By Dave Lahr: Ever since Manny Pacquiao defeated Juan Manuel Marquez by a questionable 12 round decision in March 2008, he’s been in a series of fights with either older guys like Oscar De La Hoya, fighters that have been recently beaten like Miguel Cotto and Ricky Hatton.

I give a lot of credit to Pacquiao’s eagle-eyed trainer Freddie Roach for spotting beatable opponents for Manny. Roach reminds me of an old lion who knows how to spot a lame antelope that’s unable to keep up with the herd. Roach spots an opponent an opponent like De La Hoya, who at 35, was at the end of his career and had been beaten in half of his last six fights going into the Pacquiao fight.

Roach was brilliant with his trained eye, seeing that De La Hoya had slipped a notch and then going after him for a fight against Pacquiao. This was pure genius by the old lion Roach. Those eagle eyes could see what other boxing fans couldn’t when looking at De La Hoya. And then going after Cotto rather than Shane Mosley. Again, great thinking on Roach’s part. Previous to being selected for Pacquiao to fight, Cotto had taken a severe beating by Antonio Margarito in July 2008, in a 11th round stoppage loss.

Cotto didn’t look the same in his fight after the loss to Margarito, struggling to beat Joshua Clottey last year in a 12 round decision that could have gone either way. Roach, being an astute judge of talent, went after Cotto for a fight against Pacquiao. I couldn’t have a better choice myself. Why go after Mosley when you have Cotto, who had just taken a beating not too long before, was available for the pickings?