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By CompuBox - If Mayweather-Marquez was the pay-per-view appetizer, Miguel Cotto vs. Manny Pacquiao may be the main course because unlike the former one can’t easily predict the result of the latter. Pacquiao’s attempting to become just the fifth fighter in history to win five titles in five different weight classes. Oscar de la Hoya (six titles in six different weight classes), Thomas Hearns, Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather are the Fantastic Four. Pac’s a 2 ½-to-1 favorite to win Cotto’s WBO welterweight title, but do the CompuBox numbers support that contention? Let’s find out.
Cotto vs. Speed: The last two times Cotto encountered world-class speed was against Shane Mosley and Zab Judah. Against Mosley’s “power boxing,” Cotto’s attack was fairly balanced as he landed 34 percent of his jabs (98 of 288) and 39 percent of his power shots (150 of 387). Against Judah, a solid hitting southpaw who stresses speed like Pacquiao, Cotto’s percentages were similar (38 percent jabs, 45 percent power) but the distribution tilted heavily toward power shots as he went 78 of 202 in jabs and 214 of 481 in power punches. Therefore, look for Cotto to impose his superior size and strength on offense.
That approach carries considerable risk. While Cotto defended well against the jabs of Mosley and Judah (16 percent connects for Mosley, 14 percent for Judah), both landed a high percentage of power shots (53 percent Mosley, 57 percent Judah). Thus, Pacquiao – never a strong jabber – should use his speed to establish a pattern: Dart in, fire flurries, dash out, reset and repeat. [details]
Cotto vs. Speed: The last two times Cotto encountered world-class speed was against Shane Mosley and Zab Judah. Against Mosley’s “power boxing,” Cotto’s attack was fairly balanced as he landed 34 percent of his jabs (98 of 288) and 39 percent of his power shots (150 of 387). Against Judah, a solid hitting southpaw who stresses speed like Pacquiao, Cotto’s percentages were similar (38 percent jabs, 45 percent power) but the distribution tilted heavily toward power shots as he went 78 of 202 in jabs and 214 of 481 in power punches. Therefore, look for Cotto to impose his superior size and strength on offense.
That approach carries considerable risk. While Cotto defended well against the jabs of Mosley and Judah (16 percent connects for Mosley, 14 percent for Judah), both landed a high percentage of power shots (53 percent Mosley, 57 percent Judah). Thus, Pacquiao – never a strong jabber – should use his speed to establish a pattern: Dart in, fire flurries, dash out, reset and repeat. [details]
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