Roach: "Pacquiao Doesn't Need Cotto Without The Belt"

[Dave Rado]

so cotto coming in 146 in the clottey fight is not suppose to be a title fight? you idiot, stop making these ****** comments

It's not about the weight they come in at - they can come in at 130lb if they like and it would still be for the title (Henry Armstrong came in at 133 when he won the Welterweight title).

It's about the upper limit that is set for the fight. If the upper limit is set below 147, then it is a bull**** title fight. You can't credibly call yourself the world champion at a weight limit if you fought at catchweight.

[jetgeomcx]

That's how boxing works... Some guys gain more weigh than others and use power to win fights, others come in weighing less and use speed to win. If they both weigh in the night before under or at the limit then its fair game as to how much weight they gain back, that's boxing and I've never heard any complaints till Paq came along.

do some research, brah....
catchweight fyts were done many times during the past...title fyts too.
manny and freddie did not invent the catchweight!!!

[Dave Rado]

I don't think Cotto would do that. He loves money more than his belt.

You know nothing about Cotto. He is not a money whore and he is not a title whore. He is motivated far more by self-respect than by either money or by titles, and it is because he has self-respect that he is taking this stand. Boxing needs more fighters with integrity like Cotto.

[Beater_of_ass]

do some research, brah....
catchweight fyts were done many times during the past...title fyts too.
manny and freddie did not invent the catchweight!!!

I wasn't even regarding the catchweight... so learn to read, I was referring to how much they are allowed to rehydrate, which is limitless as long as they are at or below the limit come fight night.

[Dave Rado]

do some research, brah....
catchweight fyts were done many times during the past...title fyts too.
manny and freddie did not invent the catchweight!!!

Yes but the catchweight fights were only for titles if both fighters agreed to them being. There have also been catchweight fights that were not for titles. The sanctioning bodies' rules do not allow them to force the title to be on the line if it's a catchweight fight, although the WBO seem to be putting a lot of pressure on. And to me the idea of the title being on the line in a catchweight fight has always been bull****. How can you say you're the best Welterweight in the world if you don't think you can beat the top Welterweights unless they fight you at catchweight? I have no problem with the fight being at a 145 limit, but if it is, the title shouldn't be on the line.

[El Jesus]

You know nothing about Cotto. He is not a money whore and he is not a title whore. He is motivated far more by self-respect than by either money or by titles, and it is because he has self-respect that he is taking this stand. Boxing needs more fighters with integrity like Cotto.

no. the surrender of the belt was definately about money because if it wasnt, hed had never taken the fight at 145, hed have told him to just fight him at 147 and if not move on. Pac/Cotto was nowhere near in question in 2004/5/6/7 now because pac brings in alot of cash, hes willing to sacrafice a few pounds for money. What he wont do is put his belt on the line, if hes going to lose, hes not going to lose the belt along with it and draw more prestige on pac. this fight is completely about money, it has no relevance to any division, it had no prior buildup, and shockingly, these two guys are under the same promotion with large ehtnic fanbases.

[don miguel]

You know nothing about Cotto. He is not a money whore and he is not a title whore. He is motivated far more by self-respect than by either money or by titles, and it is because he has self-respect that he is taking this stand. Boxing needs more fighters with integrity like Cotto.

Really? Let's wait and see..
Isn't it money was behind his squabbles with his uncle? If he has respect he shouldn't have beat the old man

[Dave Rado]

Really? Let's wait and see..
Isn't it money was behind his squabbles with his uncle?

No it was not.

[Dave Rado]

no. the surrender of the belt was definately about money because if it wasnt, hed had never taken the fight at 145, hed have told him to just fight him at 147 and if not move on.

No, he saw beating the #1-rated P4P fighter as a great way of raising his mainstream profile; and also, because of their respective style, the fight is likely to be a very exciting war. Wanting to be in a great fight that everyone wants to see is what motivates most boxers far more than just the money that follows. Leonard-Hearns and Hagler-Hearns are still remembered and talked about as if they only happened yesterday, and being part of an occasion like that is far more important to those fighters than the paychecks that they got for those fights. Cotto is a millionaire anyway.

He agreed to catchweight because it was considered that Pac was not a Welterweight and so it was unfair not to agree to a catchweight. But if that's the case, if Pac doesn't think he can win unless it's at catchweight, then it's bull**** to call it a title fight.

[Da Hammer]

reason i cant get behind cotto is because he's gonna come in at middleweight at fight time while Pac will be at WW. If Cotto really wants the fight to be at 147 fine but have the weigh-in on the same day of the fight! that way we actually get a WW fight! yes i know its always been like this but ive always thought it was complete **** for a long time now. anyways this fight is pointless without the belt on the line so if its not goin to be on the line it should just be cancelled and Cotto should look to climb to #1 on the WW ranks fighting either mosley or paul williams