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Cotto: “Manny’s fought tough fighters but never one like me!”
By FightFan News Wire (10-Sep-2009)

Miguel Cotto came face to face with Manny Pacquiao today at Yankee Stadium in New York to kick off their press tour to promote their Nov. 14 super fight. A confident Cotto exclaimed he will defeat Pacquiao.Read on for more!

“He has fought a lot of tough fighters but never one like me,” said Cotto. “The world will know who the best is when we meet in the ring”

“This fight will be the most exciting and memorable event that Top Rank has promoted in 40 years. I am certain it will take its place as an exciting and action-packed classic such as Hagler vs. Hearns and Ali vs. Frazier III. On November 14, Pacquiao vs. Cotto will join that list of boxing classics.”

Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, has sold more tickets to Madison Square Garden in this millennium than any other fighter. He has held a world title every year since 2004.

Boxing’s No. 1 pound-for-pound king and the reigning Fighter of the Year, MANNY “PacMan” PACQUIAO, and the pride of Puerto Rico and three-time world champion, MIGUEL COTTO, will be loaded for bear when they rumble in the mega-event of the year – FIRE POWER: PACQUIAO vs. COTTO – for Cotto’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title and the first-ever World Boxing Council (WBC) Diamond Belt. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MGM Grand and Tecate, FIRE POWER: PACQUIAO vs. COTTO will take place Saturday, November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev., and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT..

Pacquiao and Cotto boast nine world titles in seven different weight divisions between them and a combined professional record of 83-4-2 (64 KOs) – a winning percentage of 93% and a victory by knockout ratio of 77%.

Remaining tickets are priced at $1,000, $750, $500, $300 and $150, not including applicable service charges. Ticket sales at $1,000, $750, $500 and $300 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $150 are limited to two (2) per person, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

After announcing their fight at an international public press conference in Yankee Stadium in New York today, Pacquiao and Cotto will proceed on a the remainder of the five-city coast-to-coast, two-ocean media tour which will take them to Caguas, Puerto Rico, AT&T Park in San Francisco, Beverly Hills, California, and PETCO Park in San Diego.

“I will train harder than I have ever trained before because Miguel Cotto will be my toughest test as a professional fighter,” said Pacquiao. “I know Miguel Cotto is an excellent fighter and a great world champion.

“He is strong and smart and that is a dangerous combination for anyone who challenges him. But like every fight, I will not enter the ring alone. My countrymen don’t just give me their support. They also give me their strength, their pride and their love. That is why I must give my all. I fight to win and to give honor to the Philippines.”

“He has fought a lot of tough fighters but never one like me,” said Cotto. “The world will know who the best is when we meet in the ring”

“This is a superior matchup between two of the best fighters in the world,” said Ross Greenburg, President, HBO Sports. “Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto are two unique personalities, and because of that, we are looking forward to presenting another installment of our popular ‘24/7’ series.”

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, has won six world titles in as many different weight divisions ranging from 112 to 140 pounds. His performance in 2008 was described as “Henry Armstrongesque,” winning world titles at 130 and 135 pounds with victories over Juan Manuel Marquez and David Diaz, respectively, and knocking out and retiring Oscar De La Hoya at 147 pounds to finish the trifecta. This year, he picked up where he left off last year – winning another world title in a new weight division — dealing defending junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton a one-punch second-round knockout on May 2.

Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, has sold more tickets to Madison Square Garden in this millennium than any other fighter. He has held a world title every year since 2004. Puerto Rico’s most exciting fighter, Cotto held the WBO junior welterweight crown from 2004-2006, successfully defending it six times before vacating it to capture the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title at the end of 2006, a title he held for nearly as long. He won his second welterweight title in February this year, knocking out Michael Jennings in the fifth round at Madison Square Garden to become the WBO welterweight champion. Notable scalps on Cotto’s belt include Sugar Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Joshua Clottey, Paulie Malignaggi, and Demarcus Corley.

The Pacquiao vs. Cotto pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $54.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Pacquiao vs. Cotto fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com or www.toprank.com.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather and George Foreman vs. Michael Moorer; and concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, Billy Joel, U2, ‘N Sync, Sting, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also is home to the annual Academy of Country Music Awards (ACMA), Frozen Fury NHL pre-season game and the U.S. Open of Motocross.

23 Responses to “Cotto: “Manny’s fought tough fighters but never one like me!””

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cholo Says:

cotto will seek and destroy pacman
September 10th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
migz Says:

what the fuck smart roach is this. they challenge cotto in 145lbs for the 147lbs belt ?

fight him in 147!
September 10th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
cavrone Says:

The Cotto/Pacquiao is for the diamond belt 145lbs. title and the WBO WW title. Mayweather and Marquez is also a catch weight 144.
Since Floyd and JMM are fighting ahead of Cotto/Manny they should have fought at 147 so that others would follow too. But guess what a big NO.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:02 am
arbee Says:

then we will know on November that Cotto is indeed a shot boxer.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:22 am
ara mina Says:

who is better in speaking english? cotto or pac??
September 11th, 2009 at 1:43 am
ara mina Says:

Migz you dont know anything…145 to 147 is considered welterweight. 147 just happens to be the Max weight. Hello??!!!
September 11th, 2009 at 2:05 am
ara mina Says:

correction:

Migz you dont know anything…140 to 147 is considered welterweight. 147 just happens to be the Max weight. Hello??!!!
September 11th, 2009 at 2:09 am
pepeng pilar Says:

oo migs tama si ara mina! 140 – 147 welterweight yun.
September 11th, 2009 at 2:10 am
migz Says:

ara mina

140 jr welterweight and 147 is super welterweight.
do you think their is no difference between 140 to 147 then why pacquiao didn’t make it at 147 ? because it’s only 2lbs..
September 11th, 2009 at 2:26 am
mikesman Says:

No more debate on weight, whats important is to let those finest boxers do their thing inside the ring. Kill themselves if necessary to assure great, exciting fight that we all dire to see. This fight is far better than the alleged number 1 vs numero 1 which is perceive more on dancing and chasing. well they can dance all night but still we prepare real fight and thats BOXING.
September 11th, 2009 at 6:49 am
migz Says:

hey ara mina you not getting my point!

I’ve said is 145lbs is the maximum catch-weight.

and freddie roach ain’t stupid person. he want the 145 but not the 147 ?

this fight is not a super welterweight because super welterweight is 147 is the maximum.

and this fight is 145 maximum catch-weight.

cotto getting worse to make the catch-weight. maybe cotto make 143 and not totally 145.
September 11th, 2009 at 9:28 am
da bomb Says:

Why didn’t Floyd make the fight with JMM at 147?
The fight of Floyd/JMM is at 144.
Why migz?
September 11th, 2009 at 9:30 am
migz Says:

hey i’m not starting a fight here and i’m know that im outnumbered to you guy just make it matured and not act like Immature.

yeah pacquiao fighting cotto in 145lbs for the 147 super welterweight belt.

but the 145 requested pacquiao catch-weight is the 145 maximum and not 147 super welterweight maximum and we’ve all know that the super welterweight is 147 maximum weight.

do you think guys you know everything in boxing and you’re to smart to trainer freddie roach and roach didn’t know anything? then why freddie roach couldn’t make in 147 and it’s only 2lbs ?

and for you THE BOMB the mayweather-marquez has no belt in-line that’s why they settle it in 144. and marquez is no longer lightweight. he is welterweight now.
September 11th, 2009 at 10:36 am
da bomb Says:

Not true migz
The idea of Mayweather-Marquez fight is to compromise the fighters on a catchweight. To meet up on a compromise weight to make it a match.
It is Not because there’s no belt in line.
For example, Manny/Miguel same catchweight with Floyd/Marquez however Cotto’s WBO welterweight championship belt is on the line.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
pakyaw Says:

pag umakyat ka ng timbang syempre ibig sabhin makkipag kita ka sa mas mataas sayo.
ang super welterweight ay may kota ng hangang 147 ang pinaka mataas. tama ba ako?
pero ang 145 ay hangan 145 lng pag si cotto tumimbang sa aktuwal na weight-in ay titimbang lng ito ng mababa pa sa 145 kase bawal siya umabot ng 147, kung sa tingin ninyo napaka galing ninyo bakit hndi ninyo nlang paltan si coach freddie roach kasi mas alam pa ninyo lahat? bakit nga ba 145 gusto ni coach freddi ?
nabasa ko dati ang pahayag ni coach freddie na hndi sila makkipag kita ky cotto ng 147 kung saan malakas ito at delikado.
oo pilipino ako halata nman sa salita ko dba at napanuod ko sa balita na nag uumpisa na mag training si cotto dahil mahihirapan ito sa pag babawas ng timbang.

tuned-up fight lang nman un mayweather vs marwuez para masubukan parang ky pacquiao at hatton.
September 12th, 2009 at 3:04 am
national champ Says:

guys let me correct you especially you migz..
136lbs to 140lbs is for welterweight;
141lbs to 147lbs is for superwelterweight;
so if cotto and pacquiao is going to fight at 145 lbs it is still consider at superwelterweight since its in the range of 141 to 145 lbs, gets?.. they agree @ 145 lbs to the fact that one fighter is bigger than the other.. pacquiao walks @ 156lbs but fightnight only weigh around 140 and rehydrate to the maximum of 142-144 just like in the hatton/de la hoya fight, cotto walks around 160 but fight night could weigh 147 and could rehydrate 155-160.. this is a great fight for two great warriors but totally in different weight class, cotto NEEDS (take note its a NEED) to beat pacquiao to cement his legacy since pacquiao is the #1lb for lb fighter and while pacquiao also NEEDS to beat cotto to be the man that has 7 titles in 7 different weight divisions, both men has a NEED but as ive said in totally different weight class, one is naturaly 140 pounder while the other is a natural 147 pounder, so to pursue their needs they meet halfway and made sacrifices to make this fight happen.. if cotto doesnt need pacquiao he wont agree going down from 147 and pursue another fight, but he does.. and same goes with pacquiao.. if he dont need cotto he wont risk fighting @ 147.. i hope this will make sense to you guys.. peace
September 12th, 2009 at 5:08 am
migz Says:

natinal champ

141-147? yeah i know it’s welterweight BUT before you enter the super welterweight 147lbs you should first fit the required weight and tit’s the 147 pound

then if you think 141 is another level of welterweight theirs in no problem why making at 145lbs pacquiao make it 141 and challenged cotto instead.

ara mina you know nothing about shit because the shit is all over in your face hahaha
September 12th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
professor Says:

national champ and ara mina 141 to 147 are same welterweight ?

yes is same like high school but before you enter the graduation you must first a 4th year student!

then why 145 ?

if you think its the same… here the example
pacquiao weight make it 141 you said its welterweight and cotto weight is 147 is also welterweight.

then fighting for there own desire

then why 145 ?

because 145 is the max weight limit of this fight. i wish you get my point.

should i posted it again ? im tired for making a new statement.
September 12th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
kamatis ko Says:

migz and pakyaw are the same person.
September 12th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
kamatis ko Says:

rodal mayol lose again by accidental headbutt.
kamatis ko madam auring ka ba?
September 12th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
omaru Says:

migz,professor

whats the problem fighting at 145lbs? do u think someone gets advantage… you two dont know fighting… watever weight is it,, they stil train hard to their limit to be the best fighter til fight come.. and the best fighter win… no excuses… excuses are only for those coward and balls sucker.. hope ur not one of those migz.. when you dont have the courage and heart to fight u stil loss…and the fighter that have a big heart and to his best in the ring WINS!!!!! peace…….(#_#)
September 14th, 2009 at 1:44 am
Johnson Says:

MIGUEL COTTO weighed 146 against Joshua Clottey, his LAST fight. What’s the big deal about fighting at 145?!

Just 16 MONTHS ago, Pacman weighed 134 against DIAZ. And now he’s fighting at 145. And it’s NOT A BIG DEAL to him.

It was COTTO’s CAMP who insisted on 145, NOT Team PACMAN who initially had wanted a catchweight of 143. Now who was “forced” to accept 145? Was it Cotto… or PACMAN??!!
November 8th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Gabriel Says:

bottom line is, 145 is the maximum weight FOR this fight!
November 13th, 2009 at 11:19 pm

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