By Giancarlo Malinconico: Pacquiao’s attempt at becoming a seven-division champion has come at odds with Cotto’s demand that if the title is on the line, the catch-weight agreement must be invalidated. The catch weight, nevertheless, was an agreement between Cotto and Pacquiao that does not directly concern the WBO.
The controversial aspect of this issue (and the aspect that has ignited criticism to this issue) is the timing of the WBO’s desire to install Pacquiao as a mandatory contender to the WBO title only after the Cotto/Pacquiao catch-weight bout had already emerged. A catch weight, nevertheless, does not invalidate a title match from occurring.
The WBO has the authority to rank its fighters. The WBO installed Pacquiao as the number one contender for the WBO title. Cotto must defend title against his mandatory opponent, Pacquiao. If Cotto relinquishes his title, the WBO has the ability to make Pacquiao/Cotto a WBO Title Match. Cotto’s refusal to defend the title cannot affect Pacquiao’s right to fight in his mandatory opportunity.
Furthermore, a catch weight does not invalidate a title match as long as both fighters are under the division limit and above the limit of the previous division upon the weigh-in. When asked about the catch-weight situation, Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel explained that if a welterweight fight takes place between 141 and 147, it has to be for the title. Valcarcel also cited the De La Hoya/Hopkins WBO Middleweight Title Match as a precedent in which an agreed upon catch weight of 158 pounds did not impinge on the sanctioned title bout.
Critics (including fans and pundits), however, point to the fact that Cotto only agreed to the catch weight because he believed it would be a non-title bout. They also criticize Pacquiao for attempting to use political tactics to win a welterweight title at a catch weight. But these critics seem fail to consider that perhaps the catch weight does not give Pacquiao an advantage, but merely minimizes Cotto’s advantage.
Cotto, furthermore, brought this upon himself by attempting to cash a paycheck at a catch weight, and still remain WBO champion, win or lose. Instead of attempting to stop Pacquiao from becoming a seven-division champion by vacating the title, Cotto should try stopping the Pac man’s seven-division ambitions in the ring with a victory on November 14 in Las Vegas.
Bob Arum insisted to Michael Marley of the NY Boxing Examiner that the WBO Title would be on the line. Arum stated, “Everything has been decided and agreed to. Cotto is defending the title and the weight limit [will] be 145 pounds. There are no disagreements or problems. Now, everything is cleared up.” Cotto, nevertheless, has not publically commented on the fight being a WBO Title match since he last went on record stating the fight would have to be at 147 in order for the belt to be on the line. But perhaps Arum has convinced Cotto that he too will benefit from the publicity that Pacquiao’s historic run at becoming the first seven-division champion in boxing history will bring to the table from a promotional stand point.
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