Media day with Miguel Cotto (video)
November 9th, 2009, 2:16 pm · 2 Comments · posted by CARLOS ARIAS
WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto dropped into L.A. last week for a workout at LB4LB Gym. Cotto puts his title on the line against pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on HBO PPV.
Here's what the Puerto Rican sensation had to say:
On all the talk about a potential Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight:
"I don't know what's on his mind, but once I beat him he can fight Floyd Mayweather all the times he wants."
On Pacquiao's last two fights against Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya:
"Manny has the things he has today because he earned them. Nobody give to him. He beat Ricky Hatton. He beat Oscar De La Hoya. But he is going to face Miguel Cotto now. Nothing compares to his last two fights. Because I'm not Oscar De La Hoya. Oscar, to me, was a great boxer, but Manny chose the right time to face him in the last part of his career. Everybody knows Hatton doesn't have good defense. Manny proved that on the night of the fight."
On Pacquiao being his toughest opponent:
"I don't see it that way. This fight is the most important but I don't know if he'll be the toughest opponent I ever had. We'll find out in the ring. I'm going to be well prepared. The guy that is the most prepared that night is going to win."
On Pacquiao's popularity in the Philippines:
"It's good for him. Like I told you before, everybody has the things they earn. He's a great personality in the Philippines and he has to be grateful for that."
On the oddsmakers making him the underdog:
"I don't know a lot about bets and Vegas. I just try to do my best in the ring."
On how he sees the fight playing out:
"I'm going to take advantage of every opportunity I have in the fight.
"I trust my team, every member of my team. They have their own work. They do it well. I trust in them. They trust me. Any time I put my feet on the track they know I am going to bring more than 100 percent. Every time I put my feet in the gym they know the same. That's the kind of trust you have to have."
On Pacquiao's speed being a factor:
"I'm not the strongest guy in the gym. People talk about he's the fastest guy. The question is does he have the same strength as Miguel Cotto. It's going to be tough."
On having the "24/7" cameras always following him around:
"It's not normal to me. I'm not really used to it. But they have to do their work. I have to do my work. Nobody interferes. We make another good team."
On Sugar Shane Mosley saying Cotto was his toughest opponents:
"Shane was one of the toughest opponents I ever faced. It's an honor for me that he talks this way about me."
On his new trainer Joe Santiago:
"We have a good relationship. That's the guy now for me. We have a great team, great communication."
On how the loss to Antonio Margarito changed him:
"Sometime when you lose, you won. Since my loss to (Antonio) Margarito, great things come to my career, including this fight. I'm grateful for that.
"You can answer that question yourself. Where's Margarito now and where's Miguel Cotto?
"It made me more focused on my mind and my body. It put me back on the right (track)."
On Pacquiao's speed:
"When I fought with Zab Judah and when I fought Shane Mosley, people were talking about speed and that they would have an advantage over me. If you saw those fights, did you really see a difference in speed? We are really equal and people are going to see.
"He hasn't fought me. I haven't fought him. I don't know how his speed with effect me."
On his greatest strength as a fighter:
"My commitment to myself. Everybody saw in my last fight I can stop a fight in any round I decide. I have a lot of commitment in myself. "
On dealing with the Margarito loss:
"You can come back from anything that happens to you."
On Freddie Roach's mind games:
"That's the problem, Freddie Roach is not the one that is going to climb in the ring. He can say everything, whatever he wants, he if he prepared Manny for just nine rounds, he's in trouble."
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Although I want my countryman Pacman to win, I admire Miguel for his straightforwardness and honesty to his endeavor. History is on his side, a countryman of his Carlos Oriz ended Flash Elordes dream of greater boxing glory twice in the 60's. Good luck to you and Manny on fight night. The only true winner is the sport of boxing who deserve more fighters of both your calibers and dedication. Others are only a distraction to the sport who claim glory only for themselves when it is not bestowed on them.
freemanrockin: I believe both fighters will give a tremendous effort as they always do and win or lose they will only gain fans. This should be a great fight.