|
Great trainers Angelo Dundee, Nazim Richardson, Ronnie Shields and Buddy McGirt give their predictions on Pacquiao vs. Cotto…read more to hear what they had to say
 ANGELO DUNDEE - Trainer Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard
“It’s gonna be a great, great fight. I have seen Cotto train twice now, and he’s a stone cold professional fighter. He was oblivious to the outside world when I saw him training. He’s very focused.
“You have a perfect blending of style in this fight. If I ever had a fighter fighting Pacquiao, I would implement the things that Cotto brings to the table. Certain ingredients that spell Cotto, will give Pacquiao trouble.
“Cotto is a pressure fighter and he’s going to be on Pacquiao from the get go. He’s got a great left hook, he’s a good body puncher and he’s very aggressive. I see a very tough distance fight. There is going to be blood.
Pacquiao takes it to you all the time but in this fight is going to have to back up. He’s a smart, slick, and great hand speed. Cotto counters those things.”
“But if you’re looking for an edge, I don’t think the corners will play into the fight. The best guy will win.”
 NAZIM RICHARDSON - Trainer Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley
“I think Manny Pacquiao is going to steal the fight that night. He is good at letting his size fool people and when they see him darting around the ring looking scrappy, boxing and moving and he’s not KO’d, it translate to a round for him. But calling Pacquiao little in this weight class is like calling Mike Tyson a little heavyweight. Pacquiao is a solid guy but his size fools people.
He knows how to make the round look like the little guy is dominating a big man.
“Cotto is capable of beating him but for him the game plan is essential and he has to stay true to that plan.”
 BUDDY MCGIRT - Trainer Arturo Gatti, Antonio Tarver, Vernon Forrest
“I don’t think it is going to come down to either corner. These guys are veterans who know how to make adjustments while they are fighting. In that sense, Cotto is a better adjuster than Pacquiao, as he has had to do in several fights already. I don’t remember a fight (except the Marquez fight) when Pacquiao was in trouble like Cotto has been. I think Cotto can give Pacquiao trouble and then we will see how he handles it.
 RONNIE SHIELDS - Trainer Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Vernon Forrest, Juan Diaz and Rocky Juarez
“Miguel Cotto is a legitimate welterweight that proves himself time and time again. I think fighting at 145 lbs is not going to be a problem for Cotto. Its just two pounds under the welterweight limit. He’s got good strength, and first of all, his loss to Margarito proves to me that he can take a great shot. Second, Margarito is a big guy, and Pacquiao is a small guy. Pacquiao has a lot of speed, but I just feel that Cotto is going to walk through him. There is no way that Pacquiao is going to be able to wear Cotto down. As the fight goes on, Cotto is going to get much stronger. I think he’s going to put the pressure on Pacquiao.
“We all saw in the De La Hoya fight, how Pacquiao used speed to his advantage. Pacquiao does pack a good punch. But Cotto’s defense will offset him getting hit so much. Pacquiao cannot take Cotto’s punches throughout the 12 rounds.
“If he uses his boxing skills, Cotto can get late stoppage. It’s tough to get a knockout against Pacquiao, but I just think Cotto will have what it takes and he’ll have the advantage in the end.”
 |
