Bigating welterweight ang sasagupa kay Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines - Siniguro ni Miguel Angel Cotto na isang bigating welterweight ang makakalaban ni Manny Pacquiao sa Nov. 14 sa MGM Grand sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

May tinig ng kumpiyansa si Cotto na mahigit isang buwan nang naghahanda para sa pinakaabangang laban na ito na tinaguriang “Fire Power’ laban sa kinikilala ngayong pound-for-pound king na si Manny Pacquiao na ngayon pa lamang magsisimula ng masusing training sa Baguio City.

“He’s a good fighter, he’s a great boxer, but he’s going to face a welterweight in his prime time,” ani Cotto sa fighthype.com.

Hindi minamaliit ni Cotto ang kakayahan ni Pacquiao ngunit kumpiyansa ito at sinabi niyang gagawin niya ang lahat para sa labang ito.

“He’s a speed guy, you know, but people said the same when I faced Zab Judah, when I faced Shane Mosley and you didn’t see the speed of them against me,” ani Cotto.

Ukol sa kanyang plano sa nalalapit na laban, sinabi niyang, paghahandaan niya ang lahat ng bagay para sa labang ito.

I’m going to work every-thing, you know, try to work the head, the body punch, the movement, the pressure, I’m going to work with everything I can and I’m going do to it well in the fight,” ani Cotto.

Ang Nevada State Athletic Commission mismo ang luminis ng pangalan ni Manny Pacquiao na nais dungisan ni Floyd Mayweather Sr matapos magsa-lita for the record, na malinis si Pacquiao.

Pinagtanggol ni Keith Kizer, executive director ng NSAC si Pacquiao matapos akusahan ni Mayweather si Pacman na gumagamit ng steroids.

“All I can tell you is that Pacquiao, every time he’s fought here (in Nevada, has) been tested, as well as his opponents. He passed every drug test we did to him, every steroid test we did to him,” ayon sa pahayag ni Kizer, sa doghouseboxing.com.

Ayon sa NSAC na hindi gumagamit si Pacquiao ng mga illegal na steroids gayun din ng cocaine at marijuana tulad ng akusasyon ni Mayweather.

“Title fights (we have) tests for steroids and drug abuse. (We look out for) marijuana, cocaine. We collect urine (for tests) before and after the fight,” ani Kizer. (Mae Balbuena)