Cotto Unfazed With Underdog Status
Posted by FJ Parlan on 11.08.2009
Cotto remains cool, calm, and confident.
Miguel Cotto is the champion in his November 14 fight with Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas. His opponent is also coming up in weight. Cotto has an excellent record of 34-1, 27 KOs. But all those reasons above do not suffice to make him the favorite in the upcoming fight, according to the betting bookmakers around the location of their fight.
"I don't know anything about the betting business," Cotto said in response to the betting books, on a conference call from his training camp in Las Vegas this week.
Cotto also said that he will earn the money in the ring, and that he is not fighting for any kind of bet.
"I am just here to try to bring my best every day in the gym," Cotto continues.
Pacquiao (49-3-12, 37 KOs), the world's no. 1 boxer, pound-for-pound, is a 2-1 favorite, and most experts see that way firstly because of his speed.
"We know he has speed and style and that is why you prepare yourself to beat him," Cotto said. "You will find out on the 14th how I am going to deal with his speed and it is not going to be the factor that everyone thinks it is."
According to Cotto, he is "prepared for anything Manny can bring to this fight."
"He has a lot of things besides his speed and I am prepared for all he can show me at this time," Cotto said.
Cotto, the WBO welterweight champion, has the size and the fact that he is the first natural welterweight that Pacquiao will face, on his advantage.
"Manny comes from a lower weight division and if he thinks he is going to have the same power as Miguel Cotto, he is thinking pretty wrong," the Boricua, Puerto Rico native said.
"He has picked the wrong moment and the wrong fighter. If he thinks he is going to win against Miguel Cotto, he is pretty wrong."
Some have suggested that Pacquiao's camp, which has been speculated to have had distractions to its fighter for this bout, is underestimating the younger Cotto, who has maintained a relatively quiet camp. The recently turned 29 year old is not thinking the same thing.
"What they say and do doesn't concern me. I know they know what they have in front of them. I know what I can do to him and he better be focused on what he is up against in Miguel Cotto."
In conclusion, Cotto said: "It's not really important what the boxing world wants to see or wants to do... Once I beat Manny Pacquiao on November 14, they continue their plans and do whatever they want but I am not going home without winning this fight."
