Some had claimed this would be the toughest test of Pacquiao’s career, and yet Cotto’s punches bounced of the Filipino fighter, who nullified his opponents power and appeared not to be hurt once during the contest.
Coach Freddie Roach had said that Pacquiao would win through “speed and power”, and he was vindicated. Pacquiao certainly remains a special fighter.
Pacquiao (50 wins three losses, two draws) claimed the WBO welterweight title by reducing Cotto to a slow fighter, who could only dance and survive for the last few rounds, until he was stopped in the twelfth.
Pacquiao’s slashing attacks in the final championship round saw referee Kenny Bayless step in to stop the damaged Puerto Rican taking any more punishment 55 seconds into round 12.
Observers ran out of superlatives to describe Floyd Mayweather’s beautiful performance in picking Juan Manuel Marquez apart a month ago at the same venue, and the scene is now set. Who really is the world’s No 1 pound for pound fighter ? Mayweather or Pacquiao.
What is clear is that regardless of the weaknesses of Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, defeated in the last year by Pacquiao – the boxing world has a major fight on its hands. It will require intricate deals, but it is a fight which boxing needs.
With a gameplan clinically exacted, Pacquiao first lured Cotto into attacking him, soaked up the pressure and counter-punched, and then eased to dominance from the middle rounds onwards. Cotto was down in the third, caught off balance, his hands touching down.
But he was hurt in the fourth, hit by a huge left hand. With 13 seconds left in the round, Cotto just survived. Pacquiao thereafter dominated the stanzas, alternating between sitting back on the ropes, and all out blistering attacks, opening up a cut over the Puerto Rican’s left eye.
Cotto was broken but not beaten by the last quarter, and although he won the tenth round while Pacquiao took a breather, the champion was merely holding on to keep his pride. For the final half of the fight, Pacquiao was the faster, stronger fighter. By round 12, the Puerto Rican had shipped enough punishment.
Pacquiao now looks capable of stretching Mayweather further than ever before. Expect months of wrangling before an early summer fight in Las Vegas. The world now has a right to know which of the two is the rightful pound for pound No 1.
