Cotto's Left Handed Spar Mate Key to Victory

I've read a news today that Cotto is looking for a left-handed sparring mate to become a Pacquiao-man for his training prior to the upcoming Pacquiao vs. Cotto fight on November. Cotto's camp believes that the key to conquering the might of the "Pacman" is to become adapted or adjusted to the strong left punches of the pound for pound king.

Here's the excerpt of the said news from MB.com.ph (Manila Bulletin):

Tapping and finding sparring partners who are mirror-images of Manny Pacquiao will be the key to victory for Miguel Cotto when he faces the Filipino icon on November 14 in Las Vegas.

Cotto chief trainer Joe Santiago told the newspaper El Nuevo Dia that they are on the lookout for southpaw sparring partners who they plan to bring to Tampa, Florida, for the crucial phase of training camp.

“We will try to get left-handed and short boxers with good hand speed (like Pacquiao). This is the key to victory,”

Santiago said as he was presiding over Cotto’s first training session on Monday in Puerto Rico.

Cotto said he felt great after his light training, something that was not the case in the past.

“I feel very well, thanks to God. Better than when I began in previous occasions,” said the 28-year-old Cotto, who will report to the gym three times a week in the next two weeks in time for the arrival of conditioning coach Phil Landman.

Read the rest of the news here.

What do you think? Will that be enough for Cotto to win? Do Pacquiao need to worry about this early preparation of the Puerto Rican? It seems that Pacquiao is not on the training mode yet. What can you say guys?

Cotto to Defend Welterweight Title, WBO Said

Miguel Cotto previously disagreed about making his welterweight title to be on the line on the Pacquiao vs. Cotto match this coming November on 145 lbs. weight limit. Instead he demanded that if the belt is on the line, they should fight at 147 lbs. However, today the World Boxing Organization (WBO) announced that Cotto will be defending his title on the 145 lbs. This is a good news for the fighters for the only thing that hinders the match are gone, we are expecting a face to face action packed fight between this two boxing icons.

Here's a news from MB.com.ph containing the said announcement:

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) removed one of Manny Pacquiao’s concerns when it announced Sunday that Miguel Cotto will defend his welterweight crown in a catch weight of 145 lbs — and not 147 lbs — against the Filipino boxing icon.

WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel told the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia that (the fight) it’s going to be for the (WBO) title” and that everything will come to a “happy ending” for both parties.

Pacquiao lawyer Franklin Gacal said he had spoken with Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum also yesterday, assuring him that the fight will be at 145 lbs and that Cotto’s WBO throne will be on the line in the super showdown penciled at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Cotto had insisted a few days back that if Pacquiao wants to go after the WBO crown, the fight will have to be at 147 lbs.

Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said fighting Cotto in a non-title bout is almost without value.

Now that it appears that a major stumbling block has been cleared, next up for discussion would be the crucial choice of finding a new training camp for Pacquiao, who has been advised by the Harvard-educated lawyer to set up the first half of his training camp outside US territory owing to an IRS regulation called the Substantial Presence Test.

From http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/214025/cotto-s-title-line-vs-pacquiao

More Pacquiao vs. Cotto update bits later guys.