After many needless rumors and talk of late regarding the acceptance of the 145-pound catch-weight offer, it's finally official.
Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto have agreed to fight on Nov. 14, in Las Vegas, at the MGM Grand.
That frequently debated issue was—depending on which website guru you choose to believe—rumored to be anywhere from 142-145 pounds but is now said to have been settled in at the latter weight level.
This catch-weight factor—which seems like a small detail in the grand scheme of things—is actually quite huge, and has been rumored to have been a tool used by trainer Freddie Roach in which to boil-down and weaken Pacquiao's last two opponents.
The trolling detractors—one of which I am not—claim that the Filipino was able to easily beat Oscar De La Hoya, and subsequently Ricky Hatton, as a result of these strength-sapping catch-weight demands.
My personal opinion is that these previously named fighters were heroes to many fans, and finding a lame excuse for their losses is easier than dealing with it head on.
If indeed the catch-weight is finalized, and it is at 145, that would not only mean that Cotto would have to cut more weight than he would like, it would also put Cotto's welterweight title up for grabs.
Good news for Pacquiao, however; his 140-pound Ring magazine title would stay with him—win, lose, or draw.
Bearing in mind that this may not be the super-fight that everyone is clamoring for, it remains to be a great matchup in every sense of the word.
Cotto is a clubbing style puncher who—as we witnessed in his last fight against Joshua Clottey—has no problem taking a thorough beating and still somehow being able to pull off a courageous win.
Pacquiao isn't the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world for nothing. He has blistering speed and can dart in and out of the pocket before his opponent has time to react.
Not only that, he is also deadly accurate with both hands and seems almost extra-sensory when targeting his opponent's exposed chin during the counter-punching exchanges on the inside, as was witnessed during his two wars with Juan Manuel Marquez.
These men are two of the top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world, and, as Pacquiao's last few fights have demonstrated, Pacman isn't in this only for money.
Unlike some other great fighters—whom I will refrain from mentioning—"Little Pac" goes for the thrilling finish, the knockout, or the best performance he is capable of producing on any given night.
Questions remain, however, as to whether Pacman will be able to absorb the numbing body attack of Cotto, specifically his money punch and his big left hook.
In this writer's opinion, the Filipino 140-pound champion warrior has much to gain here; a dominating win would mean that—in one form or another—he has won titles in seven different weight classes.
His star status would climb even higher, if that's possible, and it would also demonstrate to the Mayweather/Golden Boy Promotions camp how great he actually is.
The point being that, ultimately, if they want a shot at him, they need to bow before the king and except a lesser percentage of the purse.
Pacquiao and Cotto becoming official also puts an end to the pathetic pandering and begging of Shane Mosley.
Maybe the "sugar" man will not accept the facts and consequently give a contender a shot at his title, someone like Andre Berto or Paul Williams, who, in my opinion, would both make great successors to Mosley.
Now that the suspense is over and the Pacquiao lottery has been won, it shouldn't be too long before other fighters in Bob Arum's stable, such as Kelly Pavlik, also make their autumn plans known to the world.
In any event, the Pacquiao-Cotto super-fight will definitely make this a November to remember.
"Boxing is a celebration of the lost religion of masculinity all the more trenchant for its being lost."
—Joyce Carol Oates
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