[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
fnf wrote:
So now you’re putting down Filipinos, Irish? “Well you did say Filipinos who only watch Pac fights” I’ve been watching boxing since Sugar Ray Leonard.
Don’t take that the wrong way. There’s plenty of Englishmen that think Hatton or Calzaghe could beat anyone, and plenty of Germans that think Kessler could beat anyone. There is a contingent of fans that are Filipinos that blindly think that Pac could take anyone. That is not you, clearly, and I didn’t want it to come off that way.
Why am I picking Pac, put aside me being a big fan? He has a great combination of speed, power, endurance, footwork, and improving skills. You say he hasn’t improved? Well look at his fights since he fought Barrera the first time. He basically only had a straight left which sometimes he would step forward with his left leg after he threw it. He was often off balanced when he threw more than 3 punches, and rarely moved his head.
I know it was against a weak Diaz and an old DLH, but he’s a completely different fighter. He jabs, throws lead hooks, moves his head, and has great footwork and combinations. I hate bringing him up, but all this was on display against Hatton.
He was very good. Absolutely he was, and I give him all the credit in the world for the Hatton victory. As I’ve said- he was simply a much better fighter.
However, his last real test before that was against Marquez- and it was a draw (that I thought he lost).
Now you said, “Speed does not equal everything guys. Especially when you’re fighting guys that will brush off your power.
My favorite thing is that everyone is ignoring the fact that DLH, although drained out and beaten, was NEVER seriously in trouble. He was never staggered or really in dire straits- not once. That means that Pac DOES NOT carry his power to 147.”
Well look what Leonard did to Hagler (I wanted Hagler to win too). Leonard didn’t hurt Hagler, but he frustrated him with his speed and footwork, which is what I expect Pac will do to Cotto. If I was Cotto, I would plant Pac against the ropes and kill his body so he’s weak for the later rounds. Roach knows this so he’ll probably have a similar plan like he had against DLH. Stick and move for the first five rounds to wear him out and then go for the kill. Cotto will be different because he’s younger and more conditioned, but the emphasis will be the same.
There is one thing that I will say you’re not taking into account, and that’s the mindset that the fighters hold. Sugar Ray was ALWAYS a Mayweather-esque fighter who frustrated opponents ala Duran and Hagler.
However, Manny, for much of his career, was a banger. He is still a banger at heart, as well. He will not shy away from trading with Cotto, and that’s where he will get caught. Doesn’t matter whether it’s in the first or fifteenth round- Cotto has one shot KO power. Ask Quintana about that left hook to liver and the hook to head.
This fight is just as built for Cotto as it is for Pac.
And the only time DLH has ever been KO’d was against Hopkins and that was by a body shot. DLH has an underrated chin and I knew Pac would never KO him.
Absolutely agree. But DLH was never staggered, and that was at a drained to death 147. Now you’ve got Cotto, who’s at his own weight, fighting a much smaller guy.
For me, look at the first few rounds for both fighters. If the ref lets Cotto mug Pac, unlike the refs that didn’t let Hatton and Ruiz do against their opponents, then Pac could be in for a long night. I expect Cotto to be 155+ so him leaning on Pac could wear him down eventually.
Sure could. But Cotto is not a big tie-up fighter… he likes punching.
For Pac, look to see if he lands his lead left hand effectively. If Pac lands it, this means Pac has a definite speed advantage, which will lead to Cotto being turned a lot during the fight and him getting hit by right hooks also.
Two things to keep in mind- 1) Cotto has fought A LOT of lefties. He’s done well against them, even the slick, quick ones like Zab Judah.
2)- Cotto is a natural southpaw turned orthodox fighter. He can fight southpaw as well, and don’t think that’s not in his bag of tricks. He’s also got the wicked left hook, which is the best weapon besides the straight right (which he also has) against a southpaw.
He doesn’t telegraph that hook like Hatton does, either.
Pac KO in 7th by a left hand Cotto doesn’t see.
Or Pac by UD because Pac finds out he can’t hurt Cotto so he sticks and moves the whole night.
We shall see amigo. The only way I see Pac winning is by cuts. If Margo didn’t knock him out, if Mosely didn’t knock him out, if Torres didn’t knock him out, all of whom hit harder than Pac, then Pac isn’t going to knock him out. [/quote]
I forgot about the Leonard mindset, maybe that’s why I never liked him. Thanks for reminding me. Yes, when push comes to shove, I can’t see Pac trying to outbox Cotto. Pac will try to KO him, it’s his nature.
Yes Cotto has experience with lefies, but there’s no way Judah has the same power as Pac. I think Pac has the better combination of speed and power than the others.
The one thing I’ve always liked about Cotto that unlike DLH, who is also a lefty turned orthoox, Cotto can still fight southpaw reasonably well. And Cotto has a better right hand than DLH. I’m looking at Cottos record and watching his fights again, that’s alot of TKOs and KOs in there. Damn, Saturday can’t come any sooner.
As Roy Jones Jr put it best: I can hit like a heavyweight, but we’ll see if I can consistently BE hit by a heavyweight. We’ll see if Pac can whether that Puerto Rican storm.