Miguel Cotto looking drained at the MGM Grand?

Pittsburgh Fight Sports Examiner | Scott Heritage

Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto arrived at the MGM Grand earlier today to hordes of waiting press and fans alike. The general consensus being that Cotto was looking somewhat drained and gaunt after what looks to have been a tough weight cut.

Manny Pacquiao by contrast was looking calm and relaxed, joking around with interviewers and meeting people, but then again he doesn't have to worry about making weight nearly as much as the much larger Cotto.

Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach had this to say about making weight:

“When he doesn’t have to miss a meal and can eat before weigh-in, which he’ll do twice, he’s happy,” Roach said. “He’ll weigh 149 to 150 pounds at most on fight night. I don’t like him gaining too much weight before the fight.”

“With the right opponent we could move up again,” Roach said. “But for top-level guys, I think this is it.”

Could this be a statement concerning future opponents? Perhaps, and it certainly wouldn't be completely out of the question if Pacquaio picked one of the weaker champions. At a certain point though even Manny's power would become obsolete, and there are questions about Cotto being able to walk through Pacquiao's punches already. Pacquiao still has his speed and technique of course, but that will only take him so far when if he packs on many more pounds.

In a stark contrast with his training pictures from earlier on this week, Cotto was looking drained when he arrived. Both his and Pacquiao's fans will be hoping he can both make the weight and look good during the fight. One of the biggest criticisms of Pacquiao's win over Oscar De La Hoya was that the latter looked dehydrated and weakened during the fight, and as a result Manny had an easy time of it.

Would Pacquiao have won otherwise? Almost certainly, but it is still something that the nay sayers bring up from time to time.

Fortunately for all the Cotto fans out there, he has made similar weight limits in the past without too much trouble. The Clottey fight was at a 146lb limit, and although Cotto didn't fight as well as many thought he should have, he still did enough to get the win despite getting cut early on.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-20066-Pittsburgh-Fight-Sports-Examiner~y2009m11d10-Miguel-Cotto-looking-drained-at-the-MGM-Grand