V8: Pacquiao, Mayweather, Clottey, Cotto, and more!!!

 

For years we've been taught and told that "talk is cheap". In the case of Filipino Manny Pacquiao, perhaps maybe not. After witnessing Miguel Cotto questionably squeak past hard-nosed contender Joshua Clottey, according to Top Rank chief Bob Arum, Pacquiao gave him immediate instructions to "get [him] Cotto in the ring on November 14th". Typically, such strong words are reserved for other members of the Pacquiao camp, while the humble warrior kicks back. As if those words weren't enough, according to sources, Pacquiao's former manager Rod Nazario said that Pacquiao is "too fast and too strong for Cotto", and boxing analyst Moy Lainez stated that in a showdown, Cotto would only be good for "five rounds" against Pacquiao, citing that Cotto "is afraid of cuts and has no heart after the Margarito fight". Those are some pretty bold words from a group of men who themselves have probably never laced up a pair of gloves. There's a whole lot of talking going on, but despite the saying "talk is cheap", I'm afraid this time not quite, as Pacquiao is rumored to earn a purse somewhere near $16M for the fight if the chips land properly. If that's cheap, we now know why the economy resembles a depression!

 

 

 

After all the hoopla and rolling camera's for the recently pending 24/7 series, it appears the Floyd Mayweather jr/Juan Manuel Marquez showdown has been called off due to what was described as a rib injury. Mayweather's injury is the most recent in a rash of high profile fights to be canceled within the last few months. Conspiracy theorist have it that poor ticket sales contributed to Mayweathers decision to postpone the fight, other theories are more potent, citing that Mayweather ultimately plans to scrap the JMM fight all together (if possible) in an effort to sign a deal to fight Filipino Manny Pacquiao before Cotto completely heals. Neither belief can be proven, but if the Pacquiao theory is true, he may want to re-consider. Mayweather left the game unquestionably the best talent, but after a near 2yr layoff, facing a fighter with Pacquiao's speed and power may not be a good move. Power is the last thing to go, but reflexes are the first to decline. Naturally a gambler - (literally and figuratively) - I'm not so sure Mayweather wants to roll the dice here. He can earn loss money back, but he can never be assigned another ZERO. No tune-up before Pacquiao and he could very well lose it. Guess we'll have to see what happens.

 

 

Prior to the Cotto/Clottey showdown I predicted that Clottey would do enough to win, but Cotto would get the nod. Most would never admit it, but they would all have to consider the debate at the very least after watching Clottey came up short last Saturday. Had the fight not been in front of a partisan Puerto Rican crowd, many suggest that both Calderon and Cotto would have walked away with an "L" at the end of the night. Cotto earned the 'warrior stripe' for a valiant effort, but did he really do enough to win the fight? Consider this....in the ODH/Floyd Mayweather fight, the two judges who scored for Mayweather did so on the grounds of his connection rate, which was so profound that Mayweather landed 86 more punches despite throwing 106 less. The one judge who gave it to ODH stated that it had a lot to do with Oscar's consistent pressure/aggression, despite not landing the more clean and effective blows. In the Clottey/Cotto fight, Clottey landed 43 more punches despite throwing 101 less, so we can fairly say he won the connection rate argument. And for only the second time in his career, we saw Cotto backed up for nearly the whole fight, as Clottey easily landed the more clean and effective shots - which nullifies the effective aggression argument. When in the history of the game has a man won the connection percentage war and the cleaner punches/effective aggression war, but lose the fight? I'm not quite sure we'll ever have a fair jury in the sport, but on that point alone I rest my case!

 

 

Now that the smoke has cleared and the aftermath is steady brewing, things in the Cotto camp have began to shake up a bit. News sources on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico have quoted the battered champion as saying "we all [he and his whole team] committed mistakes. They realized things during the fight and I realized things during the fight, but we're a team and we'll resolve those things as a team". Stopping short of pointing the finger, Cotto would not hint at where exactly his deepest problems within the camp lie, but when asked, he was conspicuously mum on the possibility of famed trainer Emanuel Steward joining the ranks for his potential showdown with Filipino Manny Pacquiao in November. Already having power and adequate speed, perhaps Steward could help with some of the fundamental flaws of Cotto. No one knows him like Evangelista does but that tandem remains an arrested development, so could Steward be the next best thing? Stay tuned.

 

 

Joe Calzaghe was recently quoted in an interview as stating that "for $10M he would return to the sport", although he later chided that the likelihood of that happening was not very good. Considering the shortlist of potential opponents in contention, his doubts seem very much on the mark, but if my opinion counts, the one person I'd love to see in a showdown against Calzaghe is probably the only person I'd give my $50 bucks to see a PPV for. That person, none other than Paul Williams. The guy can't find a fight at '47, he can't find a fight at '54, 'Pavlik and the crew at '60 seem to be wearing blinders, so why not Joey at '68. Williams walks around at about 165 between fights so he wouldn't have to lose weight, and he's the only person in the sport that I think could match Calzaghe's punch rate and be dangerous enough to potentially outscore him, so why not? I don't think he has a shot at Mosley, or anyone below '60, so perhaps it's time to kick those talks into high gear and put the money where their (Goosen and Williams) mouth is. Would be nice.

 

 

Joshua Clottey's fans who felt he was robbed last Saturday night have nothing on the argument posed by Filipino fans of Rodel Mayol who unquestionably was on his way to do enough to get the nod in his bid to defeat undefeated Puerto Rican champion Ivan Calderon. For years, Calderon has been seen as perhaps one of the best pound for pound fighters in the eyes of true fight aficionado's, but being a light flyweight, his exposure to most remains hidden. Despite the great talent, Mayol was on his way to getting a well deserved "W", but in what would be an apparent tone-setter for the rest of the evening, in front of a Partisan Puerto Rican crowd, the house fighter was given a last minute stay - via technical draw. Calderon, also healing from a cut, has been put on notice that a rematch WILL take place, and according to Bob Arum, this time he'll need to pack his bags because the journey to keep that strap will take place in none other than the Philippines. If it happens that should be a stiff test for the mild-mannered Calderon. I've always viewed him to be one of the best. This time around he'll have to go out and actually prove it.