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Philippines, 23 May 2025 |
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Suddenly, Sugar Shane Seems Sweeter By Epifanio M. Almeda PhilBoxing.com Fri, 31 Jul 2009  When Manny Pacquiao told Bob Arum he wanted to fight Miguel Cotto next, all eyes fell on Cotto. But it seems Cotto sees a grave risk to his career if he fights Manny Pacquiao next. At 28 Cotto is not ready to get retired as has been the case of the last two fighters who faced Manny. What is $150,000 sanctioning fee compared to the extra million dollars that goes Cotto’s way if he fights Pacquiao instead of some other opponent? It seems that the WBO 147-lb belt graciously given to Cotto is being used by the Cotto camp not more on squeezing some more dollars for Cotto but on how to avoid a Pacquiao fight. The 145-lb catch weight is not an excuse for the fight to be non-titled. Any weight beyond 140 and below 148 lbs is welterweight. 147 is only the ceiling for a boxer to not go over to remain a welterweight. The catch weight was presented to address one fighter’s size advantage over the other. The catch weight is to enable the bigger man who needs it more to fight the smaller man. On paper Cotto needs to fight Manny and not the other way around. On paper and not necessarily in Cotto’s mind. Cotto doubts he can beat Pacquiao. So there’s no point for Manny to pursue a fight with one who does not want to fight him. Cotto may now be given the graceful exit. Being the gentleman that he is, Manny may now train his sight on one who is interested. The one most interested. And suddenly, Sugar Shane seems sweeter! Manny’s next fight is for the history books. How many fighters can win 7 division titles in his boxing career? Should Manny accomplish it, it would be a long time before the feat can be equalled and surpassed. If it’s not for the WBO, there is the WBA, the WBC or the IBF titles. And Shane Mosley is not just another champion. By the way he destroyed Antonio Margarito, Sugar Shane is a more difficult fight for Manny than with Cotto even at age 37. While Cotto has a win over Mosley, Cotto is not the same fighter now as he was when he fought Mosley. Cotto had become more beatable after his severe beating by Margarito. Mosley holds the title he took from Margarito who took it from Cotto who took it from...and so on. And Shane is willing to have a fairer fight by agreeing to concede his size advantage. The fight can be fought at 143 or 145 lbs with the WBA welterweight belt at stake. It should not be at 140. Nothing is sweet in beating a bitter Shane. There is no glory since Manny will not remake history. It is written by some that Manny might be fighting his last. It has been proven that it is wise to retire while, not only at the top of your division as has been done by Lennox Lewis and Joe Calzaghe lately, but more so when one is at the top of rall. As the pound for pound top dog. And there’s no sweeter way for Manny to end his fighting career by scoring a win over the suddenly sweet Sugar Shane Mosley. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Epifanio M. Almeda.  |
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