Roach's Weight Demand Could Collapse Pacquiao vs. Cotto

[joseph5620]

Asking his opponent to come in at less than 100% is not a fair fight. It's equivalent to asking him to come in with one arm tied behind his back. If Freddie doesn't think Manny can beat top Welterweights at Welterweight, he should defend the lineal title he has just won against the top fighters in his own division.

Mosley didn't ask De La Hoya to come in at catchweight when they fought. Manny has just comprehensively destroyed the #1 rated Jnr Welterweight, and he looked stronger and more powerful than Hatton. There's no reason or historical precedent for saying he couldn't be competitive just one weight division higher.

Exactly the way I see it.

[joseph5620]

I think its a psychological battle of wills first and foremost. Roach is doing his job trying to unsettle Cotto even before the fight begins. Mind games more than a real physical advantage over a couple of pounds.

Asking an opponent to dehydrate to an unnatural weight has nothing to do with psychology. It's purely physical. It's easy to say "it's just a couple pounds" when it's not your body.

[Drunk Punch]

Asking an opponent to dehydrate to an unnatural weight has nothing to do with psychology. It's purely physical. It's easy to say "it's just a couple pounds" when it's not your body.

Cotto was a champion at 140 not so long ago. I'm sure he could drop a few pounds and still be competitive for the biggest earning fight of his career.

[Sox8055]

Cotto was a champion at 140 not so long ago. I'm sure he could drop a few pounds and still be competitive for the biggest earning fight of his career.

Did he look excellent at 140 compared to 147 though?

[Da Hammer]

Roach needs to stop bein a little ***** and accept to have this fight at 144-145 which Pac is perfectly fine with. Roach would be an idiot to screw this potential big money fight up!!! I like Roach but this is some bull**** he's trying to pull off!!!

[joseph5620]

Cotto was a champion at 140 not so long ago. I'm sure he could drop a few pounds and still be competitive for the biggest earning fight of his career.

Cotto has not fought at 140 in 3 years and he was killing himself to make that weight. You obviously have no clue about what you're talking about.

[Dave Rado]

Cotto was a champion at 140 not so long ago. I'm sure he could drop a few pounds and still be competitive for the biggest earning fight of his career.

Three years is a long time, especially as he struggled badly to make weight in his last two fights at Jnr Welterweight, and looked dehydrated in those fights.

[buckdacious]

Cotto should just fight Mosley or Clottey. if he wants to listen to his daddy Arum and drain himself and get KO, Cotto has nobody to blame but himself. I like Pacquiao by KO at any weight but no excuses for Cotto

[TOMA BOXIMG]

Manny pac is starting to look like floyd jr. Alot like him!

You know i used to really like manny until he fought oscar. After that fight the boxing torch was passed onto him and the hype machine began turning and the nut huggers came out of every corner. Manny is a really good fighter to me an a or maybe a+ fighter but manny has weeknesses in his game. Manny does not do good againts slick boxers or boxers who stop coming foward. Manny is starting to look like floyd jr with his demands and chosing of opponents. Listen all boxing fans we should not find money excusable for these fighters to not face the best. We have setteles for that bull**** by the promotors, writers, and evan boxers. Hell we dont make excuses with our preciouse time and money to them. So these juys should face the best fighters in their divisions and in the best shape. All this catch weight bull****, fighters fighting weight drained, all is a bunch of ****. **** you bob arum, golden boy, lou debella, and everyone responsible for not putting on the best fights. Cotto vs pacman a joke, pacman vs mosley a joke, manny should be fighting the juys at 140lbs defending his title. Lets not buy into the hype. Cotto vs pacman wack, freddie if manny cant fight at 147 than send him down to 140. No shame in that.

[Dave Rado]

Yes he is, together with Flash Elorde.

Elorde was a great fighter too. I'm glad Pinoy fans still celebrate their old greats. I have Pancho Villa as the much better fighter in ATG terms, though. I got interested in him because he beat Jimmy Wilde, who I think was the greatest British fighter of all time. Just think how great Villa could have been if he hadn't died at only 23! His life seems to have had some parallels with Manny's as well, in that he rose from extreme poverty, was an itinerant traveller during much of his childhood, fending for himself, achieved fame and fortune when he travelled to fight in the States, and became a national hero who was loved by all Filipinos, not just by boxing fans.