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Las Vegas - Prior to the fighters making weight, announcer Michael Buffer announced a few of the big names at the weigh-in, including WBO super bantamweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez and boxing great Roberto Duran. Close to 5,000 Filipino and Puerto Rican fans crowded in to watch the two fighters make weight for Saturday's welterweight clash at the MGM Grand.
WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan says Manny Pacquiao's combination of speed, power and movement will beat WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Khan and Pacquiao are both trained under Freddie Roach and have sparred often. He doesn't deny that Cotto will be a very tough fight for Pacquiao.
The manager of former champion Antonio Margarito, Sergio Diaz, is sure tha a rematch with Miguel Cotto will happen if the right money is on the table. Cotto suffered his lone career loss to Margarito last July. Margarito had his license revoked in February by the California State Athletic Commission after inserts with a plaster-like substance were discovered in his handwraps around 30 minutes prior to the bout with Shane Mosley on Jabnuary 24.
Unbeaten super middleweight prospect James DeGale was not exactly impressed with David Haye's big win over Nikolai Valuev to capture the WBA heavyweight title last weekend in Germany. The Olympic gold medal winner says Valuev is a big man at 7'2 but he is one of the worst champions in the history of the heavyweight division. Even with the size difference, DeGale thinks he can beat Valuev. He does give Haye credit for coming to the champion's backyard and outboxing him.
Uncle/former trainer Evangelista Cotto is picking his nephew, WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto, to stop Manny Pacquiao before the eight round of Saturday's bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Evangelista and Miguel have not spoken since their argument on April 8 that led to a brawl at the Bairoa gym in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Miguel fired Evangelista and replaced by Joe Santiago. Evangelista sued Miguel in July for $7.5 million dollars, with claims of money owed and serious injuries suffered during their April scuffle.
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has been trying to clean up his image for the last few months but trouble always seems to find him. According to reports in the LA Times and TMZ, Tyson was involved in some kind of an altercation at LAX Airport with an unamed photographer. Early details are thin TMZ that Tyson was arrested and taken away in a police car. There was blood on the ground, according to the TMZ report.
Trainer Freddie Roach loves to talk trash. His prized pupil, Manny Pacquiao, prefers to stay quiet. Pacquiao doesn't see the need to talk trash. He plans to do his talking in the ring when challenges Miguel Cotto for the WBO welterweight title on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
When WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto arrived in Las Vegas, he was hit with a lot of questions regarding his loss to Antonio Margarito in July 2008. Cotto says the loss to Margarito is in the past. He doesn't even think about it. He views Saturday's fight with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao as a new chapter in his career.
Ricky Hatton has been inactive since the May two-round KO loss to Manny Pacquiao. Hatton has been concentrating on promotional company, Hatton Promotions. In a few interviews, Hatton said that he no longer had the itch or desire to fight again. During the last few weeks, watching some of his fighters win - and getting a huge reaction during a few off-boxing events - have changed his mind. Hatton now says the itch to fight again is back. He will consider a ring return in 2010.
Former two-time heavyweight champion John Ruiz is back in the saddle. He is the mandatory challenger to the new WBA heavyweight champion David Haye. The fight will take place in the early part of 2010. Haye will need some time to heal his right hand, injured last Saturday in Germany during the title-winning effort over the 7’2 Nikolai Valuev.