Pacquiao vs Cotto Rematch: Miguel Cotto Refuses to Fight at 147 Pounds

by Scott Christ on Jan 25, 2012 8:07 PM EST in Boxing News Analysis

Miguel Cotto has a lot of power in negotiations with Top Rank and Manny Pacquiao -- and he's using it. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Miguel Cotto has spoken, and he's spoken very loudly. The Puerto Rican star says he absolutely will not go back down to 147 pounds to rematch Manny Pacquiao on June 9, and will hold firm on wanting the fight at 150-pound catchweight.

"He had no problems in dealing with Margarito at 150. He hasn't had problems with anyone regarding weight. With Joshua Clottey, they fought at 147. I [went] down to 145. The [rematch], I'm going to do it at my weight. I will not sacrifice my body again for the benefit of another boxer. It won't happen at 147 pounds."

So that pretty much takes care of that, I guess. Cotto (37-2, 30 KO) is in a position right now, with Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr fighting over him like two dogs on a rawhide bone, where he's calling the shots in a lot of ways. And he appears to be taking full advantage of that.

Good for him. The truth is, Cotto doesn't need Pacquiao on June 9. Pacquiao's choice, apparently, is to face Miguel Cotto, but Cotto could fight Mayweather, or he could wait until July and fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (which is a fight Top Rank wants to do), or he could pull a rabbit out of the hat and fight Canelo Alvarez.

All of these are money fights. Miguel Cotto will make a big payday for any one of them. And he has no reason to do anything he doesn't want to do. Because right now Miguel Cotto just might be, oddly enough, the hottest property in all of boxing. Everybody wants a piece of Miguel Cotto.

Pacquiao vs Cotto II is the biggest money option on the table right now for Manny Pacquiao. Juan Manuel Marquez has basically talked himself out of a fourth fight with Manny, and Lamont Peterson is both not a big enough name and not signed to Top Rank. If you're going to do Peterson, and you're Top Rank, you might as well just do Timothy Bradley instead and hold all the cards.

I know many aren't as amused by this whole thing as I am, but this Cotto fever is really tickling me something fierce. I don't even know exactly what it is -- it's just fun to watch someone have this kind of power in these negotiations with Pacquiao and/or Mayweather.

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Good for Cotto and his team for doing this. He is correct in saying if Pacquiao went to 150 for Margarito then why not Cotto too?

@KoryKitchen32 on twitter

by Kory Kitchen on Jan 25, 2012 8:41 PM EST reply actions

I think if you’re the world’s best, like Pacquaio thinks he is, 3 pounds shouldn’t be too much of a worry. His speed will still take Cotto.

A firestorm to purify.

by RyanSexton on Jan 25, 2012 9:29 PM EST reply actions

Instead of the 3 fighters making fights with each other, I get the feeling we’ll be seeing Cotto give Clottey a rematch. Pacquiao making Tim Bradley’s day. And Mayweather all of a sudden remembering who Robert Guerrero is

by Eugene Banks on Jan 25, 2012 9:32 PM EST reply actions

No money in Clottey EB

The latter two I think quite possible.

"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali

by pakinpower on Jan 25, 2012 10:07 PM EST reply actions

Cotto made Margarito fight at a catchweight

So he should let that particular boogeyman go….and just make the best fight he can.

"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali

by pakinpower on Jan 25, 2012 10:08 PM EST reply actions

This isnt a rematch Cotto wants

Because this isn’t a rematch he can win. Pacman puts his butt down again and he knows it.

"Heaven doesn’t want me and hell is afraid I will take over". - Bobby Czyz

by PhinsAllDay on Jan 25, 2012 10:55 PM EST via mobile reply actions

If you think Cotto is more likely to beat Mayweather than Pacquiao

You’re fooling yourself and so is he.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jan 26, 2012 8:58 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I think this is just a ploy to get more money. In the BS article he’s quoted as saying “They [Pac’s team] says that money talks. We’ll see what happens”

by Apprentice on Jan 25, 2012 11:00 PM EST reply actions

Good for Cotto. He should have never gone down to 145 for the first Pacquiao fight.

by mambocowboy on Jan 25, 2012 11:08 PM EST reply actions

he didnt have a problem earning 12 million dollars that Pac helped generate for him

by dasilversurfer on Jan 25, 2012 11:17 PM EST up reply actions

Cotto fought at 146 the fight before he met Pacman.

Manny is the bigger draw and already beat him by TKO. He should be jumping at the opportunity to avenge this loss.

"Heaven doesn’t want me and hell is afraid I will take over". - Bobby Czyz

by PhinsAllDay on Jan 25, 2012 11:26 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

He didnt have a problem dictating the weight to Margarito either

"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali

by pakinpower on Jan 25, 2012 11:59 PM EST up reply actions

C’mon, we all know that was game-playing. He hated Margarito. That’s not the case here. There’s no animosity between these two.

by Apprentice on Jan 26, 2012 9:07 AM EST up reply actions

I should point out that Cotto as every right not to come down to 147 if he doesnt feel comfortable

He just can’t get upset with Pacman if Manny doesn’t want to move up a few pounds. Remember after the Margarito fight Manny said he would never fight that high again.

"Heaven doesn’t want me and hell is afraid I will take over". - Bobby Czyz

by PhinsAllDay on Jan 25, 2012 11:30 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Indeed I do.

"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali

by pakinpower on Jan 26, 2012 12:00 AM EST up reply actions

Agreed. If Pacquiao doesn’t want to fight over 147, then that’s how it is. One-sided as it was, Pacquiao DID feel Margarito’s strength in that fight.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Jan 26, 2012 7:15 AM EST up reply actions

He felt Cotto’s strength in their first bout too so it’s no wonder that Pac wouldn’t be crazy about fighting a stronger, and most likely with his new trainer, a more sound Cotto.

by Manuwar on Jan 26, 2012 6:08 PM EST up reply actions

Love this

Can only hope he sticks to it. Any chance Cotto-Canelo could still happen? I have no doubt it’d be the better fight for fans.

by geraldmcgrew on Jan 26, 2012 12:05 AM EST reply actions

Cotto chavez is more likely

"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali

by pakinpower on Jan 26, 2012 12:23 AM EST up reply actions

Im hearing. Cotto vs Mayweather May 5th

And Paquiao vs Bradley June 9th

"Heaven doesn’t want me and hell is afraid I will take over". - Bobby Czyz

by PhinsAllDay on Jan 26, 2012 12:36 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Snore on the first (though I guess I'll have to watch it)

2nd (Paq-Bradley) more attractive to me, though obviously not the most compelling matchup with either fighter.

by geraldmcgrew on Jan 26, 2012 12:45 AM EST up reply actions

Snore

(relative to Cotto-Canelo)

by geraldmcgrew on Jan 26, 2012 12:41 AM EST up reply actions

I’d love to see Chavez get a taste of what it is to really fight at the elite level instead of pretending he’s already there with the guys he chooses now.

by Manuwar on Jan 26, 2012 6:10 PM EST up reply actions

Normally i don't care what fighters do outside the ring...

But in Cotto’s case, this is great. Finally another boxer is stepping up and taking control over his own career. Big props to Miguel for no longer being a sacrificial fighter for Manny.

Cotto-Mayweather or Cotto-Canelo is fine with me. Let Bradley headbutt his way to another belt…lol i kid.

by Clove_art on Jan 26, 2012 12:41 AM EST reply actions

Miguel should fight whoever pays him the most

"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali

by pakinpower on Jan 26, 2012 1:11 AM EST reply actions

And I'm betting it won't be Floyd

"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali

by pakinpower on Jan 26, 2012 3:14 AM EST up reply actions

He should fight who ever respects his demands.

by Clove_art on Jan 26, 2012 12:20 PM EST up reply actions

Does anyone find it funny that PBF will take Cotto @ 54' but Martinez @50' if at all?

by rantcatrat on Jan 26, 2012 8:24 AM EST reply actions

I guess, but Martinez isn’t worth as much money as Cotto. I also don’t really have a lot of interest in seeing the corpse of Sergio Martinez boiled down to 150 pounds.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Jan 26, 2012 8:38 AM EST up reply actions

Neither do I. None at all. Makes me think of Rios at the Murray weigh-in, maybe worse.

by Manuwar on Jan 26, 2012 6:12 PM EST up reply actions

It makes sense

Not that I agree with it. But Floyd and Cotto at 154 are still probably the same size. Sergio will be a lot bigger than Mayweather at any weight, so he’s looking for some other advantage.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jan 26, 2012 9:02 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

In pure height, Martinez is two inches taller. I guess the problem would be the re-hydration

by Apprentice on Jan 26, 2012 9:09 AM EST up reply actions

I think he’d probably be bigger than two inches, really. Those listed measurements are always well off.

"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."

by Oli Goldstein on Jan 26, 2012 9:16 AM EST up reply actions

Cotto generates so much more money than Martinez. Also Cotto is a small 154 pounder and really no bigger than Floyd. I doubt that Martinez could really make 154 and perform at the same level, let alone 150. Martinez hasn’t made 154 in a good while now. Its not a million miles from the Paul ‘I can make 147 easily’ Williams position.

On topic, I’m glad that Cotto is not going to be dictated to. I think that he is aware that he probably not beat Mayweather or Pacquiao, but he at least wants to give himself the best possible chance.

Nobody will read this and care and why should they?

by Eoin_not_ian on Jan 26, 2012 9:11 AM EST up reply actions

good for cotto

i applauded him with he said no ny no fight..i applaud him now but money talks and im sure of bob throws 1 or 2 more mil at him in guarantees 147 might not be a problem. i hope he doesnt budge cuz i really prefer other fights at the moment and if they do fight 150 would make it a bit more interesting.that said i wanna see cotto vs canelo or mayweather if the pac fight is a no go for mayweather which seems more and more like it will be

by Vicmatic1 on Jan 26, 2012 10:43 AM EST reply actions

God, Kayne West is possibly the worst emcee I’ve ever hear alongside Tyga and Lil Wayne. I didn’t know West sampled King crimson, jeez I hate Kanyezzy.

by 36_chambers_ofdeatH on Jan 26, 2012 12:58 PM EST reply actions

huh?

by honorablecbm on Jan 26, 2012 1:09 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions

ahaha as cotto is one of my favs in the business, has been for many years i find this hilarious and as someone said earlier there was kudos to him when he said if its not in ny no fight (whether that would be true or not we’ll never know) but respect to this statement too. ofc i believe with enough money cotto will drop to 147 but he’s in a position where he can and should play these guys off each other for the best deal and kudos to him

by sparky_mufc on Jan 26, 2012 5:07 PM EST reply actions