I thought the catch weight bouts for Manny Pacquiao were done and finished with his fight with World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Miguel Cotto last weekend, but I guess I’m wrong. Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach, in an article with Philstar, said “ Maybe we can do Marquez one more time and give him a rematch…It will definitely be a big fight.” Roach is speaking of Juan Manuel Marquez as a backup plan to use in case a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. doesn’t materialize for one reason or another.

This would be great news if Pacquiao fights Marquez. The two have fought twice and both fights have ended up in controversial outcomes. The first fight ended up in a 12 round draw and the 2nd fight resulted in an even more controversial 12 round split decision win for Pacquiao. Many people felt that Marquez won the fight, and there was no effort on Pacquiao’s part to make up for it by fighting Marquez in a rematch.

The one problem for a rematch is that Roach is talking about the fight taking place at 145 pounds. Frankly, I think that sucks. Marquez already showed against Mayweather that he doesn’t have the frame to carry 144 pounds without being drastically slowed down because of it.

But by Roach wanting the fight to take place at 145, it’s as good as saying that wants Pacquiao to have a huge advantage in the fight. I’m tired of these catch weight fights. I don’t know why Pacquiao has to fight at a catch weight for so many of his fights. He did it with Cotto, and although the fight against Oscar De La Hoya wasn’t at a catch weight, it might as well have been because De La Hoya had to come down to 147 for the fight, a weight he hadn’t fought in years.

Marquez won’t have any say in the matter, because he’s not the more popular fighter and doesn’t have the title. He’ll take the fight anyway he can get it if they offer it to him. But that doesn’t mean it will be fair to Marquez. We already saw that Marquez is too small to fight in the mid 140s, so why fight him at that weight? If Pacquiao wants to fight Marquez, why not fight him at super featherweight (130)? I’ll tell you why, because Marquez would be quick and dangerous at that weight and it would be curtains for Pacquiao.

Roach also is looking at Pacquiao fighting the winner of the January fight between WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley and WBC welterweight title holder Andre Berto. “Maybe the winner of that Mosley-Berto fight can be a great fighter for Manny.” Well, you can figure the winner of that fight will be Mosley, who Pacquiao should have fought last Saturday night instead of Cotto. I’m not holding my breath on Pacquiao fighting Mosley anytime soon, not unless Mosley gets a little older. Pacquiao will lose to Mosley.

SOURCE: http://www.boxingnews24.com/2009/11/roach-wants-pacquiao-to-face-marquez-at-a-145-pound-catch-weight/

Last Sunday afternoon (Philippine time), another ineluctable boxing history was made after Manny Pacquiao achieved another victory against Miguel Cotto. Before the fight, Pacman’s World Title record evens with Oscar de la Hoya’s record with six both of them. After winning over Miguel Cotto, the Pound-for-Pound King now held his 7th World Title record, a not-so-ordinary feat for most of the boxers even with Manny Pacquiao. He’s not only grasping his gathered achievements along with the most held World Title record in boxing history but also grabbed the first ever WBC Diamond Belt.

According to Boxingscene.com, the Diamond Belt was created as an honorary championship exclusively for fights between elite boxers. Before the Pacquiao-Cotto fight, Manny Pacquiao made a total of three WBC World Title in different weight divisions against Chatchai Sasakul, Juan Manuel Marquez and David Diaz respectively while Miguel Cotto is a former WBC International champion. The belt was handcrafted in Mexico with 18 karat gold and fusion and has 861 diamonds, 221 emeralds, 6 rubies and 180 Swarovsky glass stones all of them mounted on an Italian Ferrari leather. The belt also displays the picture and the flag of 2 boxing heroes, Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto.

Manny Pacquiao’s other 3 World Title records before Pacquiao-Cotto’s Firepower were fought against Lehlohonolo Ledwaba, Marco Antonio Barrera and Ricky Hatton.

The 145-pound weight limit doesn’t seem to have affected either Miguel Cotto or Manny Pacquiao for tomorrow night’s mega fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Cotto came in at 145 on the nose, and Pacquiao weighed in one pound under the limit at 144. It’s interesting from one angle, which is that Manny Pacquiao came in at 142 when he fought Oscar de la Hoya at a full welterweight limit last December. So this is the heaviest Manny has ever been on the scales.

We’ll have more tonight and tomorrow, before we go live at 9pm ET on Saturday night for live coverage, scoring and analysis of the entire HBO PPV card.

The atmosphere for the weigh-in was incredible on the webcast, and every boxing writer that is there live in Vegas said the same, whether on Twitter or whatever. The crowd tomorrow is going to be totally mad.

Jesus Soto Karass came in at 148 pounds initially, then stripped down and weighed in at 147.5 for his welterweight undercard bout with Alfonso Gomez. JSK has to lose a half-pound, which shouldn’t be any major issue. Gomez came in at 145 1/2.

Daniel Santos and Yuri Foreman both weighed in at 154 pounds for their WBA junior middleweight title fight, and Troy Rowland and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. are fighting at middleweight. Rowland weighed 159, Chavez 160. Hat tip to Ramon Aranda of 411mania.com for the weights on the Chavez-Rowland fight, as ESPN cut their webcast just before those two hit the scales.

SOURCE: http://www.badlefthook.com/2009/11/13/1156385/weights-in-miguel-cotto-at-145

HOLLYWOOD – The bright lights of Las Vegas await boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao, who is expected to arrive in “Sin City” on Monday night (Tuesday morning in Manila).

The 30-year-old boxing superstar is scheduled to travel to Vegas Monday in what should be a super-busy timetable for him.

An hour roadwork will have Pacquiao up on his feet early in the morning, before he does the final sparring session of his eight-week training that brought his entourage from the mountains of the Cordilleras in Baguio City to the cool California weather here.

Filipino ring superstar Manny Pacquiao and Puerto Rican bomber Miguel Cotto. Top Rank photo“Mag-spar pa mga three or four rounds na lang siguro,” said assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez of the scheduled sparring that will bring to 153 the rounds of sparring Pacquiao has had in the last two months as he prepares for his Nov. 14 showdown with world welterweight champion Miguel Cotto

“Puro pababa na lang. Maintain na ng condition,” said the boxing idol.

Then, it’s off to Vegas.

Team Pacquiao in full force

A convoy of vehicles is expected to accompany the Pacman – riding on his reliable black SUV – on the six-hour, 250-mile road trip from here to the world’s so-called “Gambling Capital.”

Towing behind him are trainer Freddie Roach, conditioning coach Alex Ariza, along with family members that include wife Jinkee, his mother Dionisia, father Rosalio, members of the media, and other close friends.

Also traveling with the group is the colorful, customized Manny Pacquiao bus provided by Top Rank Promotions that has become a staple in all of the Filipino’s fights of since the “Dream Match” with Oscar De La Hoya last year.

Pacquiao is expected to arrive just before midnight in Las Vegas, where he will stay in his traditional 60th floor suite at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

Cotto already there

Cotto, the 29-year-old native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, has already been in the state of casino and entertainment as early as last week and has been billeted at the MGM Grand along with his group that included trainer Joe Santiago, conditioning coach Phi Landman and best friend Brian Perez.

On Tuesday, Top Rank holds the formal arrival rites of the two boxing stars, with Pacquiao first to appear at the lobby of the MGM Hotel, followed by Cotto about an hour later.

Top Rank publicist Lee Samuels said the final press conference for the sold-out match dubbed “Firepower” is set Wednesday at the Hollywood Theater (Thursday in Manila), while the official weigh-in is on Friday at the Grand Garden Arena (Saturday in Manila).

Jogging on a rest day

While Sunday is usually rest day, Pacquiao insisted on doing his morning jog at the La Brea Park, just a block away from his high-end Palazzo apartment.

After taking a quick shower and brief rest, the reigning pound-for-pound king proceeded to attend a mass at the Christ The King Church, before heading back for home where he had lunch with family members.

Pacquiao spent the afternoon practicing with his band that will perform during the post-fight party set after the 12-round title bout.

Finally, he called it a day. – GMANews.Tv

SOURCE: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/176591/pacquiao-off-to-las-vegas-for-training-windup