In analyzing the Pacquiao/Cotto fight, I find myself asking a lot of questions in trying to pick a winner…

Can Pacquiao continue his hot streak?

Can Cotto implement the kind of body attack that’s buckled others?

Will Pacquiao be able to hurt the naturally bigger Cotto?

Will Cotto be able to neutralize Manny’s speed?

The conclusion I’ve come to though is that I really have no doubts in Manny ‘s ability to continue his dominating form. He’s carried his power and speed with him at these higher weights, which is why he’s been successful.

Simply put: He’s gotten that good

The reason for my prediction is based solely on Miguel Cotto.

Cotto lost something more than just a fight, in July 2008 when he fought Antonio Margarito. The fact that, there’s a very strong possibility that Margarito had plaster on his hand wraps that night, make it too un-fair to be real. But such is the world of making your living based on being able to give and receive punishment. What “happened” against Margarito is so full of speculation, that it almost makes no sense to even discuss. But what I saw just 5 months ago against an all-be-it bigger but much slower and less aggressive Joshua Clottey, was all the proof I needed.

Cotto earned a split decision against Clottey at Madison Square Garden that night. I had Clottey winning the fight by 2 points. If you watched it and even if you disagree with my score, we both saw a different Miguel Cotto than the one who slugged it out and earned a win over future Hall of Famer Shane Mosley a year and a half earlier. I think this is Cotto’s last chance at this kind of payday. I think deep down, he knows it and I think his promoter, Bob Arum knows it. Who better to have him taken apart by, then another Arum fighter, Manny Pacquiao?

Pacquiao vs. Cotto Prediction: Pacquiao by 6^th round TKO

Be sure to keep checking in with ProBoxing-Fans.com for continued coverage on everything related to Firepower: Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto. Still hungry for more Pacquiao vs. Cotto material? Take a peek at our full Pacquiao vs. Cotto preview and prediction and then on the night of the fight check in for Pacquiao Cotto results. We'll be hosting a live Pacquiao Cotto round by round blog, so be sure to check back in with us on Saturday night for a sneak peek at the action as it unfolds.

The week before a big fight is not about training or sparring.  That was for the weeks leading up. Your body is at its peak and no fighter wants to run the risk of over-training. It’s about maintaining your current level of fitness and conditioning. For Marquez, that included a light early morning jog to work up a little sweat. For Mayweather, it was a mandatory eye exam and then against doctor’s orders… a trip to his gym for some bag work and a Ray Charles impression about as funny as Oscar De La Hoya’s “Chicken joke” on ESPN this week…

If you haven’t seen it, consider yourself lucky…

Both fighters however did have an open workout at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles to help promote and then it was off Las Vegas for the formal arrivals at the MGM Grand. As usual, media was all around as each fighter made their way to sign autographs, take pictures, and do interviews.

The intriguing part of fight week is the downtime. It seemed to have more of an effect on Marquez who was visibly anxious being away from his family, looking for anything to keep his mind occupied with a game of cards and foosball. During training, you’re focused on preparing for war. Then you get to the big week and without the training, time seems to drip like sap. If not as mentally strong as physically, it can break you.

What was touched on briefly towards the end but will be a storyline leading up to the opening bell later this evening, is the fact that the weight limit which was agreed to at a catch-weight of 144lbs. was changed at the last minute to 147lbs. to accommodate Mayweather who came in at 146. A 2 pound difference is not much and may have no bearing on the outcome, but for a fighter who is always in shape and knows his body to a tee, it will be interesting to see what that says about Mayweather and where he stands 21 months after his last fight.

While at a party last Sunday night at his Mother’s house, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was extremely vocal in his disgust over Juan’s post workout, beverage of choice. One of the better trash talkers in all of sports, Floyd took his vocal assault to an even higher level. Dusting off some of his older material for the children that were listening, Floyd even went so far, as to call Juan… “Pee-Pee mouth”

The guy sure knows his audience.

Episode 3 however featured media day. Usually a circus and event in itself, each fighters' media day showcased the near finishing touches on weeks of training. It’s a chance to be heard and be seen. While Oscar De La Hoya made an appearance at Juan’s media day, his was the standard version of interviews, work on the speed bag, and his confidence in being victorious September 19^th.

Floyd however, does nothing standard. His media day was catered with a full on barbeque, a display of his hand speed, and proclamations of his greatness and inevitable victory to come. His Uncle/Trainer-Roger, even took time to sit in the tent outside his training facility while media members were eating and continued his ongoing theme of telling all around him that they “don’t know sh*t about boxing.”

I got to be honest. He’s starting to grow on me.

You can tell a change in each fighter though. A sort of focused mindset as their training winds down. They’ve prepared their bodies to their liking. They’re strong, they’re fast, and they’re locked in. With one more episode remaining in this series, you will no doubt see their intensity at it’s fullest. The big night is now less than a week away.

He is up at dawn and training at 14,000 feet. Rigorous, rockwork is followed by a trip down the hill and a nice, big cup of blended Quail eggs for the protein and vitamins they provide. I’ll take his word for it…

When at the Romanza gym, trainer Nacho Beristain has brought in sparring partners to fight identical to Mayweather. In studying tapes of past Mayweather fights he has noticed certain shoulder dips and motions that he feels if played out by sparring partners, will give Juan a sneak peak into what to expect September 19^th.

Mayweather, who’s training with weights and medicine balls, is the more conventional method, showed blazing speed on the bags. His mitt work with Uncle Roger never gets boring. The guy is a real specimen in the ring and still has that killer instinct.  He does not allow HBO to film his sparring sessions, so when the cameras were turned back on some 45 minutes later, only to show his sparring partner a bloody mess, Roger Mayweather summed it up best as he usually is incapable of doing, by saying “Back where I come from, we call that an a*s whooping”

While the sparring, elevated training, Quail shakes, and Mayweather’s manicure and pedicure were all very entertaining… It’s Marquez’s post workout routine that will have the Internet a buzz…

A hyperbaric chamber several times a week is one thing. But to see Marquez look calmly in the camera, talking about the vitamins it provides, and his reasoning for drinking it, definitely pushed dinner back a bit for me personally… The “it” I’m referring to?

His own urine…

And to think this whole time, I thought Tequila tasted bad.

Stay tuned for more recaps on Mayweather vs. Marquez 24/7 and all of the coverage you need leading up to the big Marquez vs. Mayweather scrap on ProBoxing-Fans.com.

In it’s latest installment, they’ll be doing a 4 part series, previewing Floyd Mayweather against Juan Manuel Marquez, in their preparation for a September 19^th battle in Las Vegas. ProBoxing-fans.com will be recapping each episode, the day after it airs.

In Part 1, they spent a lot of time showing each fighter’s softer side. With Mayweather, they showed him spending time with his daughter at a roller skating rink and trying to re-establish a relationship with his father, Floyd Sr. whom he’s publically feuded with over the last few years. Along the way they also show little Floyd, giving motivational advice to teenagers, and feeding the homeless.

But just when you think that the 32-year-old Mayweather has turned a corner, maybe humbled a little bit, and even grown up, he reverts back to the type of guy that has made him hated by fans all over. If you’ve seen any of Floyd’s prior 24/7 shows, you know how over-the-top arrogant he is. This time around he brags about his brand new 22,000 square foot mansion and it’s silk walls that he says, is different than most everyone else, because all his stuff “is paid for.”

There have been rumors and reports that he owes the IRS some 6 Million Dollars in back taxes, to which, he adamantly denies.  Add in the fact that his Uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather, is facing assault charges for allegedly choking a female Boxer, who was staying at one of his properties recently, and you’ve got yourself dysfunctional family drama at it’s finest!

With Marquez, the focus was on his poor upbringing and humble beginnings in Mexico. They detailed the dangerous neighborhood in which he grew up. Also his father, being a fighter himself, teaching him and his brothers the sport early on.  They show the tiny apartment he lived in and the room where all 8 children stayed. They detail his training camp at the Romanza gym and as he always does, he goes into how he beat Manny Pacquiao both times they fought (their first fight was a draw and the second Pacquiao won a close split decision).

He has made it a point every time they put a microphone in his face it seems, to say that Manny Pacquiao has ducked him about doing a third fight, that Manny knows who really won, that he was robbed, etc… He also claims that he’s at peace with the Pacquiao situation because both fighters deep down, know that he won both battles… Quick question: If you’re at peace with it, why do you continuously bring it up Juan?

The next episode will no doubt intensify and focus on their training more. This was an introduction to each fighter, their personalities, their different backgrounds, and their common goal.  Early on, you don’t get the sense that these 2 dislike each other. But this is Boxing. This is drama. And this is HBO. Moods and sentiments change very quickly with those ingredients.

Check back in with Pro Boxing Fans for more coverage of the Mayweather Marquez 24/7 series on HBO. We'll have Mayweather vs. Marquez 24/7 episode recaps the morning after every episode leading up to the big fight.

Tale of the Tape

Normally when you await 2 counter punchers facing off in the ring, the stench of boredom takes away the sweet smell of anticipation.  Thoughts of a fun night with friends and 12 rounds of action are clouded by knowing that more than likely… it’ll be 12 rounds of reaction rather than action. Styles do indeed make fights. As over used in professional fighting as it may be, it’s true!

But what if you get 2 counter punchers who just happen to be first ballot Hall of Famers? What if you were to ask any Boxing expert or fan who knew anything about the sport, whether they were both at the very least, Top 5 pound-for-pound today, and they all said Yes? What if one is the over-the-top, arrogant showman with flash and sizzle, and the other, a stand-and-trade, grizzled warrior, still looking for respect?

Well, I’d probably ask what you and your friends are doing September 19^th?

Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Floyd Mayweather Preview

When he retired after his impressive 10^th round TKO of Ricky Hatton in December 2007, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was universally recognized as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sport. It’ll have been over 21 months since that “last” bout when he steps in the ring to fight Juan Manuel Marquez. The layoff is the obvious concern. Although always in tip-top shape, “Money” is still human and you’d anticipate at least some ring rust, at least in the early rounds. But you got to give him credit. For a guy with a reputation of dodging potential danger in opponents, he didn’t take any cakewalk, right out of the shoot.

Marquez comes in with his last 2 victories being the most impressive of his career. He became the first man to ever knock out Joel Casamayor and then followed that up with perhaps the Fight of the Year, and a sensational knockout of young stud, Juan Diaz, also the first KO loss of Diaz’s career. Ultimately, he’d like a third fight with Manny Pacquiao, whom he fought to a Draw with, in 2004 and a razor thin split decision loss, almost fours later. But for now, he’ll have to settle for the undefeated, lightning quick Mayweather.

Marquez will most likely be the one to press the action early. Mayweather is too patient. He sits back and waits for mistakes. Then he counters and picks his spots from there. Marquez is a much better fighter than Hatton, who simply mauled and smothered Mayweather, who eventually timed him with a left hook to finish the fight. That same fate is highly unlikely. Marquez adapts to fights better than anyone today. He is so skilled and so determined, that he will find a way to be comfortable in whatever fight he’s put in. In the Diaz fight, there were flurries in which he was against the ropes and losing exchanges but worked himself back in with counter shots and finished with a brutal uppercut.

Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Floyd Mayweather Prediction

Mayweather’s size and speed will determine this fight though. He is naturally bigger; he’s faster, and may be one of the most intelligent fighters in the game. It’s one thing to know how to fight. It’s entirely, another to know how to fight your fight and nobody is better than Mayweather of dictating pace.  This shows you how good you really have to be, to dictate the pace of a fight, when you are a counter puncher.

At first glance, when you match up styles, you’d say this is a bad one. A fight where each guy is waiting on the other before they make their move. But these aren’t just any 2 guys. This is Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez; two of the greatest fighters of our generation. Boxing purists will watch, like always but if you’re a casual fan, you need to understand that these match-ups don’t just happen every day. It’s not commonplace for fighters, who’ve already accomplished so much, to agree to fight with so much to lose. Both Mayweather’s demand for the spotlight and perfect record and Marquez’s battle for respect and another crack at Pacquiao, make it worth the risk to them.

More Mayweather vs. Marquez Coverage

Keep checking in with ProBoxing-Fans.com for all of the best coverage on the Marquez vs. Mayweather bout. Get yourself amped for the big fight by checking out recaps from the Mayweather Marquez 24/7 HBO series.

• Mayweather Marquez 24/7 Episode 1 Recap
• Mayweather Marquez 24/7 Episode 2 Recap
• Mayweather Marquez 24/7 Episode 3 Recap
• Mayweather Marquez 24/7 Episode 4 Recap

Then before the fight, check back in for a full Mayweather vs. Marquez preview and prediction. And on September 19, 2009 check back for live Mayweather Marquez results.

Photo Credit: HBO Boxing & www.hbo.com/boxing