Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach post-victory. (AP)
You had to be mesmerized by the skill and power of Manny Pacquiao if you watched the fight. Miguel Cotto had lost well before it was stopped at 0.55 of the 12th round but was too proud to say enough was enough.
Before all the talk begins to fade about what happened in the ring at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas and moves to the endless calls for what we all want, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, let's reflect on a historic fight and two men that gave us our money's worth.
1) Muhammad Ali used a butterfly and a bee to describe his ring presence but Pacquiao looks like a missile, launched from a target. In fact, if you've ever watched fencing he resembles an athlete with a sword in his hand. Out of nowhere he seems to leave a spot in the ring and lunge at his opponent with speed and grace. He gives the impression of leaving his feet when in fact he doesn't. It's almost super hero stuff.
2) Cotto may have entered a gym more than a month prior to Pacquiao commenced training but he failed to do what he wanted. The HBO show "24/7 Pacquiao-Cotto" spent oodles of time making the point that the Cotto camp was no-nonsense and committed to a plan that would have their fighter ready for a man who was facing a young, strong true welterweight in his prime. Oops, that plan didn't work.
3) As he entered the ring on Saturday night, Manny Pacquiao was smiling. The HBO ring announcers mentioned it as odd and of course it was. Pacquiao has a Zen-like quality to him that puts the pressures and complexity of a situation into focus and reduces it to its simplest facts. He trained hard, he and his trainer had a plan, he was ready to execute it, he believed he knew his opponent and how to beat him and he did. How many of us could keep fear and anxiety at bay like that?
4) The unnatural calm of Pacquiao was the answer to the chaos that swirled around him during training camp. After watching "24-7" I wondered why the methodical nature of the Cotto camp wouldn't have an edge on Pacquiao's world tour-like atmosphere. And it was never made clear how much time was eaten up a day for the autograph-signing sessions, photos and celeb drop-ins. None of that mattered. It makes me want to go out and sign up for a meditation class, like right now!
5) While some have said that Freddie Roach is walking a thin line by having it seem that he is as critical to his fighter's success as Pacquiao's skill in the ring, I don't see it...yet. Roach is the other half of the wish bone in Pacquiao's success story. He is part of the cache surrounding Manny and his camp. Celebs are not just drawn to the fighter. It is the two-some that draws them in to worship at the shrine. If, as I said above Pacquiao operates on some kind of consciousness level that filters out the unnecessary noise, then he knows that and Roach will remain at his side.
Congratulations to a fighter worthy of being at least a 50/50 partner in any planned fight with Floyd Mayweather. Seven different weight-class belts is a stunning achievement. We saw the best fight in years on Saturday night. Here's hoping the business wrangling doesn't screw up the next one.
Examiner.com's full fight coverage with opinions from around the country, here.
Comments
mam the way you write your piece of journal is much much worth better& have good sense than many of your compatriot here in examiner, kudos to you! God Bless
PBF: we all have different styles. I'm happy you like mine. Thanks for reading and commenting.
what happened to those who doubted pacman? their articles are no where to be found. can they at least say, "pacman is the best boxer of our era?" where are they now? what excuses do they have? would it be a, "catch weigh?" coto came in heavier than 145lbs last night. pacman showed that he can take punches from a welterweight fighters. now, bring on mayweather jr. no more excuses and accusation, just sign on the dotted line, and we will you at mgm grand next year! peace and God bless the Filipinos! MABUHAY KAYONG LAHAT!
hey lady, did you just said that it is fair enough to have a 50/50 purse split against floyd? I dont think I mean everybody thinks it shouldn't be that way. Why 50/50? Manny doesnt deserve that he deserves more of the pie. He just demolished a good big warrior and floyd's recent win against a small bloated technician is very well expected. 60/40 is fair enough ofcourse in favor of pacman.
hey lady, did you just said that it is fair enough to have a 50/50 purse split against floyd? I dont think I mean everybody thinks it shouldn't be that way. Why 50/50? Manny doesnt deserve that he deserves more of the pie. He just demolished a good big warrior and floyd's recent win against a small bloated technician is very well expected. 60/40 is fair enough ofcourse in favor of pacman.
your points were as beautiful as they were accurate and described like none i have read over the past few weeks by the so called experts
mayweather isn't the best fighter on the planet. manny is lb4lb #1. mayweather would be lucky to get 50! floyd uses the purse issue to avoid fighting manny. mayweather is a chicken fighter
wow, i'll admit, I thought manny was gonna get spanked in this one and lose in a close battle. I can't help but wonder if cotto was outta his league or is manny so way out of anyones league? Agreed with the writer, if there is anyone "worthy" to split a purse with money mayweather, it's manny.
In a perfect world they should do 40/40 and 20 for the winner, with the winner donating most of the 20 to a worthy cause....yeah right
hey people, why just accept the reallity that a man from the philippines MANNY "PACMAN PAQUIAO" is one of the best fighter in the world. and lady, you say 50/50? well, you can give it all 100 to mayweather if he agree to fight PACMAN.AND LET US SEE IF FLOY DESERVE IT.MABUHAY MANNY PACMAN.MABUHAY PINOY
djRyB: I like the incentive clause idea. Maybe that will break any logjam.
HBO spent a lot of time ensuring that we understood that Cotto was serious because COTTO WAS SERIOUS. You can work harder than your competitor for a longer amount of time but at the end of the day, if your competitor is more talented than you, no amount of training in the world will guarantee a victory. Didn't you watch the fight? The commentators were praising Cotto for taking everything so serious, for his commitment and his work ethic but after the final bell rang, Pacman was just more talented than Cotto. Don't dismiss Cotto's work ethic as a TV ploy, geared to garner some sympathy for the fighter...Cotto is really that. He fought his hardest, and unlike others in this sport, this means something to him, more than a payday. Get that straight before you gleefully write "oops, that didn't work." I doubt you could comprehend his work ethic, even if you were a constant presence in the gym that he trains in.
Jesus great job at stating the obvious with little true content. The true story of this fight is what happened before they even got in the ring. Freddie Roach should be a boxing promoter because he's a genius. It was his idea to fight Cotto immediately after the hard Clottey fight at a catch weight. He does a great job at getting known fighters to fight his guy, when they're game and confidence is shaken (e.g. De La Hoya, Hatton, Cotto). Not taking anything away from his fighter, but Freddie knows fighting...even if the Mayweather fight does come off. Manny is in no risk to be injured or battered, he may lose on points but he has done a great job at managing a fighter who loves to brawl.
Pacquiao wins becoz his got God on his side, the people he loves so much that he's giving his life to them and he's just a God fearing man,
This should be a lesson to all the doubters that Pac doesn't need to be flamboyant and a trash talker to be successful.
My hats off to Cotto for being a gentleman and a great sportsman! Now we all know that PBF does not want to fight Manny, so they are using this steriod stuff to down play Manny. Imagine PBF looking like Cotto after the fight. He would have to change his name to UBF (Ugly Boy Floyd) plus we all know that he does not want to add a loss to his record. I seriously thing that the Mayweathers are done. Roger Mayweather is going to jail so who is going to train PBF, his dad that has not won to Manny yet. Mayweather Sr. got hit in the head too much when he was boxing and it shows just be the way he speaks.
I like both fighters and I enjoyed that fight last night. Pac is humble and so with Cotto. But I always think we have not seen the best of PAC since Cotto started to retreat after 3rd round up to the end. I'm sure PBF watched the fight and most of the fans watching imagine that Cotto resembles PBF both physical and speed. If that match will happen, PAC will be chasing PBF all night long. It will be the match that everybody's waiting for and at the same time It could be a lackluster fight because of Floyd style as a counter puncher fighter.
hey, floyd, if you want to hide from manny, just tell your sisters in the "ladlad partylist group" (gay-lesbian partylist) in the philippines. they can very well keep you from PACMAN if they'll get elected in the 2010 election. so stop worrying floyd, and pls stop trembling.. your gay sisters are here to help you.
Nice one Paula...
There is absolutely NO and NO comparison between Manny Pac and Floyd. Manny started 106 and movingup weight and chopping boxing greats and HALL OF FAMERS likes, Barrera, Morales, JMM, ODLH while Floyd fought only ODLH to his credit; the guy is a true ducker.
Floyd is a businessman and not a true and pure fighter like Manny. Floyd only likes the money.
Enough said, Manny you are the greatest.
Joe Santiago and the rest of the camp were very lucky because Pacquiao camp insisted on a larger size for the ring. they would'nt have thought that Cotto was the one utilizing it after all, nyahahaha!
oh come on! no to 50/50. it should 65/35 in favor of the 7 belted champion. FMJ just no lost record because still not fighting those best of the best. paquiao consumed all the best of the best fighters in his division.
shame on you paula on stating the last paragraph of this article, pacquiao is not worthy on 50/50 but greater than that should be his purse now in figthing mayweather. what makes mayweather worthy of receiving a 50% purse? the running he will be doing in the ring?
50/50 WHAT THE ?!? YOU SAID...after beating an old washed overblown marquez, mayweather is not worthy of that 50/50..Let him fight either mosley or cotto or margarito to prove himself first worthy of 50/50...Paula,,,,think clearly before write..gayweather declare a holiday for what, to avoid topnotched challengers and then go back to fight a featherweight and then you are saying about a 50/50....hey lady where's your logic,,,dont put it down there, put it in your head...
A lot has already been written in the aftermath of the Pacquiao-Cotto fight and I have skipped most of them, all of it written by men. It's refreshing to know that a Lady can write good if not better (devoid of mistakes in grammar and spelling) than most men in the sport of boxing. I doff my hat to you, Paula, you are doing a splendid job and keep it up. On who's the best pound for pound and greatest boxer, it's Pacquiao! I rest my case.
Congratulations to Manny! Awesome fight. He truly made everyone happy except for Cotto's fans. Everyone has to admit Cotto is a class fighter. Cotto and Diaz are the only two opponents that admit how awesome Manny's speed is. He accepted defeat and admited he was beaten by one of the greatest fighters of all time. Manny is such a humble fighter he deserves all the credit and praise by the entire boxing community and beyond.
Good article.
Hey Floyd, What time do you get up in the morning to crow????? Cock-a-doole-do. Your a chicken and everybody knows it.
The KING has RISEN! GAYWEATHER has fallen! See you in HELL GAYWEATHER!!!!!
Floyd Mayweather is only pimping himself to fight. If the money's right, he'll fight. Get off your back and fight the man and guit whoreing yourself!! B***H!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pacquiao's eerie calm is unsettling. He smiles even as chaos swirls all around him.
Hey Floyd!!! I need a date. You available? I hear your pretty good if the money's right!!!!
A cherry picker is not worthy of a 50/50. . .floyd gayweather is juz gonna run like a sissy like wat cotto did after being knock
shame on this writer think first b4 u said 50/50. are u nuts.
no one boxer is worth enough for a 50/50 split of our great manny.
giving ==>50/50 to May is insane.He must be ashamed of himself May did not even fight a true blooded welterweight whom is crown in their respective division like Cotto/Mosley. He even fight with his f****king pecking duck ass mouth than he fight in the ring...
He fight weak and smaller opponents and even cheated during fights so, what is the credit we can give to Floyd? Nahhh...
Prove himself and fight Pacman with his heart like Cotto did and prove to the world he deserves the credit the respect and with on the paper undefeated record. May should display and fight what a real fighter is not a runner and a ducker if he wants that we boxing fans will respect him and credit his achivements.
MANNY "PACMAN" PACQUIAO VS. FLOYD "MONEY" MAYWEATHER in 2010
"POUND FOR POUND"
Great insights Paula. Manny would not have been what he is now if not for the patient tutelage of Freddie, one of the greatest trainers of this generation. From a raw crystal, he polished Manny into a sparkling diamond that has made the world of boxing recover its lost glitter.As a diamond is forever, I do hope too for the great, manly sport.
does anyone knows cel # of gayweather? i'll text him... "YOU'RE NEXT!"
50/50? no way
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eventhough Miguel Cotto suffered his 2nd worst defeat in his boxing career,i still salute him as he showed the true warrior and gladiator over the ring..one thing i noticed that the fight should stop after Miguel Cotto started to back peddled in 9 rounds as he realized that he can't absorb the punishment of Manny Pacquiao given to him..as i've said before,corner men plays important role during the actual fight to decide what is the best thing to do to protect thier figther from harm..but the truth was,Miguel Cotto underwent only self training during their training camp 'coz i know Joe Santiago is not a real trainer but only a nutritionist..i was so disappointed of team Cotto especially the father of Miguel and Joe santiago..they let thier fighter continue to fight as they knew that he has nothing to prove for the seek and pride of thier country..this is the right time for Miguel Cotto to hire a good trainer 'coz i believe Miguel's boxing career is not yet over..
oh pls boxing fans, give dat 100% purse to gayweather to fight his own shadow...
Hey Floyd... The Pacman's waiting for you... Come out, Come out where ever you are!!!!
Oh...can you check your great uncle Roger if he's still in SHOCKED??? Coz That's what he said befor the Pacquiao Cotto fight that he'll be in SHOCK if Pacquiao beats Cotto!
I give credit to manny that he is a one of a kind fighter, but you have to understand that floyd is not any of those fighters manny ran through. like floyd or not you have to respect his skills too. just know that this is boxing and there is a sweet science to it. a great defense (which hatton, cotto or de la hoya did not have) does account for something. tell me how can you win a fight if you can't hit the target? WHEN they do fight and the outcome is floyd was to slick for manny in the end... what will everyone say then? stop with all the hate and recognize that this will not be an easy win for manny. BELIEVE THAT.
Mayweather vs Usain Bolt on ppv.
i want badweather to fight cotto first or shane, and if he win..then he must face pacman.
dang morons of the internet, the writer said AT LEAST 50/50. the word is AT LEAST, meaning it can never go below 50/50, but could go up much much beyond your IQ can impossibly reach. vamonos estupidos
i would have loved this article. ok, i think i do, but the 50-50 split remark is sinister. it's pre-conditioning the public that that is the acceptable ratio. AND IT IS NOT.
a doubtfully, self-acclaimed great (mayweather) against what history books will describe as 7 for 7 fighter (pacquiao)...
with that, mayweather isn't even worthy of 45%
ms. duffy you're wrong. floyd is not even worth 50/50 of pacman...pacman carries many belts, prestige and titles to the table. floyd HAS NONE, not even dignity...only a spit of self proclaimed greatness. ppv king? awww come on, we were not born yesterday. his fight with marquez is a fraud...bigtme exploitation of gullible viewers who thought marquez had a chance. it was even like bank robbery. and you treated floyd honorably by mentioning pacman as "AT LEAST" 50/50 with him, when in fact floyd is way down below pacman's level.
what more ms. duffy...floyd will only turn out as a punching bag, or at least a sparring partner to pacman atop the ring. are you to give 50/50 to a guy who plays cameo role?
It's done deal contract was signed 65/35 in favor of Floyd Mayweather Jr. VS.....PACMOM......ballroom dancing....
Breaking news.....It's Floyd Jr...VS PACMOM....
Good Point. I think it is time for Pacquiao to write a book about Success and Humility...how could a man handle such kind of pressure. What is his thinking or does he talk of loss.
That would be a true to life story, not from intelligent thinking but from a simple mind.
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