Boxing Updates: Latest Boxing Event

It seems that the tension between the camps of the two very popular boxers, at present, is about to blow up into proportions any time soon.

Miguel Cotto said to Freddie Roach, Manny Pacquiao’s trainer, to be ready to go to battle. Cotto wants to tell Roach that he will not give Manny Pacquiao an easy fight, on the 14th of November at the M.G.M. Grand in Las Vegas. He emphasized that he does not like to be treated as if he was like Pacquiao’s most recent victims, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. He explained that he is still at his prime, unlike Oscar De La Hoya, and that he is not overrated like Ricky Hatton.

In addition to that, Cotto said that he would only agree to put his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title on the line against Manny Pacquiao, if Pacquiao is willing to make the fight at 147lbs. and not on the agreed catch-weight. Cotto said that Pacquiao would have to fight as a true welterweight if he wants the title.

“If Pacquiao wants that the fight be for the title, it will have to be in 147 pounds. I won the title at the welterweight division and that is 147 pounds,” Cotto said in the report by Manila Bulletin.

However if the WBO should insist in making the Pacquiao-Cotto super fight a title match at 145lbs., Cotto would oblige without any resistance to surrender the title. The OMB (WBO) has the authority to dismiss Cotto as the current welterweight champion.

Pacquiao is seeking to push the November 14 bout to a title match. If he wins that fight he will become a seven-division champion. Pacquiao is the former WBC flyweight champion, IBF super bantamweight champion, WBC super featherweight champion, WBC lightweight champion and is currently the IBO junior welterweight champion. But, Pacquiao is seriously considering retirement, because he wants to go into politics and probably because of his old age (wear and tear).

Just when we thought that Pacquiao-Cotto was already a done deal, here we are with the realization that there are still a lot of things to negotiate.

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Finally, Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions officially confirms, July 20, 2009, that the Manny Pacquiao versus Miguel Cotto fight is sealed. The super-fight is scheduled this November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas at a catch-weight of 145 pounds. This is the result of what has been a really interesting negotiation between both camps.

The legitamcy of the match-up, the purse split, and the amount of interest it generates are just some of the issues that slowed down the development of the Pacquiao-Cotto fight. Sugar Shane Mosley and along other fighters in the ‘Pacquiao Derby’ complicated things when they called out for a fight against Manny Pacquiao. But, Cotto is the number one contender for Manny Pacquiao. Both fighters were eager to face each other, making the negotiations relatively simple after Pacquiao agreed to the 145-pound weight limit insisted upon by Cotto’s trainer.

“With Manny, you don’t tell him who to fight,” Arum said. “He tells you who he wants to fight. He’s not afraid of anything. There’s a lot of easier guys he could fight, but he doesn’t want that. He wants the best, and that’s Miguel.”

This is perhaps one of the greatest challenges that the pound-for-pound fighter will be facing. Miguel is a highly ranked and a very skilled opponent. Miguel Cotto had beaten Joshua Clottey of Ghana via a split decision, suffering a serious cut on an accidental head butt during their fight. But his performance during that fight was not that bad. He still proves to be a grave threat to Manny Pacquiao.

Everybody knows the kind of speed that Manny Pacquiao has and it might still be his advantage against Miguel Cotto, who is clearly slower compared to the former. But Miguel Cotto is very skilled, a good body puncher and has a high knockout percentage. Technically, either fighters have any advantage, as of this moment, against the other going into this fight.

However, we are still plagued with so many questions. Will Cotto be able to handle his weight drop to 145 lbs.? Will Pacquiao be able to handle the punches of the biggest and strongest man he has ever faced? Will Cotto be able to keep up with Manny Pacquiao’s speed? Who will emerge victorious?

Tickets for the Pacquiao-Cotto super-fight will go in sale this coming August.

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Sugar Shane Mosley finally gave up on chasing the Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao for a mega fight.

The recognized welterweight champion Shane Mosley reportedly ordered his promoter Golden Boy Promotions to stop negotiating for the fight with Manny Pacquiao. He then told his promoter to look for other opponents for him. Andre Berto, Paul Williams, Joshua Clottey or Kermit Cintron are the fighters in his current wish list. Mosley must have figured that it would be futile for him to pursue a fight with Pacquiao when almost everything is pointing to a Pacquiao-Cotto match.

“Shane says he will be the last man standing, anyway,” Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, told The Los Angeles Times. “Shane’s legacy is intact, and it is not dependent on a Pacquiao yes or no.”

Meanwhile, Mosley’s trainer Naazim Richardson, also expressed his desire for Mosley to eventually face Pacquiao. Naazim sees this as an opportunity to figure out Pacquiao’s fighting style.

Naazim Richardson complimented Manny Pacquiao, saying that Pacquiao is actually a bigger fighter physically than most people think. He added that other guys often underestimate Pacquiao, thinking that he is a small man. “Cotto keeps saying he’s the bigger man, but that’s going to be his downfall because if they make him suck down to 142-143 lbs., then his strength becomes his weakness because he is the bigger man and that is a lot of weight for him to cut,” he added.

Naazim Richardson had trained Mosley for his fight against the Mexican boxer Antonio Margarito last January. Mosley won the fight as an underdog knocking out the Margarito in the ninth round. Besides Mosley, Naazim had also worked at the corner of the light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins.

Hopefully, before Pacquiao retires from boxing, Mosley would be able to get a fight with him, but for now, he should chose his next opponent wisely. Kermit Cintron is his safest opponent. He might even have a chance against Andre Berto. But if I were Mosley, I would go for Paul Williams, especially if he can get up to $3 million out of the bout.

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