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Pacquiao - Cotto: "Firepower" The experts select the winner
Rota Em - I see four items of victory for Pacquiao: The right hook/lead left hand, sheer speed, a veteran corner, and lasting momentum. For Cotto, he has redemption, power, and superior size. Both have the backing of a nation. Although speed kills, so does brute force. The question will be whether Cotto can get off as many as he takes in. I think that without walking through early fire from the Filipino, Cotto cannot win. But if he takes a licking and keeps coming, Pacquiao will be in for a long ride. I see a near stoppage, decision win for Manny Pacquiao because of the speed, lead left hands, and that revamped right hook.
Rick Assad - Right now, it would be foolish to pick against Manny Pacquiao, even against someone as talented and distinguished as Miguel Cotto. The two will meet Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, with the World Boxing Organization's welterweight belt on the line. The Pac-Man will prevail because he's the well-tuned boxer in the business, and this is his time to shine. With Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach guiding his every move, Pacquiao (49-3-2) is ring savvy, battle tested, and has a powerful arsenal at his disposal.
He's not lost a fight since March 2005, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Erik Morales. The winning streak is now at 10 and holding. Pacquiao has 37 knockouts to his credit, and can fight as long as necessary. In the fight game, if one doesn't have endurance and patience, it's usually a lost cause.
In Pacquiao's last fight, while his opponent Ricky Hatton seemed anxious and unprepared to go the distance, the southpaw Filipino wizard simply waited for the right moment. That came in the second round when he dropped the Englishman with a clean connection to the jaw.
The last time Cotto walked into the ring was June 2009 at Madison Square Garden against always tough Joshua Clottey, and earned a split decision. Cotto, who has a 34-1-0 record with 27 KO's, floored Clottey in the opening round, but then suffered an accidental cut above his left eye late in the third round.
Cotto's only setback came in the summer of 2008 in Las Vegas at the hands of Mexican strong boy Antonio Margarito, with the World Boxing Association's welterweight title up for grabs. Margarito scored an impressive technical knockout in the 11th round, but has since lost to Shane Mosley at the Staples Center.
It won't be easy, and it will take a while, perhaps the 10th round, but in the end Pacquiao will win, and still be considered the best pound for pound boxer in the world.
Albert Alvarez - Miguel Cotto vs. Manny Pacquiao - Right about now, Manny Pacquiao is a very dangerous storm that no country is prepared for. Pacquiao brings speed, power, and heart with him each and every time. Miguel Cotto before Margarito brought power, heart, and will each and every time he did battle. Many feel however that Cotto's will may have been broken against Margarito. In Cotto's last fight against the tough as nails Clottey, I felt that Cotto's will resurfaced and allowed Cotto to make it through such a hard grinding fight. Or maybe it was Cotto's heart that leads Cotto through that war out of the night and into the light. Whatever it was, it was enough to show me that the man that many out there feel has already eroded still has what it takes to whether the storm. Ask any Pacquiao supporter to give you reasons why Pacquiao will beat Cotto and speed will be mentioned 10 out of 10 times. I can see why speed is being thrown around out there, but I feel that the 2 biggest advantages that Pacquiao has going for him are, #1. Weight and #2. Freddie Roach. If Cotto shows any struggles in making the 145 pound catch weight, he is a dead man. Pacquiao will at that point force Cotto to work extra hard early to suck out his energy then take Cotto into deep water and drown him late. I don't feel that I can even tell you how in having the great mind of Roach in Pacquiao's corner is such a deadly weapon to have. Roach simply gets it, Roach can spot the insecure vulnerable part of a man from a mile away. Those 2 reasons noted above is the reason why I feel that speed will not be the deciding factor here. Zab Judah and Shane Mosley were much faster fighters and where did having all that speed advantage get them? Cotto can win this fight easily by boxing as he did against Margarito in those first 7 or so rounds. Cotto would jab then stop to launch hard combinations then circle away. I understand that in stopping on a dime to fire away shots will leave Cotto open and will then create spots for Pacquiao to also fire away his own explosives, but the impact of the punches is what will tell the tale. I believe that Cotto's bombs will have more mustard on them. At the very end of it all, I see Cotto's will pushing him along, but it will be his heart that will eventually carry him through this blistering cold war. If you want the safe bet, take Cotto by SD. If you want to swing for the fences like A-Rod, then you must take Cotto to stop the Pac-Man inside 9 brutal rounds. I love the Pac-Man, but I'm swinging for the fence in this one. Cotto inside 9 action packed rounds.
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