Cotto Brings More Than Mayweather, Says Roach

By Mark Vester

The Daily Telegraph spoke with trainer Freddie Roach about Manny Pacquiao's November 14 clash with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. In the opinion of Roach, Cotto brings a lot more to the table than Floyd Mayweather Jr. He considers Cotto more dangerous and a much tougher fighter. 

“Cotto brings a lot more to the table than Mayweather because he will engage, he will fight, whereas Mayweather tends only to fight from distance. Cotto is much more clever than people give him credit for," Roach said. 

"But in this sport, if you don’t take chances, you don’t knock people out. Cotto will fight. I imagine by fight time he gets into the ring on Nov 14, he will be 160 lbs. We will be about 149lbs. But speed will win in the fight; not power.”

Roach told the paper that he put together a few strategies to beat Cotto on fight night. He pictures Cotto taking the fight to Pacquiao in the first round but quickly going backwards once Pacquiao starts to unload with his very fast combinations.

“We have a plan, and several strategies. I think Cotto will be aggressive and that he will be looking to show his strength. But once he has been hit, he will revert to being a counter puncher. The timing he has is good," Roach said.

“When he fights a south paw he turns left handed a lot more and I expect him to do that with Pacquiao. He is naturally left-handed, clever, and he is dangerous because of that. Our job is to take that away from him. We’ll going to let him know in the very first round round what he is up against. You’ll see.”

Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingvester@gmail.com