The fight began strongly for Cotto, who fought sensibly behind the left jab in the first round, keeping Pacquiao at a distance, and managed to catch Pacquiao with a few clean punches. This was as good as it would get for the Puerto Rican. Manny Pacquiao came through in rounds 2-8 with strong straight shots and floored Cotto twice. The fight was seemingly over by round 9 and it was damage limitation for Cotto from this point.
Cotto was trying to avoid the knockout and started to fight behind the jab again avoiding exchanges with Pacquiao, he was a lot less active and ironically unveiled the strategy for fighting Pacquiao. For all his flair, speed and power, Pacman was exposed at times and was hit cleanly through rounds 9-11 as he tried to finish Cotto off. The fight was eventually stopped in the 12th round and the humble Filipino made history by winning a world title in a fifth weight division.
There is now the prospect of settling the only argument left to be had, who is the greatest of this generation, Mayweather or Pacquiao? The fight will be called for by the boxing world and expect both fighters to oblige. The weight at which this fight takes place will have something to say on the matter, Pacquiao has already come out and said that he wouldn’t move up another weight class, so it looks like 147 pounds would be the weight.
The problem for Pacquiao is that with Diaz, De La Hoya, Hatton and Cotto he hasn’t fought anyone with a similar style to Mayweather at the higher weights. Pacquiao cannot help himself, he is an aggressive fighter and he will go for it but in a composed sensible manner as he has in his recent fights. He has always left himself slightly open but has managed to push his opponents into his game by exchanging with them and always coming out on top. So what will happen when Mayweather spends 12 rounds like Cotto did in rounds 9-11? Cotto managed to get through when he let Pacquiao come on to him and he escaped from corners effectively.
I see the fight as follows, Mayweather dips, ducks and rolls that shoulder as Pacquiao tries and tries to impose himself on Floyd. Speed is equalled if not beaten by Mayweather and he picks off Pacquiao slowly but surely. The only way out for Pacquiao is to do what nobody has ever been able to do, hit the defensive master clean and often and put him down for the first time in his career.
I can’t imagine too much being decided until the boxing calendar rests a little, but expect the fight to happen and fully expect Floyd Mayweather to win.
