Miguel Cotto has a message for challenger Manny Pacquiao as well as those who believe he can be successful during his quest to win a world title in a record seventh different weight class: "They picked the wrong guy.""If he thinks he's going to reach a seventh title in a seventh different division, he picked the wrong moment, the wrong fighter and the wrong opponent," said Cotto, all but bristling during Thursday's conference call with the national media.
"If he thinks he's going to beat Miguel Cotto," said Cotto, "he's pretty much all wrong with that kind of thinking."
Cotto (34-1, 27 knockouts) will defend his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title against Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas at a catch-weight of 145 pounds.
Cotto also addressed comments by Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, who has leveled sharp criticism not only at the champion's skills, but toward his trainer, Joe Santiago's, ability to direct the fighter.
Roach told FanHouse that Cotto's "defense sucks" and has predicted an early knockout for Pacquiao, who is a 3-to-1 favorite to win the fight.
"Forget about Freddie Roach. The thing Freddie Roach can do is train Manny the best that he can. He can't go over the ropes and fight against Miguel Cotto, you know? He can train Manny the best that he can," said Cotto.
"He can teach what he believes he can teach to help Manny win this fight, but at the end of the road, it's just Manny and Miguel Cotto," said Cotto. "No matter what Freddie Roach says, I have a very strong mind, you know? I'm not going to fall for his game."
Roach is basing his assertion largely on the fact that he believes Cotto is not the same since an 11th-round knockout loss to Antonio Margarito in July 2008, during which he suffered a bloody face, a broken nose, was knocked down once and bled from a deep laceration over his left eye.
"That's the problem here. You can find 10 or 20 people who think they know about boxing. I can't go to a doctor and tell him how to do his job," said Cotto, who has won two straight since losing to Margarito.
"[The doctor] knows how to do his work, and I know how to do my work," said Cotto. "I'm pretty well recovered from the Margarito defeat, and I showed that to the world during my last two victories."
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
It's great to see that Miguel Cotto is pretty positive and upbeat about his fight. But I feel sorry for the guy bc people around him are giving him a false sense of hope only for him to be crushed at the end. It's not fair what they're doing to him but of course they all have to think positive. The reality is he's going to lose possibily by knockout in the later rounds. Expect him to geto down on his knees a few times to avoid further punishment. Afterwards he should just stay down.
Manny secret is dependence on God's grace and intervention. Millions of Filipino people will be knocking on the door in Heaven through Holy Mass, the Rosary.
Wether Cotto admits it or not ,Freddie got him,owned him already.He is now talking tentatively without stating how he is going to win it.Freddie got the basis laid, and Cotto countered it with insults.Pacquiao is evidently ready ;for his diminutive body frame ,went up in weight and maintained the speed and power as public saw it during his open training;What manny will do is to execute it in the ring during his fight with Cotto.That is pretty clear for a well prepared and trained fighter.Odds maker do have their own basis too ,not far in this assertions.
Every fighter aims to win every fight. Sorry for Cotto because it is not that Pacquiao has made a mistake on choosing him. It is him who is wrong for choosing to say yes in this pacquiao vs cotto match.
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I've always known Cotto as a soft spoken reserved guy who never mixed with trash before. Now, with the slightest comments thrown at him he easily gets irritated and engage with word wars with the trainer, not the opponent.
Talk about mental toughness and not being affected...
I believe that Miguel Cotto will break down Manny like he has done to all of hes previous opponents with the exception of the cheater Margarito. Cotto is bigger and stronger than any of Manny previous opponents with the exception of Oscar who well past hes prime. And Cotto is much quicker than people think with remember when he fought Shane Mosley
Are you people crazy! Cotto is going to dominate Pacquio. Manny's a great fighter, but he's a lightweight. There's no way he'll be able to stand up to the punishment that Cotto can bring. I mean Manny beat Hatton was waaaaaay overrated and De La Hoya who was waaaaaay past his prime.
You sir have obviously NEVER seen Manny fight... Pacquiao by KO in 3rd round. Sad, because I want to get my PPV money's worth but like most of Pacquiao's recent opponents, Cotto will fall early.
the only way cotto win this fight is to tie pacquaios hands and feet pls. explain what cotto's strategy to win in this fight if he is a hard puncher pacquiao slso is, he dont have a speed w/c pacquiao has, pacquiao is a lefty rest assured he can not see pacquiaos lft. hand straight and he must prepare for that the right punch is for ICU and the left punch is for cementeryo or cemetery.
man cotto is going to put a ass whooping on manny,cottos is going to squash manny like a roach,,,this fight is a mismatch guys,,,cotto all the way 9th round ko win for cotto!!
everybody that watch boxing already know pound 4 pound pac-man is the best there is rite now, and any boxer that face him with have 2b on top of there game 2 even keep up with pac-man hand speed! u mite hit him once but in exchange you've been hit 3 or 4 times already! i say pac-man in 6 rounds!
Cotto was flying high before the Margarito fight and I am certain Margaritos gloves were loaded in that fight. Cotto also has a win against Shane Mosely if I am not mistaken. Pac-Man has had a good run, he is little and fights big. He also has a couple of losses and as a pro got knocked out by a 116 pounder. And he lost to Marquez also in reality. Cotto should be able to handle this little Pac Man by mid round knock out.
I'm glad that Cotto is very much positive in beating Pacquiao. I'm tired of that line which states that Miguel is not the same as before Margarito beat him up, and that Manny will win mainly because of that.
I want Miguel Cotto in his best condition when the Pacman peppers his face with puncehs, just like what he did to Cotto fan ODLH.
Peace!
well who ever want to bet for cotto hit my yahoo messenger junglecity707@yahoo.com i can bet you up... im for manny....
Cotto is like a diesel truck with high power. Come's Nov 14, for him it's like racing againts a Porche. Catch that if you can. Pac will be sneaking behind without you knowing it.
I FIND IT FUNNY HOW PACQUIAO BEATS A WASHED UP DELAHOYA AND GROSSLY OVERATED RICKY HATTON AND PEOPLE THINK HE'S BEATING COTTO.ITS AMAZING HOW FAST PEOPLE JUMP ON BANDWAGONS.COTTO BY 10TH ROUND KNOCKOUT.IT WILL TAKE THIS LONG BECAUSE THATS WHEN COTTO CATCHES UP WITH PACQUIAO'S BICYCLE.
You know what's funnier? When Pacquiao beats Cotto and people like you start making excuses for Cotto the way you make excuses for Oscar and Ricky and so on. This discrediting Pacquiao trend will continue. It's ridiculous.
You shmucks! Cotto is going to kill the little runt, guaranteed. yes Pac is a great fighter but Cotto is capable of retiring this fool. Cotto loses one fight and everybody is writing him off...come on!!! He'll put it all together and you'll see Manny down. Prediction Cotto in 8
If this was Cotto vs. Hatton, it would be a competitive fight. I would give Cotto the slight edge, but a fight between the two would go the distance. I think that should tell you something. This " fool " named Manny has so many ways to beat Cotto, he could knock him out in the early rounds with less cuts, or run circles around him, wear him down and go for the kill in the later rounds. I'm sorry, but if you think Cotto's rookie trainer would outcoach Freddie Roach, you're dreaming.