With the Pacquiao vs. Cotto coming up in just a few short weeks, HBO has begun its 24/7 preview series. Here at ProBoxing-Fans.com we will be providing Pacquiao Cotto 24/7 recaps so that if you miss the episodes or don’t have time to watch them you’ll still know what’s going on with all of the pre-fight hype, training and more. Here’s a peek at the first episode of Pacquiao Cotto 24/7 that first aired this weekend.
The first episode of Pacquiao vs. Cotto 24/7 starts with a quick recap of the past year or so for both fighters, highlighting Pacquiao’s victories and Cotto’s battles with Margarito and Cotto. We are then transported back to the massive press conference for the fight held at Yankee Stadium.
We then see Pacquiao swimming in a pool for his training and hear about the recent tragedy and typhoons in the Philippines and how it has affected the country as well as Pacquiao’s training. Despite all of that change and chaos Pacquiao still has his whole camp with him with all of the same familiar faces.
After the time spent with Team Pacquiao we then move to Miguel Cotto’s camp in Puerto Rico. After a few quick glimpses of his fast rise in the sport, we are taken to footage of the Cotto vs. Margarito contest. It’s easy to forget how brutal a beating Cotto took in that contest. Despite the hardship that caused, along with the following controversy, all is now well in Cotto’s camp. He is with a new trainer these days after longtime trainer/uncle Evangalista Cotto was parted with.
Perhaps the biggest stalwart of all of these 24/7 series has been Freddie Roach. Roach talks about how Pacquiao has changed since the two first started working with one another a decade ago. We also learn that Pacquiao is a bit of a gym rat – a basketball gym rat that is. Pacquiao talks about how the storms destroyed the city and so much of the surrounding area and that people need something to hope for and root for. Roach and some Pacquiao team members tour some of the devastation and bring messages from Manny, but Pacquiao himself stays in the gym to continue his training.
Meanwhile Miguel Cotto is getting ready to leave Puerto Rico to hold his training camp in Tampa for the rest of the pre-fight period. While Pacquiao is a huge superstar in the Philippines, of course Cotto is a huge icon in Puerto Rico as well. Cotto then is back in the tattoo parlor and is getting his 9th tattoo, all in the last 2 years. Cotto talks about how important family is and how important being a good father is. Then it’s off to the goodbye dinner with his family.
Despite the storm and the chaos, Pacquiao’s team and Freddie Roach talk about how there will be no excuses come fight night. We also see former champion Jose Luis Castillo coming into camp to be a chief sparring partner for Pacquiao’s preparations. We also hear about an altercation between two members of the camp about who will be the extra men in the corner that turned violent.
Cotto meanwhile has been living in a rented mansion in Florida with his team. Everything is peaceful and luxurious for the team there as they lay around poolside and relax. The differences between the two camps are clear, however for Cotto and his team it certainly is all business as well.
Back in the Philippines Pacquiao wants to stay while Roach wants to head out before another storm. Pacquiao agrees that it’s a good idea but then delays the departure. Roach then gets serious and threatens to leave camp, while Pacquiao eventually relents to his angry trainer.
Stay tuned with ProBoxing-Fans.com for continuing coverage of everything related to Pacquiao vs. Cotto, including recaps of all of the Pacquiao Cotto 24/7 episodes.
