As the dust settles on the dawn that gave us a new Heavyweight Champion, we now turn our attentions to the most anticipated bout of the year. This Saturday we will witness a showdown between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and welterweight titleholder Miguel Cotto. Manny Pacquiao aims to make history by becoming the sports first seven weight world Champion. He faces tough Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, whose WBO Welterweight title will be on the line giving the Filipino the chance to move to seven weight champion.
The Filipino won his first title in the Flyweight division in 1998 weighing a mere 112 pounds, way south of the agreed weight for Saturday night’s bout at 145 pounds. Over the next decade the Filipino successfully climbed the divisions taking some impressive scalps along the way like Marquez, Morales, Barrera and De La Hoya. In his last fight Pacquiao, 30, the national hero of the Philippines, scored a sensational knockout of Ricky Hatton to win the junior welterweight title on May 2 at the MGM Grand. The victory gave Pacquiao a world championship sixth weight division, an honour he currently shares with Oscar De La Hoya.
Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs), a titleholder at 147 pounds, had agreed to drop below the welterweight limit for the fight. Pacquiao, the 140-pound junior welterweight champion, wanted him to come all the way down to 143 pounds. Cotto refused. Ultimately, they agreed on a 145-pound maximum weight.
Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) will have the clear speed advantage in this bout. He showed the Boxing world what his speed could do even at the higher weight against the likes of Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton he also showed he can bring his explosive power stopping his last three opponents inside the championship distance.
Miguel Cotto on the other hand will come into the ring as the naturally larger man, having fought at junior welterweight and welterweight for his entire career. He also has superior boxing skills, while Pacquiao is the more dynamic offensive fighter. The Pacquiao camp is also hoping that forcing Cotto to drain down to 145 pounds will leave him weaker, and Pacquiao more able to capitalize on that vulnerability.
Which man will have the edge come fight night? Some people wonder how much Miguel Cotto has left in the tank after his beat down from Margarito, however, he has rebounded and gutted out a tough win against Joshua Clottey, in a bout that seen Cotto’s eye open up badly in the second round, another variable to think about. Many believe the cut may not have healed and with Pacquiao being so accurate with his shots; the cut may well come into the equation.
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