By Gareth A Davies

Roach on Cotto:

Cotto is a dirty fighter when he does not get his own way.

Cotto uses his head, his elbows when he gets frustrated, and he gets dirty.

We know the danger of Cotto’s left hook. That’s his best weapon, left hook to the body, and we’ll be staying away

Freddie Roach told The Telegraph that if the fight plan for Manny Pacquiao against Miguel Cotto works, it is likely that the Puerto Rican will become frustrated during the contest.

Roach explained: “Cotto is a dirty fighter when he does not get his own way. When he gets frustrated in a fight, he then reverts to different tactics. He uses his head, his elbows when he gets frustrated, and he gets dirty. We saw that against Zab Judah because he had trouble with Judah’s speed.”

“I really meant it when I said I want the first low blow warning to come from the referee in the dressing room. We know the danger of Cotto’s left hook. That’s his best weapon, left hook to the body, and we’ll be staying away, staying in a style similar to the fight with Oscar De La Hoya, who also had a big left hook.  But it is also so easy to take that away from him by moving in the right direction.”

Roach’s comments were put to Cotto by journalists at the Puerto Ricans training camp.

Cotto was quick to riposte: “Freddie Roach has to understand that he is only Manny Pacquiao’s trainer, that he can train him the best that he can, but nothing that he might do is going to change the result in the fight.”

“On Nov 14, Miguel Cotto is going to do his usual job,” said the fighter, using that peculiar method of referring to himself in the third person singular. “Let’s hope Manny Pacquiao comes prepared, and Freddie Roach that he might learn the role he really has, which is a trainer. It doesnlt make any difference what pressure he applies, or what he might intend to do, we are going to carry on working and making our plan as we always do.”

Roach is renowned as inseparable from his Hollywood Wild Card Gym, Los Angeles, and has departed from the norm for this contest, working over half of the camp with Pacquiao in The Philippines. Has the training camp in the Philippines been refreshing for him ?

“Yes, in a way. We had the typhoon, a lot of people died…the thing was that Manny wanted to train for the first part of his camp over here. It’s a nice place to be, we are 5000 feet above sea level, it’s a quaint town, but I can’t wait to get back to the gym in LA and the last three weeks before the fight. I’ll be back there with Manny from October the 24th.”

Roach also talked of Amir Khan, and his impending contest with Dmitry Salita, against whom he will defend the WBA light-welterweight title in Newcastle on Dec 5. “Amir is at the Wild Card Gym right now, his sparring is all set up for him.”

And Salita ? “Salita is a good boxer, not a big puncher. But Amir is a better boxer, and getting better all the time. We will work on the gameplan, stick to the game plan, I won’t let him off the leash, he’s not going to make early mistakes again, and I’m expecting him to be better than ever when he defends his title.”

Source: blogs.telegraph.com Read more...

American boxing trainer Freddie Roach is happy what his prized fighter Manny Pacquiao is showing in the training camp.

Roach said Pacquiao shows improved speed and agility when he sparred with former world champion Hose Luis Castillo of Mexico.

he said Castillo actually had a difficult time trading gloves with the faster Pacquiao when the sparred in the Sap Up gym in Baguio.

Castillo is the latest sparmate to arrive in the country for Pacquiao's preparation in the November 14 fight with Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto.

Pacquiao's confitioning expert Alex Ariza said in a report by InsideSports.ph that the Filipino's latest sparring session was the best yet.

Ariza said Castillo, a former World Boxing Council (WBC) champion who has fought the likes of Diego Corrales, Joel Casamayor and Ricky Hatton, had a hard time figuring out Pacquiao during their 3-round session.

"[Manny is] so fast, so nimble. Castillo was trying to figure him out. He still has to get used to Manny," said Ariza.

Castillo went to Pacquiao's training camp in baguio City to help in the Filipino's preparation for the "Firepower" match with Cotto.

After sparring with the Mexican champ, Pacquiao went on for 4 rounds with American junior middleweight Shawn Porter.



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TAMPA, Fla. -- A banner high on a distant wall of The Fight Factory Gym depicts Miguel Cotto throwing a jab just above the head of Manny Pacquiao, a bull's-eye over his face.

"On Nov. 14, the world will witness who will be the new king of the ring," read the words on the large poster, beneath which the live version of Cotto is involved in a spirited sparring session with talented southpaw Fred Tukes of Atlanta, with trainer Joe Santiago also in the ring.

"We're a team and we're behind Miguel every single minute, thinking about the fight in Tampa. We have no distractions. Our focus is Manny Pacquiao and that's our target," Santiago said Wednesday.

Santiago said that the 28-year-old Cotto (34-1, 27 knockouts) has been "tirelessly" toiling in Florida for Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs), against whom he'll defend his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"We did four weeks in [Cotto's native] Puerto Rico, and we'll accomplish eight weeks outside of Puerto Rico -- six in Tampa and two more in Las Vegas, starting on Nov. 1," said Santiago. "We wake up early in the morning to train in the morning workout, and we go to the gym because Manny Pacquiao is our No. 1 target."

In the ring, Cotto's eyes were fixed firmly upon Tukes, whom he pursued from behind a rapier-like jab during the first of three, three-minute rounds with 30 seconds rest in-between.

"I'm working on everything -- my distance, how to take the control of every round," said Cotto. "I have a plan A, plan B, and I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to have any problems the night of the fight."

Wearing blue head gear and white gloves, in contrast to Tukes' red head gear and red gloves, Cotto pursued his rival like an animal tracking prey.

"[Santiago] said that he needed for me to give Miguel a lot of movement, try to make him miss and to throw straight left hands at him. I was trying to emulate Pacquiao as much as possible. I think I did a pretty good job ," said Tukes, a muscular, 35-year-old southpaw with a professional record of 8-1-1 that includes five knockouts.

At one point, Cotto trapped Tukes in a neutral corner and fired away. Tukes acknowledged that he "felt every punch."

"If Miguel gets Pacquiao on the ropes, I think that Miguel's body shots are going to be significant," said Tukes. "That overhand left and his straight right hand and his hook that he throws off of the jab -- he's a lot faster than people think that he is."

His rotation complete, Tukes was replaced by a fresher, more youthful Kenny Abril, a gifted 25-year-old brawler-boxer from Rochester, N.Y.

"We both give different looks: Kenny has a lot of head movement, throws good combinations and has pretty fast hands," said Tukes. "And Kenny's a bit more in-your-face, straight up, one-two, spin around, that sort of thing."

As Abril came forward, Cotto again used his jab, only this time to blast his opponent from a distance. Cotto often sent volleys as he circled to the left or to the right.

"Cotto can be a boxer-puncher and switch up virtually at will. Shane Mosley, for example, when he trained for Cotto, he trained for a brawler moreso than a boxer," said Tukes, referring to Cotto's November, 2007, decision over the former world champion from Los Angeles.

"But when Miguel switched it up on him in the later rounds and went into boxing mode," said Tukes, "Shane was like, 'Oh, damn, I didn't train for this.' "

When his three-round session had run its course, Abril offered a similar impression, calling Cotto "just too strong."

"Today, Miguel caught me with a body shot and just recently, the other day, with a nice hook to the head when I went to spin off," said Abril. "Every time I move, his punches are right on point. I move to the left or move to the right, he's always there timing me beautifully."

Abril wore a white head gear and black gloves.

"But Pacquiao won't be wearing protective head gear, so if Miguel catches him like he did me on those days, he's a goner. Pacquiao will be going home early -- straight back to the Philippines. I mean, he'll be out of it," said Abril. "Miguel's really sharp and strong with the body shots -- an amazing fighter."

Abril was similarly effusive concerning Cotto's roadwork.

"He's an amazing runner, which I know because we wake up every morning with him and run with him," said Abril. "He's nonstop. I'm always gasping for air trying to keep up."

When he wasn't sparring, Cotto was being followed around by his promoter, Bob Arum, legendary trainer, Angelo Dundee, or the cameras of HBO's 24/7 series.

Also Watching the sparring from ringside was Miguel Sr., who is among his son's most ardent critics. Yet even the father had to give Miguel Jr. his props.

"I've been telling Miguel what kind of punches he needed to throw, what kind of movement we needed to do, and I was very happy with his progress today -- much better than the last session," said Miguel Sr., a short man with peppered hair.

"Mentally, Miguel's very strong. He's always been there. But that's why he's successful. But on Nov. 14, he'll be much more mentally strong than Pacquiao, and that will be the ultimate in giving my son the advantage."

Abril wore a white head gear and black gloves.

"But Pacquiao won't be wearing protective head gear, so if Miguel catches him like he did me on those days, he's a goner. Pacquiao will be going home early -- straight back to the Philippines. I mean, he'll be out of it," said Abril. "Miguel's really sharp and strong with the body shots -- an amazing fighter."

Abril was similarly effusive concerning Cotto's roadwork.

"He's an amazing runner, which I know because we wake up every morning with him and run with him," said Abril. "He's nonstop. I'm always gasping for air trying to keep up."

When he wasn't sparring, Cotto was being followed around by his promoter, Bob Arum, legendary trainer, Angelo Dundee, or the cameras of HBO's 24/7 series.

Also Watching the sparring from ringside was Miguel Sr., who is among his son's most ardent critics. Yet even the father had to give Miguel Jr. his props.

"I've been telling Miguel what kind of punches he needed to throw, what kind of movement we needed to do, and I was very happy with his progress today -- much better than the last session," said Miguel Sr., a short man with peppered hair.

"Mentally, Miguel's very strong. He's always been there. But that's why he's successful. But on Nov. 14, he'll be much more mentally strong than Pacquiao, and that will be the ultimate in giving my son the advantage."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
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At the age of 30, Manny is a 14-year pro—he made his debut at 16. He has been fighting at the top levels of competition and given some of the most sensational performances in the ring in recent years.

A certain future Hall of Famer, Manny was voted the "2008 Fighter of the Year" by the Boxing Writers Association of America. He also won the BWAA award in 2006, as well as The Ring's 2006 and 2008 "Fighter of the Year."

Manny is also recognized by most observers as the best fighter at any weight in the ring today—the best "Pound for Pound."

He is a national hero in his native Philippines—the entire country of over 96 million people comes to a virtual standstill to watch whenever he fights.

Manny is coming off of an electrifying second-round knockout win against former IBF jr. welterweight and WBA welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton in his last fight on May 2.

The Associated Press' Tim Dahlberg reported from ringside:

"He didn't just beat Hatton. Didn't just knock him out.

"He demolished a world class fighter who had never lost at his natural weight of 140 pounds, and he did it with such precision and ease that the talk afterward wasn't whether Pacquiao is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but whether he might be one of the best ever.


"A right hook—a punch most southpaws don't even have—started it all, dropping Hatton midway through the first round. A left cross that may be one of the greatest single punches ever thrown in a big fight ended it with a dramatic flourish.

"When it was over, Hatton was sprawled motionless on his back in the center of the ring. Pacquiao and his corner were celebrating and the sellout crowd was trying to digest what they had just seen.

"Boxing has a new king in an unassuming fighter so good that he won his last four fights in four different weight classes."

Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com:

"With one thunderous left hand, Manny Pacquiao smashed his way into boxing immortality.

"Anyone doubt his pound-for-pound No. 1 perch now? Shoot, anyone doubt his place as one of boxing's best ever?

"The Filipino icon destroyed Ricky Hatton in two crushing rounds to make boxing history before 16,262 at the sold out and electric MGM Grand Garden Arena....

"It's something those of us who saw it shouldn't soon forget because it may be a long time until we see something like this again.

"In stunningly disposing of Hatton in ruthless fashion, Pacquiao matched Oscar De La Hoya's record of winning titles in six weight divisions. But more important, by adding Hatton's lineal junior welterweight championship to his growing collection, Pacquiao added a fourth lineal title, the first fighter to do that in boxing history. (Granted, there are more divisions now than there were back in the era of fighters such as Sugar Ray Robinson.)

"In plain terms, PacMan has been 'the man' in four divisions, the clear champion in a morass of titleholders at flyweight, featherweight, junior lightweight and now junior welterweight. Toss in belts at junior featherweight and lightweight—and wins against elite opponents—and you have a great fighter.

"It was almost laughable how easy it was for Pacquiao, who was fighting at junior welterweight for the first time in his career after dropping down from welterweight, where he fought in December and destroyed and retired De La Hoya.

"It also happened to be Pacquiao's fourth consecutive win in a fourth different division. It seems as though there is nothing he can't do."

In his previous fight on December 6, 2008, Manny scored the biggest win of his career—a dominant eighth-round TKO against former jr. lightweight, lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight, two-time super welterweight, and middleweight world champion Oscar De La Hoya—the biggest name in the sport over the last two decades and a certain future Hall of Famer himself.

Against De La Hoya, Manny was considered a huge underdog by most observers—and the fight a mismatch—because of their extreme difference in size. Boxing's conventional wisdom says that "A good big man beats a good small man."

After the fight, Dan Rafael wrote:

"Pacquiao stunningly administered a beat down of epic proportions. De La Hoya...was never in the fight for a moment.

"Pacquiao...won his third fight of the year in his third weight division, including winning two titles. The victory makes Pacquiao something of a modern-day Henry Armstrong, the all-time great pound-for-pound legend who over the course of 10 months from October, 1937, to August, 1938, claimed, in order, the world featherweight, welterweight and lightweight championships—when there were only eight divisions."

Manny had made his mark in boxing history, however, even before beating De La Hoya.

He has held world titles in four weight divisions—he won the WBC flyweight world title two weeks before his 20 birthday in December, 1998, the IBF jr. featherweight world title at 22 in 2001.

Manny won the WBC super featherweight world title in March, 2008, with a 12 round decision victory in the rematch against defending champion Juan Manuel Marquez. It was one of the most highly-anticipated fights of the year, and one of the most exciting.

He won the WBC lightweight world title in June, 2008, with a ninth-round TKO against defending champion David Diaz.

Source: HBO.com
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At the age of 28, Miguel is an eight-year pro. The WBO welterweight world champion, he won the title in February, 2009, and has made one successful defense.

He is Puerto Rico's brightest star and biggest draw in the ring, has fought and beaten some of the sport's biggest names, and already had a Hall of Fame career.

Miguel is coming off a 12 round decision win against former IBF welterweight world champion Joshua Clottey in his last fight in June, 2009.

After the fight, Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com [excerpts]: "There's nothing quite like the atmosphere and excitement of a Cotto fight at hallowed Madison Square Garden on the eve of the annual National Puerto Rican Day parade. It's always a festive scene, and for the fourth time in the past five years, Cotto headlined on the weekend and gave his fans something to cheer about. Most of the heavily Puerto Rican crowd of 17,734 was staunchly in Cotto's corner, cheering wildly for him as he made the first defense of the vacant welterweight belt he picked up with a dominant fifth-round knockout of England's Michael Jennings at the Garden in February.

"But this time, Cotto was facing Clottey, a far more dangerous, durable and quality opponent. Clottey is world-class and had given up his own version of the 147-pound crown to make the fight possible rather than face a mandatory challenger. The result was an excellent, high-level fight between two of the best in the star-studded weight class.

"Cotto, two fights removed from his 11-round knockout loss to Antonio Margarito (whom many believe faced Cotto with loaded hand wraps and cheated his way to victory) last summer, overcame a scenario similar to the one he faced in that fight. Like Margarito, Clottey is a rough, physical fighter. The fight played out in a similar fashion to Margarito-Cotto in that Cotto was a bit dominant early until Clottey got rolling in the middle rounds and began imposing himself on Cotto, who was cut and fading slightly. But this time, Cotto hung in like a champ.

"Cotto overcame a brutal gash in his left eyebrow from an accidental head butt in the third round. The blood flowed freely from the cut for most of the rest of the fight and certainly had an impact on Cotto's ability to see Clottey's right hand coming. After the fight, Cotto needed six stitches in a cut below his eye and 14 in the bad one above his eye.

"Clottey can complain that he was robbed all he wants, and some contrary fans and writers can join the chorus, but the reason he didn't win is because of his own shortcomings, not poor judging. Cotto fought all three minutes of the rounds and fought smart. Can't say the same for Clottey, and it cost him dearly."

Fightwriter.com's Graham Houston reported [excerpts]: "A split decision was to be expected after such a well-contested bout, but to me there was no doubt that Cotto deserved the win.

"It is true that Clottey was moving forward in the later rounds, and he looked the stronger man—but walking in with gloves up, following an opponent around the ring and not throwing punches, doesn't win rounds.

"The fight was there for the taking, but Clottey didn't drive himself forward with the extra effort that was needed.

"Cotto won with superior tactics. He moved, stopped to punch and moved again. Clottey, after looking so good at numerous stages of the fight, just seemed to lose the plot.

"Cotto's movement in the later rounds wasn't allowing Clottey to get set to punch. Although Clottey blocked many blows on his high guard, he wasn't firing off his own shots. Cotto was outsmarting him and outpointing him.

"With a number of close rounds, divergent scores were understandable. Cotto's 10-8 opening round, when his stiff left jab sat down an off-balance Clottey, in the end didn't prove to be his margin of victory—he would have won even without scoring the fight's sole knockdown.

"Clottey did some excellent scoring with the left hook to the body and left uppercut through the middle, and he also enjoyed success with the jab and straight right hand.

"Cotto overall was the busier man, though, and his combinations to the body and use of the jab enabled him to snatch rounds when Clottey fell into his move-in-without-punching pattern.

"After 11 gruelling rounds it was Cotto who provided the eye-catching finish."

Miguel is also a former WBA welterweight world champion—he won that title in December, 2006, and made four successful title defenses.

He won the WBO junior welterweight world title at the age of 23 in September, 2004, and made six successful title defenses before vacating the title to move up in weight.

He is experienced against top opposition and has fought current or former world champions Joshua Clottey (W12), Antonio Margarito (TKOby11), Shane Mosley (W12), Zab Judah (TKO11), Carlos Quintana (TKO5), Paulie Malignaggi (W12), Ricardo Torres (KO7), DeMarcus Corley (TKO5), Randall Bailey (TKO6), Carlos Maussa (TKO8), and Cesar Bazan (TKO11). He has also beaten previously undefeated contender Kelson Pinto (TKO6), as well as veteran contenders Muhammad Abdulaev (TKO9), Victoriano Sosa (TKO4) and Lovemore Ndou (W12).

Source: HBO.com Read more...

Bob Arum has been in Tampa taking Miguel I’m No Angel Cotto’s temperature the past two days.

The Top Rank honcho will turn up when Cotto trains Wednesday at the Fight Factory Gym for the benefit of the HBO 24/7 video team which will be taping material.

Everything is copacetic, Arum tells Examiner.com and Boxingconfidential, with the Puerto Rican puncher and his crew in Florida.

“He trains hard,” Arum said of Cotto. “He’s in terrific shape and he’s very confident. He says Manny Pacquiao is a great fighter but that he is better, that he will handle Manny. There’s no animosity here, it’s mutual respect, but Cotto thinks he’s better. I think these two guys actually like each other.

“When Cotto gets in the gym and he trains hard for two solid hours.


“He trains as hard as any fighter you can name. But the guy he is fighting trains for four days without stopping. In 45 years of being around the best fighters, including Marvin Hagler, I’ve never seen a guy train like Manny does. Manny trains for four hours without stopping and, when he does stop, he is not even tired.”

While some in Pacland fret about Pacman being distracted by his outside activities, whether it’s sabong, shooting hoops or planning his post fight victory concert, Arum said there is no reason to be concerned.

Arum said he’s seen this Manny movie before.

“This guy has an excess of energy, that’s who he is,” Arum said. “Manny’s motor just never stops. So what some call distractions, or even possible distractions, to me it’s just standard operating procedure for Manny.

“I mean, he trains, he eats, then he is playing darts or with a musical instrument or basketball. He just never stops.”

There have been whispers about an uptight atmosphere in the Cotto camp and some media types being rejected when they sought access to their workouts.

Arum said there is no conspiracy to bar the media from the Cotto camp but agreed it’s not as loosey-goosey as the Pacman operation can be.

“We had some media guys there today,” Arum said. “But the Cotto guys are not as flexible as Freddie (Roach) and the other guys with Manny. They prefer hard and fast rules about when the press can come in.

“Miguel has an open media day here Oct. 29. With Freddie, well he’s the consummate professional and, when he is working on something with Manny, they close up. But Freddie knows we have to sell tickets also.

“I must say Miguel and his team are speaking very positively.”

Arum noted that the sun is shining in Baguio and that former world champion Jose Luis Castillo seems to be settling in as a useful sparmate for Pacman.

The promoter said Team Pacquiao will fly to Manila, stay overnight and then fly to Los Angeles so they can return to the Wild Card Gym on Oct. 26.

“Everything is beautiful in Baguio.”

Not to mention terrific in Tampa.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: Examiner.com Read more...

MANILA (Reuters) - Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach will demand referees impose automatic disqualification for any deliberate low blow landed during the Filipino's challenge for Miguel Cotto's WBO welterweight title.

Puerto Rican Cotto was docked a point for low blows in his successful defence against Zab Judah in 2007, but maintained the blows had been accidental.

"Cotto stops his opponents' momentum with that kind of blow," American Roach told Monday's Philippine Daily Inquirer.


"In that Judah fight he had five low blows."


Roach said he would raise the issue at a rules meeting before the November 14 showdown in Las Vegas.

The highly anticipated bout pits Pacquiao, widely regarded the world's best pound-for-pound fighter, against Cotto, who retained his WBO title in June with a split decision over Ghana's Joshua Clottey.

Source: Reuters, UK
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