Regardless of what anyone says, the upcoming Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto clash is about more than just the two fighters inside of the ring. Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s impact on the bout has been well documented, as people abound are buzzing about the possibility of the Grand Rapids native squaring off with the evening’s eventual winner.
Following his September 19th schooling of Juan Manuel Marquez, Mayweather has found a way to remain in the headlines at all costs, even at Pacquiao’s expense. Most recently the two men traded verbal barbs with one another, with the Filipino claiming Floyd had no interest in fighting him, while Mayweather went another route altogether in stating that the Philippines produced the best enhancement drugs, an obvious knock on Pacquiao.
While the battle of the tongue has served for interesting banter, before a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao clash can become a reality there is work that needs to be done. Pacquiao’s November 14th assignment against Cotto is certainly no walk in the park and the outcome of the bout will most likely affect how Mayweather’s career plays itself out from this point forward. One man who has had much time to analyze the bout and its surrounding characters is Mayweather’s uncle Jeff, one of the busiest trainers in the Las Vegas area. When taking a look at Cotto’s current state, Jeff is somewhat skeptical of how much the Puerto Rican can bring to the table.
“Basically it’s a situation where Cotto has been in a lot of tough fights.” Mayweather points out. “He’s been in some wars. He’s been busted up in recent fights so I’m not sure how his skin is going to hold up for this fight. Don’t get me wrong. It’s unfortunate what happened in the Margarito fight. Maybe just getting beat lessened him as a fighter. The same velocity and power that he had prior to his fight with Margarito just isn’t there. It’s sad that he was cheated out of it instead of rightfully being beaten.”
Using the word cheat is a bold accusation but one that Mayweather doesn’t shy away from. While Margarito was caught with elements of plaster of paris in his gloves before his bout with Shane Mosley earlier this year, there was no such proof that he had ‘loaded gloves’ for the Cotto fight. Despite not having any real evidence to go off of, Mayweather still believes that something was up when Margarito was in the ring with Cotto.
“Its one of those things in boxing that you get away with what you are doing wrong until you get caught,” Mayweather says bluntly. “I think that the Margarito situation is the same. It seems like to me that Cotto was having his way with this guy and all of sudden the tables just turned, almost like it was scripted like Pro Wrestling. Just seemed so bizarre to me and I feel that Cotto was most likely cheated out of a rightful victory.”
It may never been known whether Margarito cheated against Cotto but the outcome will never be in doubt, as Cotto took a tremendous amount of punishment on his way towards an 11th round TKO loss. While that defeat has seemed to take something out of the Caguas native Mayweather still believes that Cotto has a lot of fight left in him.
“Once a fighter suffers a loss like that they are never the same,” Mayweather points out. “That was the case with Ricky Hatton, Jermain Taylor, Jeff Lacy, and the list goes on and on. Some guys just are never the same. I feel that Cotto isn’t the same but I don’t think he’s a finished fighter. He’s far from finished.”
The attention was then turned to Manny Pacquiao and the relevance of his recent wins over Oscar De La Hoya and Hatton. In both contests Pacquiao battered bigger man in shocking fashion, raising his status in the game to an all-time high. While those victories cemented Pacquiao’s standing as the sport’s hottest commodity, Mayweather isn’t as quick to jump on the wagon.
“Manny Pacquiao has had two big wins recently but they were guys who Floyd already beat,” Mayweather states, paying some respect to his nephew, who had beaten both men prior. “After Mayweather beat Hatton he wasn’t the same. He looked horrible after that fight. Ricky Hatton was never a great fighter anyway. I also think he went in there with the wrong mindset against Pacquiao. Just because he was the bigger man he felt that he could just bum rush Manny. That was the wrong strategy and the fight was over before it got started.”
Hatton’s strategy was indeed wrong but you can’t deny how electric Pacquiao’s performance was. Against De la Hoya Pacquiao was impressive in a different manner, as he picked apart the multi-division titlist like a surgeon. While the performance was beyond noteworthy, Mayweather again can’t fully buy into the hype.
“De La Hoya came into that fight at 145 pounds, a weight that he hadn’t made in twelve years,” Jeff notes. “He fought a drained fighter. When Floyd fought De La Hoya he fought him at his weight, 154 pounds. That’s what some people don’t realize.”
When weight comes into play it should be mentioned that Mayweather Jr. himself had weight issues in his last contest, as he came in two pounds over the contracted catch-weight limit of 144 pounds against Marquez. Instead of trying to make the weight, Floyd made a calculated move, giving up $600,000 to the side of Marquez instead of trying to burn off the excess pounds. While you will come across very few people willing to part with more than half a million dollars, Jeff feels his nephew made the right move.
“I think he did the right thing,” Jeff says with firm belief. “Of course that is a lot of money to give away but at the end of the day he was trying to maintain his legacy and he did what was right. He might not have been able to perform at a high level if he had to lose the weight. I think he did what was right and necessary.”
If Mayweather is to continue doing what’s right and necessary in the sport he will hopefully square off with the winner of Pacquiao-Cotto, as either matchup would be one the fans are open to. While nobody truly knows what ‘Money’ Mayweather is up to on a day to day basis, Jeff certainly feels that he nephew will be watching the contest with a close eye on November 14th.
“I think that he is basically going to be watching and waiting for either one of them to win,” Jeff says stating the obvious. “Basically he is going to mentally prepare himself for whoever wins. He knows that if Pacquiao wins the fight would be huge, much bigger than if Cotto were to win.”
Huge seems like a fitting word when describing the recent impact Pacquiao has had on the sport. Still, while a win over Cotto would only enhance his career it would be hard to imagine him getting any more love or adoration than he already does in his native Philippines. Every once in while in the sport a fighter captures the attention of the masses through his accomplishments and Pacquiao is currently on such a run. When asked his thoughts on the undying loyalty that Pacquiao has received, Mayweather seems to just shrug his shoulders.
“It’s ridiculous but at the same time it’s not because you’re talking about a guy from a third world county,” Mayweather says as he states the facts. “His people really love him plus you have to factor in that he’s already a marketable guy. I’m honestly not surprised at all of the attention he gets. Sometimes it almost seems like Manny Pacquiao against the world.”
On November 14th the Filipino superstar won’t have to worry about facing the world but he will be locking horns with a tremendous fighter in Miguel Cotto. For all the talk surrounding the fight and its surrounding drama, everything will hopefully come to a climax when the two get down to business. While the fight has many factors and intangibles to weigh in on, Mayweather is simply going off of his gut instinct when stating that an upset may be brewing.
“To be honest it’s a very tough fight to pick. I think that if Cotto makes the weight without any trouble I believe he gives himself a great chance of actually winning the fight. I think that of course Cotto has the advantage in size and power but Pacquiao has the big advantage in speed. Lately Cotto’s defense has become suspect. Cotto is also very economical and doesn’t let his hands go a lot and he may need to change that up against Pacquiao. For some reason lately I’ve been leaning towards Cotto. I still think he’s a very live fighter."
Source: examiner.com
The Intertwining Lives of Mayweather, Pacquiao, and Cotto
CHECK OUT THE HAND WRAPS BUT IT WON'T MATTER A BIT
LOS ANGELES -- Recent reports indicate that Miguel Cotto Sr., will leave nothing to chance and will send a team representative inside the Pacquiao locker room to ensure that the Pacman’s hand wraps are legal.
Nothing wrong with that move. After all, it's Team Cotto’s right to see to it that Pacquiao will not do what Margarito allegedly did.
So I say, go ahead Miguel so you will find out that Pacquiao is an honest fighter and will not resort to foul play to achieve an advantage over any opponent.
Why should he cheat when he knows that he can handle who ever is placed in front of him. Yes, Cotto is no Hatton or even a De la Hoya. But, just like the Brit and the Golden Boy, he will fall as well.
Perhaps Team Cotto should ask their cutman, Joe Chavez who worked the Pacquiao corner before and find out the real deal, that is -- Pacman relies on his speed, power and overall ring generalship to win fights. There is no need to “load his gloves” to achieve a resounding victory.
You know what?
With the high probability that Pacquiao will opt for the Cleto Reyes gloves, there will be no need to “plaster” his hands because with those “puncher’s gloves his powerful punches will cut up Cotto anyway, that is if he does not knock him out first.
Perhaps it would do Cotto good if his Team concentrates on what is important to win the fight rather that basically suspecting that Pacquiao could be another cheating Margarito.
Rather than being so distrustful, Miguel Sr., would have gathered more points and looked good to boot if he said the opposite, that is - Team Cotto will trust Team Pacquiao in so far as hand wraps are concerned rather than coming out saying “yeah, we will sent someone to keep an eye on them to make sure they do not cheat,” or something to that effect.
It is simply unfathomable to even think that Pacquiao will “do a Margarito”, not with the very reputable Freddie Roach doing the hand wraps and before the eagle eyes of the HBO cameras.
I am sure Pacquiao would rather lose the fight fair and square than attempt to cheat.
Perhaps people are forgetting that Pacquiao carries with him the whole Filipino nation each time he climbs the ring. The Cotto fight is no different.
Besides, he has a very good reason to keep honest. He will be running for a political office in May 2010 and one of the strong points he carries to the political ring is his integrity.
Do you think he will sacrifice that? Hell may freeze over before he will even think of that!
But just the same, you have the rights, so go ahead Miguel, check out the hand wraps but it won’t matter a bit!
Source: philboxing.com
Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto: The Next Super-fight
On Nov. 14th, two of the biggest stars in boxing will face-off for a PPV super-fight. Super-fights are something special in boxing; they are the types of fights that get the general public to pay attention to the sport of boxing.
I go through a few different phases for super-fights:
PHASE 1: Going into a big fight like this I always envision an epic battle between two gladiators, blood and guts warriors, grit, sweat, anger, and any other adjectives that sound tough and manly! I blog about what an amazing ballsy, kick-butt fight it will be. I talk to whoever will listen about my expectations, scientific analysis, and true gut feelings. This is a great phase to be in.
PHASE 2: Honey roasted peanuts are set out, Bud Lights are cold, my scorecards ready, and my girlfriend this one is important). I then proceed to suffer through two or three horrid under-card fights, that if I'm lucky are complete mismatches and will at the very least end quickly. If I'm not lucky it's a Zab Judah mismatch that should have ended early, but he once again doesn't live up to expectation and drags me through the miserable fight for ten or twelve rounds. This is phase filled with anxiousness and yet a little aggravation.
PHASE 2.1: The under-cards were terrible, but that's OK, the main event will be so amazing it will make up for everything! I refill my peanut jar, double check the fridge to make sure I have enough BL’s (because the main event will have me on the edge of my seat for at least ten rounds). I answer a few text messages driving home my prediction, letting everyone on the planet know what an amazing boxing mind I have. THE FIGHT: The main event ends as soon as it started or is a patty cake match for twelve rounds, where on top of everything the decision is a debacle! (Obviously there is the diamond in the rough, but most do end in disappointment.)
PHASE 3: Then comes the moping, tears, sadness, and complaining about forking over $50 bucks; "FOR THAT!” After that you swear off the sport forever because it's corrupt, doesn't treat its loyal fans with respect, and bleeds you dry every time you are forced to spend your hard earned cash. My girlfriend cues up Dancing With the Stars on DVR, and just yeses me to death until I finally stop my babbling and go to sleep in a Bud Light induced coma. (She's very patient with me.)
PHASE 4: I read on Eastsideboxing.com how the winner will square off against another huge name in the sport for what will inevitably be the fight of the year! Now that fight is going to be the best fight ever! I can't wait to blog about it, talk about, and pay money for it! I guess that means it's back to phase 1.
Well folks, I am here to tell you that I am knee deep in Phase One right now! Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto are two guys who haven't ducked anyone, fight with true heart, and put on fights for the fans. There is no way this one can let us down. I am so deep into phase one that I decided one prediction blog wasn't enough for this showdown. I am going to write a three part blog about this fight:
PART 1: Why I Love Miguel Cotto
Miguel Cotto has been one of the most consistent fighters in the world of boxing over the past few years. There hasn't been another guy in boxing who has constantly taken on the best, fought entertaining fights, and tested his own abilities quite like Miguel Cotto, except maybe Manny Pacquiao.
The reason Miguel Cotto is so fun to watch is that he IS beatable. I suppose that shouldn't be a reason why you love a fighter so much, but I think that was why Arturo Gatti was so popular. That's why every Diego Corrales fight was a must see, and it's probably why Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been trying for years to get a fan-base. It's not that you root against a fighter; it's that you never really know how he will pull off the victory.
There is a crazy nervous feeling I get when Cotto steps into the ring with his opponent, because a lot of the times I've thought the other guy has the tools to beat him. Somehow Cotto has figured out a way to overcome that adversity, and that is what fans want in their fighters. That ability to dig deep and muster some energy, or skill that maybe even the fighter didn't know he had, it is what makes elite athletes so special.
Miguel Cotto for the most part looks like a machine when he enters the ring -- chin down, gloves high, and his eyes glaring between his fists like a sniper peering through his scope. He is also very militaristic in the way he can systematically break an opponent down, as he did with Carlos Quintana, Paulie Malignaggi, Randall Bailey, Kelson Pinto, Lovemore N'dou, and many others.
There have been many fights though where he wins using other tools in his arsenal. In 2005, Cotto faced off against Ricardo Torres and won that fight on pure heart. The two traded bombs in the center off the ring for several rounds, until Cotto was the last man standing. (The picture of Cotto at the end of that fight will always be a lasting memory for me.)
In 2007, Miguel proved to the world that he was an upper echelon fighter when he disposed of two fast capable fighters in Zab Judah, and Shane Mosley. Against Judah he was taking on a fast, heavy handed fighter, who when his mind is in the game can beat just about anyone (of course his mind is never really in the game). Cotto overcame a vicious uppercut early in the fight, and fought through a severely damaged lip to impose his will, stopping Zab in the eleventh. Fighting Mosley later that year Cotto was beating the faster guy to punch and showed off some magnificent boxing skill that many didn't believe he possessed. He out-boxed Mosley in an extremely entertaining fight, in which I think Miguel showed the ability to not only break opponents down, but game plan and execute against another elite fighter.
In the lead up to the showdown against Manny Pacquiao all the talk has been about what the Pac-man is going to bring to the table, and rightfully so, he has had a run unlike anything I have seen in a long time (not since maybe Tyson). I feel however it's because of Cotto's only loss (Antonio Margarito) and his last fight (Joshua Clottey) that people are forgetting what a solid fighter Miguel Cotto is. In 2008, he took on the self-proclaimed "most avoided man in boxing," Antonio Margarito. The first half of the fight Cotto fought like he did against Mosley, dancing around the ring, and putting on a splendid display of his boxing skills (I still wish he had focused on the body instead of the head though). Then as the sixth round came and went, Cotto began to slow down and Margarito's punches started to take their toll, forcing Cotto to take a knee in the eleventh. Margarito was found with loaded hand-wraps in his next fight against Cotto victim Shane Mosley, begging the question of whether he had loaded wraps against Cotto as well.
In his last fight Cotto took on the very tough and, I feel, vastly underrated Joshua Clottey. Cotto looked strong early on before getting cut in the third round, and Clottey put on the pressure. Cotto had to dig deep in the championship rounds to pull off the split decision. The fight could have gone either way, but it seemed like Clottey just stopped fighting in those last rounds, and Cotto was able to walk away with the razor thin decision.
Is Cotto still haunted by the loss, and beating to Margarito? Maybe, I know I would not be able to overcome something like that. Did that affect him in the Clottey fight? I don't think so; I think Clottey is an underrated fighter, who will only be beat by the best fighters in the world. Let's not forget that Clottey’s only other loss is to Antonio Margarito, in which Clottey was making Margarito look very human for the first half of the fight, before he stopped boxing in the second half. Which brings up a few questions; were Clottey’s hands hurt as he claims? If so, he is quite a tough rugged fighter, which begs the question: were Margarito's hands loaded then as well? Where Clottey's hands fine, and he just has a habit of slowing down and not fighting towards the end of fights, as he did with Cotto? Either way, Clottey is no pushover and can beat any fighter on any given night.
I love Cotto for many reasons, but one above all the others: he comes to fight (I also like some of his new tattoos, but mostly because he comes to fight). Whether he's the wrecking ball that ran through Quintana, Branco, and Malignaggi, the Rocky Balboa who survived Ricardo Torres, or the finesse boxer who outpointed Shane Mosley, Cotto shows up and entertains on fight night. I have yet to watch Miguel Cotto step in the ring and not be entertained, and I don't see him letting me down on Nov. 14th.
Stay tuned for PART 2: Why I Love Manny Pacquiao.
Source: nesn.com
Roach Predicts Manny Pacquiao to Win by Knockout in Round 1, 9, and 10
Top boxing columnist King J had the honor of interviewing Team Pacquiao at the Wild Card Boxing gym in Los Angeles on Oct. 30, just two weeks before the biggest fight of the year: Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto.
The highly anticipated super mega fight is taking place on Nov. 14, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. King J asked for predictions on the upcoming fight from trainer Buboy Fernandez, Manny’s brother Bobby Pacquiao, Manny’s advisor Michael Koncz, and of course the legendary three time trainer of the year, head trainer Freddie Roach. King J asked Roach everything, from the recent HBO 24/7 drama, an official prediction of the Pacquiao vs. Cotto fight, Manny’s workout routine, to training UFC legends Andrei Arlovski, Anderson Silva, and BJ Penn.
A video of the interview has gained much popularity on YouTube titled: New Exclusive Interview with Team Pacquiao.
The following is a transcription of the interview with Roach.
King J: First of all how are you doing?
Freddie Roach: Everything’s good. Long day a little tired. I did 15 rounds of mitts with Manny Pacquiao and 10 right after that with Amir Khan so they keep me busy.
KJ: Nice. What would you say out of 100 percent is Manny both mentally and physically at this point?
FR: 95
KJ: Nighty-five percent both mentally and physically despite what the media is saying with all the distractions?
FR: We have distractions all the time, some me and Manny drive off of. Does distractions give us problems? No. We train every day, work every day, we work through typhoons, we do what we have to do.
KJ: Yes sir. I recall you said initially it would be a competitive fight and probably go almost the distance and then more recently you said Manny is going to blow away Cotto early on.
FR: The way Manny is punching right now in training camp and his power at this weight. I’ve never seen him hit harder. I feel he is going to knock Cotto out.
KJ: Can you give us a round sir?
FR: I am going to bet…one, nine, and 10.
KJ: Wow. Yeah you have been very, very great at picking the rounds. I remember you picked the David Diaz fight to the round. You also said you would be surprised if the fight with Ricky Hatton goes past the second round, and we all know how that story ended [laughs].
FR: Three...I did say three(Freddie smiles and holds up three fingers).
KJ: If you do not mind me asking, is your relationship with Manny as strong as can be, or was that a lot of HBO hype or are you able to comment on that?
FR: Oh no we had a little problem the day I wanted to leave with that typhoon and Manny came to his senses and called me at midnight that night and we hit the road. Luckily we did get out cause the typhoon did hit three days later and they did close down the roads again. We all had the attitude it’s not going to hit us. But it was real, and I felt I had a large responsibility with HBO being there, my sparring partners, and all the guys so I felt the safest thing was to get out and away from the storm. That was the decision that I made and by midnight Manny came to the same conclusion. I told him its midnight its late and to wait till the crack of down and he said no lets leave now so he left at midnight.
KJ: So that was pretty real then. Pretty accurate?
FR: Oh it’s all real. There’s nothing fake in that show. Nothing scripted.
Source: bleacherreport.com
Pacquiao vs. Cotto: Manny Doesn’t Look Focused
By Manuel Perez: After watching HBO’s Pacquiao-Cotto 24/7 episode 2 last Saturday night, I couldn’t help but notice how disengaged Manny Pacquiao appeared to be while preparing for his November 14th fight with World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. Not only did Pacquiao look distracted as he one person after another vying for his attention, but Pacquiao also was getting pummeled in his sparring session with Shawn Porter.
This is really bad. I was hoping that Cotto would be facing a motivated and well trained Pacquiao, but the way Manny looks now, he’s going to get mowed down if he goes in the ring looking that. Pacquiao looks like he’s going to the gallows as the days draw closer to his epic fight with Cotto. I can’t remember seeing a more demotivated fighter in all my days. Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, tried to give Pacquiao a pep talk after an especially bad sparring session but Pacquiao wasn’t meeting his eyes and didn’t seem to be attentive to what Roach was saying to him.
Roach let Pacquiao walk away without making sure that he understood what he had been telling him. I couldn’t believe it as I watched the whole scenario. Roach needed to make sure that Pacquiao was following what he was saying. I would have asked Pacquiao, “Do you understand me?” Roach is a nice guy and all, but he needs to be more assertive with Pacquiao because he’s not firm enough with the Filipino star.
I would have gotten in Pacquiao’s face and jammed him up for the way that he sparred with Porter. He looked really bad. Not only that, I’d have Pacquiao toeing the line. There wouldn’t be any basketball games or singing on television programs. God that was some awful singing if you ask me. Sounded like a wounded hound dog. The HBO 24/7 camera men could have done well to leave that bit out of the telecast.
Frankly, the entire episode 2 was painfully boring to watch, worse than any other 24/7 I’ve seen before. That’s saying a lot, because I’ve seen some really bad 24/7 episodes in the past couple of years. It seems like the whole bunch of them were sleep walking through the entire episode. What was especially sickening was the different players trying to curry favor with Pacquiao, as if he were some kind of king. I could never do that myself.
I’d give Pacquiao the straight talk and tell him to quit with the singing and make him ignore the boxing fans that are all over him trying to meet him. I’d have him with blinders on out in the some god forsaken place putting him through a torturous training camp that he’d never forget. Pacquiao might hate me afterwards, but at least he’d win the fight against Cotto. But the way that Pacquiao’s training camp appears to be going, I don’t give him a chance in hell of winning.
Pacquiao looks spaced out, distracted by something and not focused on Cotto. I don’t see any real training going on. Roach needs to have Pacquiao wired for this fight, but instead Pacquiao looks like a zombie, distracted and not tuned in. That’s too bad because it looks like Pacquiao is going to get a beating of his life against Cotto. I feel sorry for Pacquiao.
Source: www.boxingnews24.com
Mental toughness next as Pacman tapers off
MANILA, Philippines - After going through the toughest part of his physical conditioning, Manny Pacquiao begins to taper off this week as his highly anticipated showdown with Miguel Cotto draws closer and closer.
Pacquiao can’t wait to get things done and over with.
“Let’s get it on!” the 30-year-old boxing superstar said yesterday from Los Angeles where he was to do 12 rounds of sparring against Shawn Porter and company at the Wild Card Gym.
“I feel very good. Training camp has been perfect so far and my trainer Freddie Roach and I think we have a great chance of beating the welterweight champion of the world,” he said.
Pacquiao, eyeing an unprecedented seventh world title in seven different weight classes, is so excited with the fight, which should be the biggest and
Starting next week, the number of rounds in sparring should go down, and focus shifts on the mental aspect.
“The number of sparring rounds will go down but the level of our mental preparation increases. Physically, I think we’ve covered all the bases and we should be ready for anything Miguel Cotto can do in the fight,” said Pacquiao.
Pacquiao worked on his speed to cover up whatever advantage Cotto might enjoy with his power, the Puerto Rican being the younger, taller and heavier fighter.
Cotto’s habit of going face-to-face with his opponent, Pacquiao added, only makes the fight more interesting for him and the fans as well.
“Ang style ni Cotto, yung hindi umaatras sa sagupaan, ay kapana-panabik para sa lahat. Iyan ang gusto ko,” said Pacquiao who should have covered more or less a hundred rounds of sparring heading into the last two weeks of training.
Notes: Businessman Cris Aquino, the perennial flag-bearer in Manny Pacquiao fights in the United States, will carry an extra load when he flies to US on the first week of November. This early, the bubbly Pacquiao fanatic has readied Team Pacquiao jackets which he normally gives away for free. Only this time, they’re not reserved for his Filipino friends, including politicians and celebrities. “These are for the Hollywood stars,” said Aquino. He said he’s got jackets readied for Pacquiao fans like Mark Walhberg, Christian Bale, Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe. “I also have bigger ones made for NBA superstars Ron Artest, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal,” said Aquino. “Nabigyan ko na yata lahat ng pulitiko sa atin at mga artista na mahilig manood ng fight. This time it’s for the Hollywood celebrities.” He wanted to make sure though that O’Neal, who had thought of leading Pacquiao up to the ring on Nov. 14, would be there. “Otherwise, with the size of his jacket, I would have no one to give it to if he doesn’t show up,” he said. Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, had a chance to train O’Neal a couple of days in LA months back, and during a break, the 7-foot-1, 325-pound giant said he was interested in the role that was played by wrestling superstars David Batista and The Undertaker during Pacquiao’s previous fights. Only his NBA schedule might get in the way of O’Neal’s desire to be part of the show.
Source: philstar.com
