fact Pacquiao is ready to find out speaks volumes about a man who will be remembered as a truly great champion for years to come.

Source: http://www.sportinglife.com/boxing/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=boxing/09/10/28/BOXING_Column.html