Batman warns Cotto of destruction

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach put on a Batman costume at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles Thursday.

Over at the Fight Factory Gym in Tampa, Florida, Miguel Cotto posed in front of a streamer that showed Manny Pacquiao’s face crossed out as if he were a target for assassination.

“Miguel, the superheroes are coming to get you,” Roach, according to Lance Pugmire of the LA Times, announced as he horsed around with Pacquiao after a sparring session.

With no Halloween costume to wear, Pacquiao took his shirt off and flexed his muscles, showing off his rock-hard abs as he stood beside Roach, who seemed to enjoy being Batman.

These publicity stunts will end soon.

Cotto celebrated his 29th birthday on Oct. 29 with an open workout, and after some publicity shots, including one in front of the streamer that said, “On Nov. 14 the world will see who will be the new king of the ring,” he spoke seriously about the fight.

“This is a big fight because the public likes when the best fighters get into the ring. This is what Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Wilfredo Benitez did for years – they each fought against the best, the way I am doing against Pacquiao,” said Cotto.

It’s just two weeks before he stakes his WBO welterweight crown against Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Joe Santiago, Cotto’s chief trainer, said, “It’s been a while since Miguel has had this kind of drive, determination and focus. Miguel has had the perfect camp. He has worked so hard every day. His punch rate is up in sparring because Pacquiao throws so many punches each round. We don’t pay much attention to Freddie Roach’s quotes on the internet. Our focus is on one person – Pacquiao.”

The conditioning coach, Phil Landman, has been doing some counting, saying for Cotto’s last fight against Josh Clottey, the reigning 147 lb champion averaged 45 punches per round.

“Here in Tampa while training for Pacquiao, Miguel has averaged 65 punches a round. This is a very good number. Miguel is ready, prepared to fight and will win,” he said.

According to Top Rank publicist Fred Sternburg, Cotto is scheduled to fly to Las Vegas Sunday (Monday in Manila) or 13 days before the fight.

Cotto is more than three weeks ahead of Pacquiao in training, starting it off in his hometown in Puerto Rico before moving over to Tampa.

Cotto is always a step ahead of Pacquiao, who has been to three boxing gyms in Manila, Baguio and now in LA, since Sept. 18. Pacquiao will travel to Vegas on the week of the fight, and should train at the IBA Gym.

Cotto, a stablemate of Pacquiao at Top Rank, may end up using the same gym but hours apart from the Filipino’s schedule.

Meanwhile, International Boxing Organization has given Pacquiao 10 weeks or until the first week of January whether or not he would defend his IBO junior-welterweight crown, which he won over Ricky Hatton, last May.

“Manny Pacquiao was notified that he will be given time to decide whether to defend his championship at 140 pounds or vacate the title,” said IBO president Ed Levine. “He is still well within his time requirements to make a title defense in the weight class. So, we’ll allow him a chance to decide and notify us.”