Manny Pacquiao/Miguel Cotto HBO 24/7 Episode Two Gets an A

Episode two of HBO's award winning reality series 24/7 Manny Pacquiao/Miguel Cotto starts off where it ends off with a cliffhanger ending in episode one. Freddie Roach takes the 8 hour drive journey from Bagio to Manila solo through the hard rain weather and Manny follows him shortly after the following day.

In Manila we see veteran former champion Jose Luis Castillo getting the best of Manny in their sparring session. Castillo puts the pressure on Manny against the ropes and it is clear Manny is not giving his full focus and 100 percent. Freddie Roach takes Manny to the side and lectures him on how he must give his full focus and 100% for Miguel will be his biggest toughest fight of his life.

Conditioning coach Alex Ariza pushes Manny and challenges him more and more and we see Manny for the first time ever cussing Alex out in a joking manner. He tells Alex to shut the f*ck up. He then says f*ck you Alex and throws some object at him.

Alex and Michael Koncz still have tension as Alex insults Michael while sitting next to Manny on the 14 hour plane ride from Manila to Los Angeles. Michael explains that he gets paid as Manny's advisor and that is his role. Alex complains that Michael has no role in training camp what so ever and even jokes that he might have had simple tasks as which car should we drive today or what cell phone plane should they use.

Back in Tampa, Florida we see Miguel Cotto has just put up a new punching bag with Manny's image on it. There is also a huge banner of Manny with a gun target on his face. Cotto does not allow footage of his sparring but he makes a slight exception for 24/7 with use of still images. We see Cotto battering his spar mates over and over with each still image.

Finally back at Wild Card gym in Los Angeles Team Pacquiao is more at ease without the countless distractions of typhoons, people coming to Manny for help, tv/film appearances,etc. We see the regular roster of team members at Wild Card minus former heavyweight champion Michael Moorer. Freddie explains Michael did not have the best people skills and even kicked out some governers out of the room that angered the team.

Back at Team Cotto's Florida mansion we see an extravagant luxury pool with even high dive boards. The team takes turns jumping off the boards and playfully pulling each others swimming trunks off. All of Team Cotto must shave their heads in solidarity to Miguel and each member one by one goes bald.

Don Miguel and Cotto's former trainer/uncle have been distant ever since the firing and falling out of the uncle as Cotto's trainer. We hear from Don Miguel that he was heartbroken to have to chose between his own son and his own brother. Uncle Evangelista however is still seen sitting down on a couch with the younger new trainer watching taps of Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez for notes and strategies.

I give this episode a grade of an A for it is good at showing us all of the behind the scenes look at whats going on in each fighters camps. It would be an A+ if it can start showing us more actual training scenes and elaborate spar sessions.

On a side note I visited Team Pacquiao yesterday at the Wild Card Gym and I obtained an exclusive interview with several members of Manny's camp. Check back soon for there will be an article and video of the interviews.

Happy Halloween.