Throughout his career Miguel Cotto has not been the warmest or most engaging boxer when it comes to speaking to the media. I remember in 2003 when I had the opportunity to interview a young Cotto weeks before he fought Demetrio Ceballos. Getting Cotto to say anything meaningful or scintillating was an exercise in futility. As he has grown from a prospect to world class fighter, his personality has stayed par to the Cotto course: reserved and unwilling to speculate on future opponents. If a reporter has asked Miguel Cotto, "What do you think about fighting fighter X or who would you like to fight," the response has generally been, "My management and promoter Top Rank have a plan for me. I am the fighter and fight who they put in front of me." A few days back while Miguel was holding an open workout for media outlets down in Puerto Rico, the tight liped fighter strayed a little from his course of keeping personal feelings regarding potential foes out of the public forum.
The following quote comes from Puerto Rican boxing writer Rey Colon, who covers the sport for El Vocero.
“Y aquí no es lo que la afición quiera sino los manejadores, los boxeadores y las empresas pongan sobre el ring. Y no tengo elección. Siempre he estado disponible para enfrentarme a los mejores nombres y Manny Pacquiao es uno de ellos. Y Miguel Cotto está dispuesto”, finiquitó.
"It is not about what the fans want, but what the managers, boxers, and promotions put up inside that ring and I do not have a choice. I have always been available to face the best names and Manny Pacquiao is on of them. Miguel Cotto is available."
That is about as close as Cotto will get to calling out a fighter.
Miguel Cotto vs. Manny Pacquiao?
Is that fight a reasonable challenge? After the Filipino shut-out Oscar De La Hoya and made the legend quit on a stool, it is hard to count-out the pound for pound best fighter against any challenger, but, and this is a huge but, Miguel Cotto is one of the most dedicated and talented welterweights in the world. Cotto is not a part-time fighter, full-time promoter like Oscar, he is a man who is focused on his career, and with the boxing ability to give any fighter a tough night and likely win at the end of the bout.
One would have to give Miguel Cotto the edge going into a fictional fight with Pacquiao due to a strong jab, precise counter-punching, and over all boxing abilities. That being said, one could never count out Pacquiao in any battle due to his warrior spirit.
This argument is all academic as Pacquiao is on a collision course with Ricky Hatton and then hopefully Floyd Mayweather Junior. If "Money" does not come out and play at the end of 2009 and Cotto has a successful year, Cotto vs. Pacquiao might be a Dream Match worthy of the title.
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