Fight fans around the world are getting anxious for the upcoming Miguel Cotto vs Manny Pacquiao fight. The HBO 24/7 series doesn?t start until October 24th, but here you get an inside scoop to Freddie Roach?s game plan, plus video of Pacquiao and Cotto?s sparring partners.
Freddie Roach has said, ?We have a plan, and several strategies??.read on for more
?I think Cotto will be aggressive and that he will be looking to show his strength. But once he has been hit, he will revert to being a counter puncher. The timing he has is good.”
?When he fights a south paw he turns left handed a lot more and I expect him to do that with Pacquiao. He is naturally left-handed, clever, and he is dangerous because of that. Our job is to take that away from him. We?ll going to let him know in the very first round round what he is up against. You?ll see.?
Cottos Sparring Partner – Frankie ?El Gato? Figueroa
Well, we should now say ?Former? Sparring partner. Yes that is right, Figueroa was reported sent home after only one week of training camp and just a day after Bob Arum went to visit the Cotto camp ? coincidence? Many insiders say no. Arum wants a competitive match up and he wants both fighters to be in top shape. Perhaps Figueroa wasn?t providing quality work needed to face Cotto. Figueroa is a 140 pound 5 foot 6 inch southpaw, but that is where the similarities with Pacquiao stop. As you can see in this video, Figueroa doesn?t have much speed, horrible balance, and was dropped by a single right hand 45 seconds into the fight. This would not prepare Cotto for the tsunami that is Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao?s Sparring Partner Meanwhile, Pacquiao has sparred with Urbano Antillon whose record is 26-1, former lightweight champ Jose Luis Castillo and the undefeated 154-pound Shawn Porter. If you haven?t seen Porter yet, play the video below. Porter is a strong well schooled up and coming fighter who mimics Cotto in many ways.
The clock is ticking and only 24 days left until fight time. Cotto reportedly has two sparring partners left, the unheralded Fred Tukes and Kenny Abril, who don?t have anywhere near the experience or ability of Pacquiao?s training team. Tukes has a pro record of 7-1-1 and Abril is 9-3-1.
If this is any indication of what will happen on fight night, you should get your predictions in the fantasy league now
