By Will Cruz: “Yo no me como ese cuento”, I won’t eat up that tale is what Miguel Cotto Sr. said in a recent interview with El Nuevo Dia newspaper in Puerto Rico. He is referring to the publicized news that Pacquiao has not begun his training and instead has been relaxing and having a good old time filming movies and game shows. Cotto agrees with his dad which is why he visited the gym even throughout the press tour last week to maintain his work rate.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article titled, “Cotto- Committed, Focused, and Determined”. I was highlighting how Miguel Cotto seems more focused for this fight than I have ever seen. He has made adjustments in training and even moved it to a gym that provided a 24’ X 24’ ring. Preparing himself to chase Manny Pacquiao around a big ring if need be. In every interview Miguel has had since the fight was signed, he has been consistent with his mindset for this fight. One, that he understands what kind of fighter Manny is, including his advantages. Two, that Manny’s flaws are obvious to him, and Three, that there is no way in hell Miguel allows Manny Pacquiao to move up into his weight division where he feels he is King and takes the crown from him. Miguel is as confident as ever in his ability and what he feels will be another great victory for Puerto Rico, and is not “damaged goods” as Mr. Teddy Atlas said.

On Sunday September 20, Miguel and his team move their camp to Tampa, Florida where they will be until the final two weeks leading into the fight. There he will begin his intense sparring sessions with quick, elusive, southpaws that will help him prepare for Manny’s style. But when asked about how he will prepare for this fight, I was more impressed with what his trainer said; “we will prepare to fight a welterweight on that night”. They have not fallen into the trap that because Manny seems smaller they will go in there on November 14 to push the little guy around. Unlike another writer on this website likes to say that the “little Filipino” will get bullied around, I don’t believe that is the fight we will see.

I see Miguel Cotto adjusting and having the opposite game plan from what many people think. I see him boxing Pacquiao much like Morales and Marquez did and I believe Cotto will once again surprise people with his underrated defense and hand speed. Let’s give Manny the credit he deserves. People tend to forget a fighters style through most of his career based on his last couple of fights. Before he disposed of Hatton, De La Hoya, and Diaz, Manny was a good boxer himself with an incredible combination of speed and power. So I see Manny trying to box as well early on and not doing what his last opponent did and go in carelessly against a dangerous opponent.

At the end though, I believe Cotto will box, counter punch and go to the body enough to batter Manny much like he did against Malinaggi. Consistent work through 8 or 9 rounds that show its effect late in the fight where Cotto will finish it in impressive fashion. Surely, this is just my opinion and how I see the fight, but one thing I do know for sure is that unlike Cotto and his team, I do believe the hype; This fight will be one for the ages!