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There Is Something Very Artificial About The Cotto VS Pacquiao Match Up
So Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao will take on world welterweight champion Miguel Cotto after all. I must admit, I didn’t think this fight would happen (read the story: http://www.thetimes.co.za/Sport/Article.aspx?id=1037441).
If you think about it, Pacquiao’s forays above the lightweight limit have been against a washed-up Oscar De La Hoya and an over-rated, tin-chinned Ricky Hatton. But against Cotto, he will face a big-hitting welterweight who can take a punch. As they say, a good big ‘un will always beat a good little ‘un.
This should have been a dangerous fight for Pacman. But enter the sly manipulators of modern-day boxing - the fight won’t be held at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds, but rather at 145. The reason for this is obvious - to favour the lighter Pacquiao and disadvantage Cotto. The promoter - in this case Bob Arum - clearly wants Pacman to win (I can’t blame him because Pacman is a lucrative meal ticket).
Weigh-ins usually work like this: fighters must make the stipulated limit 24 hours before the fight, and then they can indulge as they please after that, often coming into the ring several pounds above the limit. Many boxers struggle to make the weight, dehydrating themselves for the scales, but they’re easily able to rehydrate overnight to be in pristine condition by the time they climb into the ring.
But it wouldn’t be beyond the realm of possibility for the Pacman-Cotto fight contract to impose extra weight-limit requirements on Cotto. Perhaps there’s a clause promising him a decent sum to weigh in at 145 pounds again no more than a few hours before the tournament starts - so he has insufficient time to rehydrate or gain extra weight. Such a clause would not necessarily be made public, but I’m probably being a conspiracy theorist here.
I have a lot of respect for Pacquiao, and I would love to see him fight Floyd Mayweather, but this fight against Cotto has a ring of artificiality about it.
At 145 pounds, this becomes a catchweight encounter. That’s really odd! There have been many stars who stepped up in weight to challenge champions heavier than they were - and they lost without losing their reputations. The list includes middleweight Stanley Ketchel v heavyweight Jack Johnson, middleweight Sugar Ray Robinson v light-heavyweight Joey Maxim and light-heavyweight Bob Foster v heavyweight Joe Frazier.
That’s how boxing used to work. Not anymore, it seems.
If you think about it, Pacquiao’s forays above the lightweight limit have been against a washed-up Oscar De La Hoya and an over-rated, tin-chinned Ricky Hatton. But against Cotto, he will face a big-hitting welterweight who can take a punch. As they say, a good big ‘un will always beat a good little ‘un.
This should have been a dangerous fight for Pacman. But enter the sly manipulators of modern-day boxing - the fight won’t be held at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds, but rather at 145. The reason for this is obvious - to favour the lighter Pacquiao and disadvantage Cotto. The promoter - in this case Bob Arum - clearly wants Pacman to win (I can’t blame him because Pacman is a lucrative meal ticket).
Weigh-ins usually work like this: fighters must make the stipulated limit 24 hours before the fight, and then they can indulge as they please after that, often coming into the ring several pounds above the limit. Many boxers struggle to make the weight, dehydrating themselves for the scales, but they’re easily able to rehydrate overnight to be in pristine condition by the time they climb into the ring.
But it wouldn’t be beyond the realm of possibility for the Pacman-Cotto fight contract to impose extra weight-limit requirements on Cotto. Perhaps there’s a clause promising him a decent sum to weigh in at 145 pounds again no more than a few hours before the tournament starts - so he has insufficient time to rehydrate or gain extra weight. Such a clause would not necessarily be made public, but I’m probably being a conspiracy theorist here.
I have a lot of respect for Pacquiao, and I would love to see him fight Floyd Mayweather, but this fight against Cotto has a ring of artificiality about it.
At 145 pounds, this becomes a catchweight encounter. That’s really odd! There have been many stars who stepped up in weight to challenge champions heavier than they were - and they lost without losing their reputations. The list includes middleweight Stanley Ketchel v heavyweight Jack Johnson, middleweight Sugar Ray Robinson v light-heavyweight Joey Maxim and light-heavyweight Bob Foster v heavyweight Joe Frazier.
That’s how boxing used to work. Not anymore, it seems.
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