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Roach bugging out: Cotto likes tattoos so Pacquiao will tattoo his face
Roach bugging out: Cotto likes tattoos so Pacquiao will tattoo his face
November 4, 12:59 PM
NY Boxing Examiner
by Michael Marley
MICHAEL MARLEY LIVE AND DIRECT FROM HIS WEST COAST HOME AWAY FROM HIS WHITE HARLEM, NY, HOME, COACH FREDDIE ROACH'S GRIMY BUT FANTASTIC WILD CARD GYM IN HOLLYWEIRD, CALIFORNIA
HOLLYWEIRD--How can a tourist tell me when it's Halloween around here?
It beats this correspondent because the wacky, the weird, the unusual is an everyday scene in these parts. Beneath all the tinsel and plastic and all the tinsel and plastic people you find a whole slew of down and outers around Coach Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym.
One example is the gentleman who watched over my rental car as he napped on a filthy mattress on the sidewalk near the gym Tuesday. I am such a sport, I threw the man "sleeping rough" alongside the $75 hot sheet Vagabond Inn a whole dollar for watching out for my vehicle.
But I digress. My purpose now is to inform one and all that Coach Roach says no more Mister Nice Guy, that he is going on the offensive and letting referee Kenny Bayless and the watching world know that Team Pacquiao cannot, will not tolerate any dirty tactics on Nov. 14 by Miguel I'm No Angel Cotto.
Illustrated Man: Miguel Cotto greets the media in LA workout Tuesday (Chris Farina/Top Rank)
Roach outlined his theme to me and four or five of the stouthearted Filipino fight scribes Tuesday afternoon after he put Megamanny and then English protege Amir Khan through their paces.
Before Manny took off for his smash hit taping of the Jimmy Kimmel Show, Roach gave a visual demonstration to his prized pupil using video of Cotto fighting Joshua Clottey and Demarcus Corley.
I believe the idea was to again underline to Pacman how the Boricua Banger "telegraphs" his intention to throw his wicked left hooks.
"Today was a good day with eight rounds of sparring," Roach said. "Manny came over to the corner and he told me, 'I'm back.' We had our little distractions in Baguio and then in Manila but now everything is coming together like it should be."
Pinoy journo Abac Cordero showed Roach a digital camera shot he took earlier in the day across town at Cotto's open workout. It showed the Puerto Rican displaying washboard abs and some neat tattoos.
"He seems to like those tattoos so Manny will tattoo his face," Roach said with a half grin.
Roach continues to insist a one round KO victory is possible for his Man-ny.
"It is a possibility," Roach said. "But the problem is when Cotto gets hurt, he resorts to fouls, he resorts to low blows.
"That's something I want the very capable ref, Kenny Bayless, to be aware of. It's something that can be prevented. I want the ref to take points away from Cotto if he does that or to disqualify him right away.""
Roach continued to publicly question the credentials of chief Cotto trainer Jose Santiago and everyone in the opposing camp save for veteran cut man and former Team Pacquiao aide Joe Chavez. Ironically, ex-Cotto cut man Miguel Dias has taken his place in the Megamanny corner.
"Joe Chavez is the only qualified guy they have on their team," Roach said.
Roach even said Cotto's low rise haircut may have caused a Samson and Delilah problem.
"He fought better when he had a full head of hair," the impish Boston Irishman said. "The last two fights without the hair he has not been very good. As to his corner again, who is there to correct his mistakes when he says he is the only boss?
"Cotto cocks his left hook every time he is going to throw it. He won't hit Manny in the ass with that because he will be getting hit with right hooks from all different angles."
There seems to be little worry that the muscular Cotto won't make the contract weight of 145 pounds but Roach said the fight will be called off is he is over the welterweight limit of 147 pounds.
"If he goes over 147, there will be no fight. Forget the money (and a penalty for being over 145). If he is a few pounds over, then I will insist he make the effort to lose them.
"Manny doesn't give a spit what he weighs, really," Roach said. "Manny will fight King Kong."
Roach continued his theme of saying that Pacman must fight like the cat on the hot tin roof and avoid getting trapped with his back to the ropes.
"That is 100 percent, Manny can only lose if he stays on the rope for this guy. Our fight is in the center of the ring, our fight is hand speed and foot speed."
Roach said, half jokingly, that he will put down three different Manny By KO wagers in Vegas.
"I am betting $1,000 on round one," Roach said. "Then I will also bet $1,000 on round nine and $1,000 on round 10."
And you can bet that Coach Freddie's vocal chords will be worn out by this time next week as the big fight hype rolls on
November 4, 12:59 PM
NY Boxing Examiner
by Michael Marley
MICHAEL MARLEY LIVE AND DIRECT FROM HIS WEST COAST HOME AWAY FROM HIS WHITE HARLEM, NY, HOME, COACH FREDDIE ROACH'S GRIMY BUT FANTASTIC WILD CARD GYM IN HOLLYWEIRD, CALIFORNIA
HOLLYWEIRD--How can a tourist tell me when it's Halloween around here?
It beats this correspondent because the wacky, the weird, the unusual is an everyday scene in these parts. Beneath all the tinsel and plastic and all the tinsel and plastic people you find a whole slew of down and outers around Coach Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym.
One example is the gentleman who watched over my rental car as he napped on a filthy mattress on the sidewalk near the gym Tuesday. I am such a sport, I threw the man "sleeping rough" alongside the $75 hot sheet Vagabond Inn a whole dollar for watching out for my vehicle.
But I digress. My purpose now is to inform one and all that Coach Roach says no more Mister Nice Guy, that he is going on the offensive and letting referee Kenny Bayless and the watching world know that Team Pacquiao cannot, will not tolerate any dirty tactics on Nov. 14 by Miguel I'm No Angel Cotto.
Illustrated Man: Miguel Cotto greets the media in LA workout Tuesday (Chris Farina/Top Rank)
Roach outlined his theme to me and four or five of the stouthearted Filipino fight scribes Tuesday afternoon after he put Megamanny and then English protege Amir Khan through their paces.
Before Manny took off for his smash hit taping of the Jimmy Kimmel Show, Roach gave a visual demonstration to his prized pupil using video of Cotto fighting Joshua Clottey and Demarcus Corley.
I believe the idea was to again underline to Pacman how the Boricua Banger "telegraphs" his intention to throw his wicked left hooks.
"Today was a good day with eight rounds of sparring," Roach said. "Manny came over to the corner and he told me, 'I'm back.' We had our little distractions in Baguio and then in Manila but now everything is coming together like it should be."
Pinoy journo Abac Cordero showed Roach a digital camera shot he took earlier in the day across town at Cotto's open workout. It showed the Puerto Rican displaying washboard abs and some neat tattoos.
"He seems to like those tattoos so Manny will tattoo his face," Roach said with a half grin.
Roach continues to insist a one round KO victory is possible for his Man-ny.
"It is a possibility," Roach said. "But the problem is when Cotto gets hurt, he resorts to fouls, he resorts to low blows.
"That's something I want the very capable ref, Kenny Bayless, to be aware of. It's something that can be prevented. I want the ref to take points away from Cotto if he does that or to disqualify him right away.""
Roach continued to publicly question the credentials of chief Cotto trainer Jose Santiago and everyone in the opposing camp save for veteran cut man and former Team Pacquiao aide Joe Chavez. Ironically, ex-Cotto cut man Miguel Dias has taken his place in the Megamanny corner.
"Joe Chavez is the only qualified guy they have on their team," Roach said.
Roach even said Cotto's low rise haircut may have caused a Samson and Delilah problem.
"He fought better when he had a full head of hair," the impish Boston Irishman said. "The last two fights without the hair he has not been very good. As to his corner again, who is there to correct his mistakes when he says he is the only boss?
"Cotto cocks his left hook every time he is going to throw it. He won't hit Manny in the ass with that because he will be getting hit with right hooks from all different angles."
There seems to be little worry that the muscular Cotto won't make the contract weight of 145 pounds but Roach said the fight will be called off is he is over the welterweight limit of 147 pounds.
"If he goes over 147, there will be no fight. Forget the money (and a penalty for being over 145). If he is a few pounds over, then I will insist he make the effort to lose them.
"Manny doesn't give a spit what he weighs, really," Roach said. "Manny will fight King Kong."
Roach continued his theme of saying that Pacman must fight like the cat on the hot tin roof and avoid getting trapped with his back to the ropes.
"That is 100 percent, Manny can only lose if he stays on the rope for this guy. Our fight is in the center of the ring, our fight is hand speed and foot speed."
Roach said, half jokingly, that he will put down three different Manny By KO wagers in Vegas.
"I am betting $1,000 on round one," Roach said. "Then I will also bet $1,000 on round nine and $1,000 on round 10."
And you can bet that Coach Freddie's vocal chords will be worn out by this time next week as the big fight hype rolls on