Steward on Cotto-Floyd rumors, Margarito-Pac Fight, and more

[borikua]

On rumors circulating that there is talks between camps about a possible fight between Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather Junior:

“I myself have been so confused just watching the internet, but Miguel was lined up for a fight with Pacquiao and things fell apart. Then I was getting a new cell phone and the guy was programming me, I guess the internet and email or whatever, and I saw it flash across as he was programming and it said, “It’s Final! Mayweather versus Cotto”—and I said, “What is that?” So last night I called to speak to Bryan Perez who’s the closest guy to Miguel and he said, “Emanuel, just like you we are reading stuff on the internet. There was an offer I guess made related to Pacquiao which they say was so far out of the league they said it was offered just so they could say no.” I said, “What about Mayweather?” He said, “Well there is nothing confirmed on that. We haven’t had any meetings, so I don’t know if that’s true or not”. Anyway, basically they’re just sitting and waiting like everybody else. But I definitely know that Bryan would not lie, so he said, “As soon as we get anywhere near even talking about a serious match, we will call you right away to have your input related to styles and different things”.

So at this stage, it’s just a lot of speculation and I guess the strongest move has been made by Top Rank to make the fight between Pacquiao and Margarito. So I guess that’s really the hot negotiation, but to me I’m just watching like a fan or a spectator. I’m seeing the resistance and negative reactions from the public. I think that’s going to be a very difficult fight to make. I understand the reasons and they’re trying to get Manny to maybe win a championship in another division. It’s a vacated title I guess with Sergio Martinez moving up. The reaction from the fans has been very bad. The man committed a crime and now he’s being rewarded with the biggest purse of his life. Just the idea of trying to move the fight to Mexico and all of that stuff and disrespecting the boxing commission, I don’t think that’s going to fly. At this stage I’m just as confused as everyone else is and I’m going to just wait and see what happens.”

On how surprised he was when Pacquiao’s team decided to choose Margarito over Cotto:

“I still don’t fully understand it. It’s very confusing. I mean regardless, Miguel Cotto even having lost in the two fights and having difficult fights in I think his last four fights prior to the fight with Yuri Foreman, he still has always been a major attraction. The Puerto Rican following he has is truly amazing. I didn’t realize he was that popular. Even in the fights he lost he fought exciting fights and even though they didn’t believe in him as much anymore when he went into his fight with Foreman, the support that they gave him was phenomenal and there are a lot of Puerto Ricans, much more than I realized. He has to be always considered a serious attraction for a pay per view and everything. The last fight with the victory, I think it did enhance him. I just felt there were a lot of people who may have felt that he took such a beating in his fight with Pacquiao.

You look at that and say well, he’s a much more improved fighter now. In the weight division, he’s fighting at 154 and if they’re going to fight for the 154 pound title I think it should be at 154. Henry Armstrong and all of the other great fighters when they fought moving up in weight, they fought at that weight limit. Not like the last fight where he fought at 145. The different between 147 and 145 if you barely could make 147 could be a major factor, especially after the first half of a fight. So I think fighting at a full weight and having the confidence of a new style that he’s worked on here and the fact that up until about the fourth round I thought it was a very close fight, so that’s still marketable to some degree, regardless.

I think Margarito’s just a big question mark. I just think there is a big negative cloud. It’s not me personally. The man did his time but I have to go by the reaction of the public. I don’t think he should be getting a big super fight of this caliber and the public has pretty much picked up on that fact. The fact that his name is being more referred to as “Margocheater” or whatever now than it is “Margarito” so I think it’s an awkward situation because I really wanted to see Pacquiao and Mayweather like everyone else. I would have almost bet that the fight would have been made because of the tremendous money that would have been made and the public interest. Nevertheless, I don’t really know what should happen. They’re saying that there wasn’t really a serious negotiation, Bob Arum is saying there was but it looks like the fight is in jeopardy right now and it’s going to be very interesting to see who fights who in this situation right now. Nothing would surprise me.”

http://www.********boxing.com/news.php?p=24565&more=1

[Ravishing]

I agree with Steward, though I think Cotto would've still lost to Pacquiao. But is he sayin Cotto had trouble making WW limit?

[Bushbaby]

I agree with Manny Stewart completely,I don't care what anybody else thinks!!Cotto looked fabulous in the 1st 2 rounds against Pacman pumping out the jab,then his great corner told him to go head up,that's when the fight fell apart!!Cotto-Pacman at 154 with Stewart there to keep reminding Cotto to pump that jab,suddenly becomes a much closer fight!!Plus Cotto deserves it!!

[Tamis!]

Manny Steward had truths in that interview, but it seems noticeable he also wants a big payday, hence the push for Pac-Cotto.

[borikua]

lol @ Steward saying Margacheato!

[Franco2012]

Exactly what I excepted!

[ИATAS]

lol Steward watches the internets. that's awesome. I can totally picture him trollin' boxingscene and trying to type 3 words a minute on his keyboard

[p4p-champ]

Originally Posted by borikua

"if they’re going to fight for the 154 pound title I think it should be at 154. Henry Armstrong and all of the other great fighters when they fought moving up in weight, they fought at that weight limit. Not like the last fight where he fought at 145. The different between 147 and 145 if you barely could make 147 could be a major factor, especially after the first half of a fight. "

he speaks the truth