Watching Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Angel Cotto with Boxing Hall of Fame artist LeRoy Neiman at his studio. Watching any boxing match with him is always a pleasure…
After round one: “You couldn’t find two better qualified fighters than that. They don’t come any better than that.”
Round two: “What fast hands on both of them. They are two well-prepared fighters. It’s anybody’s fight right now.”
Round three: “Every punch they throw they intend to land.”
Round four: “Oh my God….Toe to toe fight. This fight is really a scrapper.”
Round five: “If three guys jumped this Filippino in an alley, he’d take all three of them out.”
Round six: “No let up.”
Round eight: “He (Manny) beats him up for one minute of every round…He (Cotto) hasn’t got a chance.”
Round nine: “He (Cotto) is so prepared, he tried so hard. I don’t think he’s ever seen a guy with a style like this. (Manny) is so maneuverable.”
After round ten: “He’s so damaged. Very damaged. They should be careful with him. He’s got a lot of heart this guy (Cotto).”
Round 12: “He doesn’t completely know what’s going on….Really a gladiator that guy…He’s never been a great fighter. He’s not a great fighter (Cotto).”
After, Manny Pacquiao, now 50-3-2) said: “I controlled the fight. I make the pressure. I keep pressure him but I was very careful for his counter. I was surprised he continue to fight the later rounds.”
Freddie Roach: “I was worried. Manny was very smart. Once Manny used his speed more and got in his rhythm, it was no trouble.”
Roach on what’s next: “Everybody wants to see Mayweather. We want Mayweather.”
Miguel Cotto: “I tried to bring all I can. His speed really made the difference. I didn’t see all the punches…I come to fight the best fighters. Manny is one of the best boxers of all time.”
LeRoy Neiman: “(Cotto) gave the guy (Manny) full credit.”
Final comments: This is one of those magical nights of boxing where we saw one of the sports’ all time finest champions at his peak, prime, pinnacle best. Manny Pacquiao, now the first champ to win a title in seven weight divisions, is now among the ultimate elites of the sport, this is what Emanuel Steward said, “I put him up there with Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali.” Steward also commented on Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, the fight everyone wants to see. “He possibly could shut down Mayweather. He finds gaps for his punches. That’s a gift you can’t teach.”
Author of “Heavyweight Armageddon: The Tyson-Lewis Championship Battle” was called “A smashing success, one of the two best boxing books I ever read,” by Emanuel Steward