With the huge Pacquiao vs. Cotto fight now just over a week away, it’s time for the staff to chime in with their predictions. We polled our writers to see who they thought would win the big match, and how they saw it playing out. Take a look at all of our staff predictions for the upcoming mega-fight.
Pro Boxing Fans Staff Pacquiao vs. Cotto Picks
Ben Weisman (Pro Boxing Fans): You can throw me in the camp that believes Pacquiao’s last two fights were way overblown and the folkloric status they attained wasn’t even close to being warranted. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to take anything away from Pacquiao. He’s a great fighter with tremendous skills and lightning quick speed. But you can’t help but question the merits of his recent opposition as they were either weight drained (De La Hoya) or shells of what they once were (Both De La Hoya and Hatton). The fact is Cotto will be Manny’s first fight above 130 pounds against a top fighter in his prime.
I see the fight unfolding with a relatively uneventful first round. Pacquiao will be testing Cotto’s strength and Cotto will be testing Pacquiao’s speed. After the early feeling out period I think you’ll see Pacquiao start to hit his rhythm a bit, jumping in, throwing a combination and then jumping out. Cotto should be able weather the storm, all the while continuing to stalk Manny, trapping him in the corner for short periods of time and landing a couple good shots to Manny’s oft-available body. Cotto is a tremendous body puncher and I like these body punches to start taking their toll around the 8th round.
Look for Manny to have a small lead in the fight heading into the 9th round but at that point Cotto is starting to land with more frequency and Pacquiao is starting to tire. Pacquiao will struggle in the 10th round and in the 11th will succumb to the unrelenting pressure from the bigger, stronger man.
Pacquiao vs. Cotto Prediction: Cotto TKO 11
Scott Levinson (Pro Boxing Fans): I’d sure like Cotto’s chances better if we were in 2006. If someone is going to beat Pacquiao in his current form, it’s going to take a fighter at his absolute peak. Cotto is a special talent, but a lot of tough fights, a monumental battering at the hands of Margarito, and his near-escape against Clottey suggest he is in decline. I will say this: if Pacquiao is minimally complacent in his approach to this bout, even a 90% Cotto is going to give him fits. And I might be taking a leap of faith on the size issue, as it could rear its head. I don’t think so.
I see a tense, high-energy fight where Pacquiao’s speed, movement, and newfound mastery of angles keep him out of serious trouble. A reasonably close fight breaks open around the seventh round, when Pacman starts to fully click, and open up his power game, forcing the referee or his corner to pull a gallant Cotto out around the tenth round.
Pacquiao vs. Cotto Prediction: Pacquiao TKO 10
Nathan Nau (Pro Boxing Fans): There is no question that Cotto is the naturally bigger and stronger man in this bout, but he is clearly tailor made for Pacquiao. Pacquiao will use a combination of natural speed and power in both hands, crisp combinations and effective boxing technique to dispatch the challenger impressively.
Pacquiao vs. Cotto Prediction: Pacquiao 4th round KO
Luke Jernigan (DFN Sports Network): I anticipate this being a one-sided bout with Pacquiao coming out looking to prove himself once again. With Floyd Mayweather active again, the pound for pound debate is rejuvenated and it’s Pac Man’s job to prove he is indeed #1 on boxing’s p4p list. Cotto will be overmatched but I expect to see him fight hard into the later rounds before a KO victory by Pacquiao in the 9th or 10th round.
Pacquiao vs. Cotto Prediction: Pacquiao KO 9th or 10th round
Scott Dryden (Pro Fighting Fans): Miguel Cotto will bring power punches to the ring the likes Manny Pacquiao has never experienced. Freddie Roach stated he is very concerned not only with Cotto’s power but also his drive and determination as this is the biggest fight of his career. Cotto’s toughness can never be questioned but the combination of speed and power that Manny possesses is unmatched.
Pacquiao will have a difficult time with Cotto but will prevail via TKO in the 10th round. This sets the stage for one of the biggest fights in the history of the sport, Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. As a fan, I like everyone else want to see this fight happen but possibly even bigger than that would be HBO’s 24/7 with the verbal sparring between Roach and the Mayweather’s camp. A rare chance for the world of boxing to give its fans what they want, thus it probably won’t happen.
Pacquiao vs. Cotto Prediction: Pacquiao TKO 10
Jake Emen (Pro Boxing Fans): In my full Pacquiao vs. Cotto prediction, I laid out a series of four questions that would hold the key to the fight. They were how the catch-weight would affect the fight, how each man would take the other’s punches and whether or not Cotto would be able to catch up with Pacquiao sufficiently. I answered them all in favor of Pacquiao. However, Cotto is no pushover especially for a smaller man, and I expect two banged up fighters to make it to the final bell.
Pacquiao vs. Cotto Prediction: Pacquiao by decision
Final tally for the Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto picks from the staff: 5 for Pacquiao (4 by stoppage); 1 for Cotto (by stoppage)
Be sure to keep checking in with ProBoxing-Fans.com for continued coverage on everything related to Pacquiao vs. Cotto. In addition to all of our staff Pacquiao vs. Cotto predictions and picks, you can also check out the full Pacquiao vs. Cotto preview and prediction, the latest Pacquiao Cotto 24/7 recap and then on the night of the fight check in for Pacquiao Cotto results.
