clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Cotto vs Martinez: Pablo Sarmiento says Roach hasn't changed Cotto

Sergio Martinez's trainer Pablo Sarmiento isn't buying the talk of a changed Miguel Cotto.

Marcos Villegas

What does it mean to be here and have a fight with Sergio at Madison Square Garden?

Pablo Sarmiento

I'm so happy, and waiting for the fight. And looking forward to celebrating on June 7th.

Marcos Villegas

Were you worried about the condition of Sergio coming into camp?

Pablo Sarmiento

I wasn't worried, because the doctor did a great job. We did great work before coming into this fight. Sergio is in excellent shape.

Marcos Villegas

Was this a camp where Sergio worked on technique, or getting Sergio back in shape to fight at middleweight?

Pablo Sarmiento

We worked on both, strategy and fitness.

Marcos Villegas

Sergio's fast, moves around, and that style has given Cotto problems in the past. But Cotto under Freddie Roach seems to be a new fighter. But when you look at Cotto, does he look like a new fighter to you?

Pablo Sarmiento

No, not really. Cotto is set in his ways and at his age, what trainer is going to change him? Not Freddie Roach or anyone else. ... No, it doesn't impress me. Because at this age no one will change the way (Cotto) fights.

Marco Villegas

When you hear Freddie Roach say knockout in the fourth round, what goes through your mind?

Pablo Sarmiento

Freddie Roach can say what he wants. They need to be prepared because they have a difficult fight, and Sergio will win by knockout.

Marcos Villegas

Why do you feel you guys will knock out Miguel Cotto, like Sergio said in the ninth round?

Pablo Sarmiento

Sergio will win before the ninth round, and he will win by knockout. ... Because Sergio has done the work. If he can execute our game plan, he will be able to knock him out in the eighth or ninth round as planned.

Marcos Villegas

If Sergio wins this fight, will it be a more important win for him than the win he had in Argentina against Martin Murray?

Pablo Sarmiento

Yes, much more important, because it is against a major fighter like Cotto in Madison Square Garden. This victory will be greater. But the fight in Argentina against Murray was also very important.

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Bad Left Hook Daily Roundup newsletter!

A daily roundup of all your global boxing news from Bad Left Hook