Pacquiao's Adviser: Cotto Meeting Was "Very Positive"

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz says he had a “very positive meeting” with WBO light middleweight champion Miguel Cotto  to discuss a possible rematch with Pacquiao should the planned November 13 megabuck showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr fails to push through.

Koncz  told us in an overseas telephone conversation with BxoingScene.com, insidesports.ph,  Standard Today and Viva Sports that he had a “private meeting” with Cotto and his right hand man Brian and that the developments were “very positive” but added “that is all I want to say right now.”

At the same time Koncz said he would meet with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who had just arrived in Puerto Rico, to discuss things.

Cotto won the 154 pound title from a virtually crippled Yuri Foreman, who hurt his previously injured right knee and hobbled around the ring before the referee stopped the fight, as Cotto battered him in round 9 on June 5. Cotto has indicated he is not afraid of fighting Pacquiao again even though he received a bad beating and lost by a 12th round TKO last November.

Cotto has even agreed to fight Pacquiao at a catch-weight below the 154 limit since the much smaller Pacquiao is not even a fully-fledged welterweight although he won the 147 pound title by beating Cotto.

In the meantime Antonio Margarito is also being considered as a possible opponent for Pacquiao, in the event Mayweather doesn’t sign a contract submitted to him by Arum, and he's apparently agreed to come down to 147 to face Pacquiao.

However, Margarito was suspended for one year by the California State Commission after he was found to have had hand-wraps with a plaster-like substance prior in his fight against Shane Mosley. He has to first obtain a license to fight from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

NSAC executive director Keith Kizer informed us that the Comission will have a meeting on Friday at which Margarito will have to appear and effectively make a case for himself. Asked whether the NSAC will ask Margarito to first get cleared by the California Commission that suspended him,  Kizer responded “I am not sure what the Commission will decide.”

Kizer also responded to our question on whether the NSAC adheres to the decisions of other state commissions in cases such as Margarito’s and whether they consult with each other on a course of action. He said “yes to both inquiries.”