I’m a huge fan of Pacquiao – I’m the first to admit – but there’s something about Cotto that intrigues me. Cotto v. Pacquiao tickets are selling fast largely due to the respect Cotto commands. The guy seems to have been around forever, smashing people up in the ring, that you simply have to respect him. And he looks the part, too, just like Pacquiao. I cannot wait to see who comes out on top when these two hit the ring and start in on each other. Even without a title to fight for, this fight is between two of boxing’s most unpredictable fighters. When Pacman battered De La Hoya nobody expected it, but he came out and simply destroyed a boxer everyone at least suspected had half a chance of winning. The phenomenal Filipino won’t be taking this one lying down, that’s for sure. But neither will Cotto, which is why it is so eagerly anticipated. It would be nice to be alive to see anyone take his seventh weight class title, but Pacquiao deserves it more than most. Like any true athlete, you know that Cotto will be trying to prevent that from happening with every fiber of his being here, and Vegas is the place to be come November 14. Cotto-Pacquiao fight tickets are everyone’s dream, definitely mine, and who would ever turn down the chance to be ringside at the MGM Grand for this one?

Promoter Bob Arum, who has both boxers in his Top Rank stable, has insisted the decision to go ahead with this fight has always been “up to the fighters”. Arum certainly won’t be losing any sleep over the prospect of two of his boys going toe-to-toe,especially one that has generated so much interest and seems to have no anticipated outcome. Pacman is still the undisputed top pound-for-pound boxer in the world, but Cotto doesn’t seem to have any regard for that. Trainer Roach is now concerned wth ensuring Pacquiao keeps out of Cotto’s long reach and iron hands. Many have said Pacman lacks the “sand” to stand up to a real punch from Cotto, but with his speed and explosive combos, it is hoped Pacquiao will produce the goods and land one on Cotto that puts him out of action. It’s a tough one to call, but I will be surprised if this happens. After all, wasn’t Cotto one of the people who openly criticized the decision to go ahead with the De La Hoya v. Pacquiao fight? On what grounds, you might well ask: On the grounds that Pacman wasn’t big enough, that he lacked the chin to deal with De La Hoya’s superior weight. That claim now looks laughable, following Pacman’s clinical and animal destruction of De La Hoya. Is Cotto worried that such a turnaround might happen to him, too? Freddie Roach says that Pacquiao doesn’t just have the chin, but that Pacman will run rings round Cotto, so long as he can stay out of the way of the big punches Cotto is known to be capable of.

“Manny has a really good chin because he has a big heart. Of course Cotto’s power is a major concern for me but I really think that we will have no problems. I’m training Manny not to get hit,” Roach recently said. “Manny has always wanted to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr,” Roach added. “The Mayweather fight got delayed because of injury and Manny needed a fight around year’s end. After watching the [Cotto-Clottey] fight Manny told (Bob) Arum that he could beat Cotto,” said Roach.

Roach has been spending his days studying Cotto’s style, just as he so effectively did before the Hatton fight. The Bostonian Roach knows that his fighter’s speed is a valuable weapon against Cotto, and he has been keeping his eye on Cotto’s previous success against similarly fast opponents. “I have already watched several hours of Cotto’s fights. I have been concentrating on how well he did against Shane Mosley. How he neutralized Shane’s speed. Yes, we will have a great game plan for Cotto,” Roach revealed.

Cotto is probably taking all this in stride. The Puerto Rican is made of the right stuff, and that is why Cotto v. Pacquiao tickets are selling so well. Cotto versus Pacquiao, folks, it is being billed as a bigger, more interesting (and obviously more consequential) bout than the Mayweather-Marquez one. Who do you think will come out on top in this, the biggest bout in a big boxing year? Write in and let me know.

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