This is how the Pac Cotto fight will end up.

[Unbiased]

At first I picked Pacquiao winning based mostly on his huge advantage in speed.

I've tried to imagine the fight in my head though, and I don't see Pacquiao willing to stand there against Cotto. When he fought Hatton, he acknowledged the fact that Hatton was the bigger man. Hatton was charging forward from the opening bell and Pac was noticeably fighting on the back foot.

Pac will be fighting on his back foot against Cotto also given that Cotto is the larger man and has the harder punch. For damn sure Pac won't be standing to trade. Looking at it from Cotto's standpoint too, I'm almost sure his gameplan will be to keep as close to Pac's chest at all times to negate his speed.

If this is the case, Pac's gonna have to be a sharper counterpuncher than he was against Hatton considering Cotto's got much better defense and actually knows how to put on pressure intelligently and BOX not just brawl. For sure it won't be the same bull charge that Hatton pressured Pac with.

This is where the problems come for Pac. He was never a great counterpuncher and has never HAD to fight on his back foot for anyone. I was actually surprised at how well he did it against Hatton, but then again Hatton isn't exactly known for being hard to hit. Pac can box but has never had to solely box on the outside against anyone that hit harder than him. (DLH doesn't count because he obviously was a corpse with gloves on). Pac was always the one looking to close the distance. Can Pac box on the outside effectively against someone pressuring him? I'm not so sure about that. When Cotto gets tired in the later rounds I think Pac can pounce on the opportunity then. I'm wondering though, who will have landed the cleaner punches in the rounds before that to be in the lead on the scorecards?

How do you see the fight panning out?

[nj_evoixgsr]

i don't think pac will fighting backwards as much as your thinking. he will trade off when he can. he will definitely be less aggressive but i have no doubt he will be putting up a high work rate and trying to make that left eye bleed.

[- JCHING -]

Cotto will be hiding behind his high guard all night, stuggling to make any meaningful connects on Pac. Pac will be peppering him with shots from all angles, eventually cutting Cotto up and the fight will be stopped.

[Unbiased]

I might have overstated how much Pac will actually be fighting while backing up. I just meant that Cotto will be the one advancing and pushing forward. Pac will pick his spots, throw his combinations, and get the hell out. I see him doing that for most of the fight.

But the one thing certain in my mind is that Cotto's gameplan will be to trap Manny in the corner to negate his speed. If and when Manny gets stuck on the ropes or in a corner, I see him having a tough time.

[isiahmike]

I might have overstated how much Pac will actually be fighting while backing up. I just meant that Cotto will be the one advancing and pushing forward. Pac will pick his spots, throw his combinations, and get the hell out. I see him doing that for most of the fight.

But the one thing certain in my mind is that Cotto's gameplan will be to trap Manny in the corner to negate his speed. If and when Manny gets stuck on the ropes or in a corner, I see him having a tough time.

Yea i agree!!! I can see Cotto coming foward to corner him aswell!!! But he will do it with with his guard up(not like Ricky Hatton who had his gloves to his chest for those two round) and using his stiff jab to do so while patienly waiting for pacman to come with combos so he can counter with hooks and body shots!!!

[Ravishing]

Pacquiao isn't going to put Cotto on the ropes nor is he going to apply the type of pressure that will enable Cotto to not get off any shots.

Keep in mind fellas, Pacquiao is no elusive defender like Floyd. He takes risks to get his shots off just like Cotto does. Marquez was able to counter Pacquiao very well being he timed Pac's in and out spurts, as Cotto will do as well and is very good at doing.

This isn't just a super fast fighter against a strong bull type of fight, and I think that's where the misconception is when picking Pacquiao to win. Cotto's got the tools to give Pacquiao a lot of problems.

[Pullcounter]

At first I picked Pacquiao winning based mostly on his huge advantage in speed.

I've tried to imagine the fight in my head though, and I don't see Pacquiao willing to stand there against Cotto. When he fought Hatton, he acknowledged the fact that Hatton was the bigger man. Hatton was charging forward from the opening bell and Pac was noticeably fighting on the back foot.

the gameplan was to walk hatton into big shots. it went off perfectly.

Pac will be fighting on his back foot against Cotto also given that Cotto is the larger man and has the harder punch. For damn sure Pac won't be standing to trade.

nah, i think pac will fight like he did dlh... in and out... roll under.

Looking at it from Cotto's standpoint too, I'm almost sure his gameplan will be to keep as close to Pac's chest at all times to negate his speed.

nah, cotto's gameplan SHOULD be to jab pac into the ropes or corner, then unload bodyshots.

If this is the case, Pac's gonna have to be a sharper counterpuncher than he was against Hatton considering Cotto's got much better defense and actually knows how to put on pressure intelligently and BOX not just brawl. For sure it won't be the same bull charge that Hatton pressured Pac with.

cotto is open up the middle. if cotto waits on pac, the straight right is gonna be pac's best weapon. if cotto pressures, pac will set traps and walk cotto into punches.

This is where the problems come for Pac. He was never a great counterpuncher and has never HAD to fight on his back foot for anyone.

counterpunching isn't pac's specialty but he can counterpunch.

I was actually surprised at how well he did it against Hatton, but then again Hatton isn't exactly known for being hard to hit. Pac can box but has never had to solely box on the outside against anyone that hit harder than him. (DLH doesn't count because he obviously was a corpse with gloves on). Pac was always the one looking to close the distance. Can Pac box on the outside effectively against someone pressuring him?

if you throw out the hatton, dlh and diaz fights then you don't have much to go on, especially since the last person to successfully pressure pac was morales. no one else really pressured pac.

I'm not so sure about that. When Cotto gets tired in the later rounds I think Pac can pounce on the opportunity then. I'm wondering though, who will have landed the cleaner punches in the rounds before that to be in the lead on the scorecards?

this really depends on whether or not cotto can time pac.

How do you see the fight panning out?

scenario #1: cotto proves to be too strong and stops pac w/ a hook to the chin or a hook to the liver.

scenario #2: pac takes cotto's punches fine, but cotto's body attack has slowed pac down. the fight goes to a close ud or a split decision either way.

scenario #3: cotto and pac split the first 6-7 rounds... cotto gases and runs. pac destroys cotto or cotto quits again.

[Luis12]

my dream two days ago:

the first round was a battle from the beginning. cotto and pac traded punches like crazy 10-9 to cotto just because he finished with solid punches to the body and head.

the second round was the same but the at the last second cotto/pac traded punches again. cotto and pac exchange hooks to the head but pac goes down. in my dream i saw cotto walking to the neutral corner but when he turn around he had a big cut and his legs failed a lil but he stayed up. the ref started counting pac but he never got up

Cotto by ko in brutal rds.

before anyone start with the nuthugger ****...i'm a fan of both but i give cotto a ili edge to win.

[Glamour Puss]

This isn't Diaz, Hatton or Oscar.

Cotto will walk Packy down and destroy him beyond repair by the tenth.

[Unbiased]

scenario #1: cotto proves to be too strong and stops pac w/ a hook to the chin or a hook to the liver.

scenario #2: pac takes cotto's punches fine, but cotto's body attack has slowed pac down. the fight goes to a close ud or a split decision either way.

scenario #3: cotto and pac split the first 6-7 rounds... cotto gases and runs. pac destroys cotto or cotto quits again.

If Cotto throws the way he usually throws with his weight behind his punches, I don't see Pac taking the punishment. But also Cotto has never faced someone nearly as quick as Pac so he probably won't be able to load up on his punches in the same way. I agree with what you said on how it all depends on whether or not Cotto will be able to time Pac.

I don't think Cotto will be able to. He will probably walk Pac into a favorable spot and throw hard 3-4 punch combinations in which a couple punches might get through, but Cotto will probably have to rely on volume combinations to make solid contact.