Phillippine Star reports Pac nearly pulling out of the fight!

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao came close to pulling the plug on Miguel Cotto if not for the assurance by promoter Bob Arum that the Puerto Rican will stake his World Boxing Organization welterweight title at a catchweight of 145 lb on Nov. 14. Pacquiao’s lawyer, Franklin Gacal, yesterday said they were already preparing an official statement saying they will have to start looking for another opponent after reports said Cotto was not willing to stake his 147 lb title. The reports quoted Cotto as saying he will only stake his WBO title if the fight is held at 147 lb, the welterweight limit, and that the 28-year-old champion was not willing to pay WBO the $150,000 sanctioning fee. “Bob Arum told us not to believe everything that’s being reported. Then he assured me that Cotto will put his WBO welterweight title on the line -- at 145 pounds,” said Gacal from Gen. Santos City yesterday. “We have to take Mr. Arum’s word on that,” added Gacal. The Pacquiao lawyer said with the weight issue practically settled, now comes the money issue, although he said both camps have had an agreement regarding the purse sharing. But Gacal did not give out the details, only saying that a 65-35 sharing in favor of Pacquiao should be the “worst-case scenario” for the Filipino pound-for-pound champion and today’s main attraction in boxing. Gacal is hoping that the fight contract for Pacquiao vs Cotto be signed as soon as possible so both boxers can start focusing on what they have to do on the ring than on the negotiating table. Reports said Cotto is scheduled to start working out today in Puerto Rico, while Roach wants Pacquiao to start limbering up before the press tour set on the second week of September. “We were almost ready to issue a statement that we’ll start looking for a new opponent because of all those talks that Cotto wants Pacquiao to go up to 147 before he stakes his crown,” said Gacal. Gacal, however, did not mention the boxer they had in mind in case the Cotto fight was scratched. It could be Shane Mosley, who’s offering Pacquiao everything but the kitchen sink, or someone else. And that could even be Floyd Mayweather Jr., whom trainer Freddie Roach described as “the easiest fight of the three.” Mayweather, who retired almost two years ago but is slated to return to the ring in September against Juan Manuel Marquez, another fighter drooling over Pacquiao. The fight was supposed to be held in July but a rib injury sustained by Mayweather in training, coupled by poor ticket sales, led to a cancellation, and a new date on Sept. 19. as of 08/04/2009 7:16 AM

Comments (20)

It's not necessarily him, it can be Arum, Roach, or his whole camp. I like Roach a lot, favourite trainer. I've developed a reasonable enough disliking for Arum the past year. Pac's in the middle. Probably literally between those to at times n'all.

16y ago

jazluvr

I just got this. I can't believe you're making fun of his english. At least he's trying. Even Bush speaks like that, without the heavy accent of course. Hey, c'mon! Be fair....bush don't speak THAT good! :thinking:

16y ago

TredKiller

65-35 split, 145lbs and the title on the line? **** this shit. The hype has gotten ridiculous. While Cotto has been giving us epic wars with top fighters such as Clottey and Margarito, Pac has been beating bums (Diaz), shot to shit weight drained fighters (DLH) and ruined, overrated, china chinned fighters (Hatton). Cotto better end this hype come November. exactly, cotto isnt even getting 40%, and he's the champ, fukk pac

16y ago

baya

man, the best fight of the last 2 years will go up in smoke. cotto needs to give up that fukken belt - didn't arum say that he would out of his own pocket front the sanctioning fee? i know cotto's going on principle - but that shouldn't be at the fukken expense of cotto's biggest payday. deja de ser mamao' cotto and put the belt on the line.

16y ago

rommel357

I like Pac, am a fan slighlty more of him than Cotto, and think the belt should be on the line. But this is all to common for Pac, he can act like such a kid at times, it gets tedious. It's not necessarily him, it can be Arum, Roach, or his whole camp.

16y ago

Kris_Silver

I like Pac, am a fan slighlty more of him than Cotto, and think the belt should be on the line. But this is all to common for Pac, he can act like such a kid at times, it gets tedious.

16y ago

rommel357

I don't think cotto has issue wiith 145 as he has stated. I think they BOTH verbally agreed to 145/non-title match. Now that Pacquiao wants fight as a title fight, cotto feels it should be 147, the weight he won the title. Also, i think it's i gave you something, you give me something. I think that's the major mis-understanding with this whole issue and with the negotiation of this fight. I believe the report that said when Arum prematurely announced the fight, both teams haven't really finalized the deal. Because in my point of view and i believe also in Manny's point of view, what's the point of fighting Cotto if the belt is not on the line. What are other incentives can there possibly be, other than recognition and money. Manny can establish both by fighting either JMM or PBF. I do agree with you on why wouldn't Manny just agree to 147lbs, for a mere 2lbs. But i also agree with Manny and i'll would strongly advise him to stick with 145lbs, especiallly since it's no big deal for Cotto anyway and it's his normal weigh in weight as he has stated.

16y ago

Drunken_Cat

I'm so sick of this bullshit over the weight. Pacqioua is merely doing himself a disfafor the more this drags on.

16y ago

rob6465

I still don't understand what the big deal is if Cotto himself said he usually come down to 145lbs for the weigh in anyway and he doesn't have a problem going down that weight. But i do understand that out of pride alone why Cotto would demand to set the true limit of 147lbs. But for a mere 2lbs that he's confident to begin with anyway and the biggest payday of his career, i say just go for it. I would really hate to see this fight get canceled. I'm starting to have a feeling that it will. It's a bigger lost for Cotto IMO. I don't think cotto has issue wiith 145 as he has stated. I think they BOTH verbally agreed to 145/non-title match. Now that Pacquiao wants fight as a title fight, cotto feels it should be 147, the weight he won the title. Also, i think it's i gave you something, you give me something.

16y ago

rob6465

thats been answered many time already... stop asking it over and over dude just wait till nov 14 and you'll see, the fight will be at 145lb and with belt on the line If all of us were to stop asking questions that have been asked already, there would be no forum....lol How many- Cotto vs Pacquiao, who wins? posting have we seen?

16y ago

syphillis

Is Cotto the first to do that? C'mon......lol No. There has been numerous events where one overweighs the other by 10+ lbs. Floyd did that against the Big Show.

16y ago

rob6465

My take: Because on fight night Pac will rehydrate to 147 while Cotto will be 10+ lbs heavier. I'm wondering how much heavier was Clottey/margarito when they fought cotto after rehydrating?

16y ago

rob6465

My take: Because on fight night Pac will rehydrate to 147 while Cotto will be 10+ lbs heavier. Is Cotto the first to do that? C'mon......lol

16y ago

dabombreda

Even if the belt is on the line, real boxing fans will recognise it for the sham that it is. I like Pac but I won't recognize him as a welterweight champ or beltholder unless he wins one at 147 and if the rest of the boxing world has any sense they will think the same.

16y ago

syphillis

Why is Pacman so worried about Cotto weighing 147? Can ANYONE give me a good, honest answer to that? My take: Because on fight night Pac will rehydrate to 147 while Cotto will be 10+ lbs heavier.

16y ago

rob6465

will get weaker by 2 pounds? are they fighting same day as the weigh in?...I dont hink so. But then again...wait and see and the fight will push through at 145lb with the title on the line and that will only prove that cotto will be Pac's biatch Why is Pacman so worried about Cotto weighing 147? Can ANYONE give me a good, honest answer to that?

16y ago

rob6465

Pacman fighting Cotto at less than Cotto's best says alot on Pacquio's fears. Cotto does not care if Pacquiao weighs 143 or 147, but Pacquiao does care that cotto might weigh 147. Sad !

16y ago

mellow_mood

100K the fight gets done!! anybody in?? PM me.. :boxing:

16y ago

kadyos

I don't know why a lot of people are still WHINING about the 2-pound concession by Cotto and yet easily neglect the fact that Pacquiao is truly only a light welter being forced AGAIN out of his comfort zone just to give most of the fight fans one of the boxing events that they have been dying to see. Pac was virtually a light welter when he fought DLH weighing in just a measly 2 pounds over the 140-pound limit. The same will be true when he fights Cotto. Cotto would be basically facing a bloated 140 Champ that he and the other true welterweight stars have originally called out. You all have to remember that it was Margarito, Mosley and Cotto who have first been making noise about fighting Pacquiao after his destruction of DLH. Pac can only go as high as 148 on fight night to be truly effective. Cotto fights near the middleweight limit. Trying to make him make 145 sort of evens it out because at 147, Cotto will be having all the advantages to his benefit. They have to meet halfway on this to make it possible. Supposed team pacquiao pulled off the plug and fight bradley, for example, just for the heck of it. Let's how these welterweight champs will react.

16y ago

MaFu_MoFo

I don't know why a lot of people are still WHINING about the 2-pound concession by Cotto and yet easily neglect the fact that Pacquiao is truly only a light welter being forced AGAIN out of his comfort zone just to give most of the fight fans one of the boxing events that they have been dying to see. Pac was virtually a light welter when he fought DLH weighing in just a measly 2 pounds over the 140-pound limit. The same will be true when he fights Cotto. Cotto would be basically facing a bloated 140 Champ that he and the other true welterweight stars have originally called out. You all have to remember that it was Margarito, Mosley and Cotto who have first been making noise about fighting Pacquiao after his destruction of DLH. Pac can only go as high as 148 on fight night to be truly effective. Cotto fights near the middleweight limit. Trying to make him make 145 sort of evens it out because at 147, Cotto will be having all the advantages to his benefit. They have to meet halfway on this to make it possible. Good post. The belt is shit. I would understand Cotto if he was an unified WW undisputed champ. But for a single belt, who cares? Let the Pac Team pay the fee and cary on with the fight.

16y ago