Sparmates: Cotto hits like a mule

By NICK GIONGCO

Even with heavily-padded gloves and protected by headgear, the punches of Miguel Cotto still pack a lot of power, Cotto’s two southpaw sparring partners told the Puerto Rican press over the weekend.

Super-lightweight Kenny Abril and welter Fred Tukes told the newspaper Primera Hora that Cotto, who will be facing Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, has been superb and awesome in their sparring session at the Fight Factory Gym in Tampa, Florida, and that they both wonder if the Filipino can withstand the impact of Cotto’s punches.

"Miguel hits like a mule," said Abril, a New Yorker who has Puerto Rican lineage. "Even with 18 oz gloves and head gear, we can still feel his blows. I just could imagive what the effect would be on Pacquiao."

The 12-round clash between Pacquiao and Cotto will feature the use of 8 oz gloves.

Aside from Cotto’s tremendous power, Abril revealed that Cotto has shown vast improvements in lateral movement and precision-punching that Pacquiao will be in for a big surprise come fight night.

Both Abril (9-3-1 with five KOs) and Tukes (7-1-1 with five KOs) are lefties like Pacquiao but are relatively inexperienced.

Cotto, 29, is now headed for Las Vegas and his team is scheduled to arrive in Sin City on Sunday afternoon but is likewise expected to host an open media workout at the Pound-For-Pound Gym in Los Angeles on Tuesday noon.

Pacquiao, 30, is the prohibitive favorite in what is being hailed by aficionados as a fight that has all the trappings of a classic.

Source: http://www.tempo.com.ph/news.php?aid=51087