| Boxing |
cargenpicks.com on Facebook
 | |  | |  | |  |
Cotto gets Pacquiao-like spar mate
By Jun Medina, Manila Times
TAMPA, Florida: Welterweight title prospect Frankie “El Gato” Figueroa of New York has joined Miguel Cotto’s training camp
as part of preparations to expose the Puerto Rican welterweight champion to a sparring partner who moves like Manny
“PacMan” Pacquiao in the ring. “I do try to emulate Pacquiao the best way I can, but at the same time I’m doing my Gato
moves,” Figueroa, a 5’6” southpaw who has quick hands and good footwork like the Filipino pound-for-pound king, told Ben
Thompson of Fighthype.com.
Figueroa joined two other Cotto sparring partners at his Tampa, Florida training camp, namely: junior welterweight Kenny
Abril (9-3-1, 5 by knockouts) of Rochester and 36-year-old welterweight Fred Tukes (7-1-1, 5 KOs).
“I’m here training hard and getting Cotto ready for Pacquiao’s movements, and you know, it’s going great,” said Figueroa (20-
3, 13 by KOs), who was born in Puerto Rico but now calls the Bronx in New York City his home.
Santiago said thinks that Pacquiao, who started fighting at 108 pounds, “is bloated at 126 pounds.”
Cotto, who started fighting professionally as a junior welterweight, said that the Puerto Rican star’s training is flowing
smoothly, adding that he does not worry about the cut Miguel suffered from a head butt during his recent successful title
defense against the rugged Joshua Clottey.
Santiago said Team Cotto has studied tapes of Pacquiao fights, including his three losses, to identify “weaknesses” in the
Filipino icon’s game.
He said they are wary of Pacquiao’s speed and power, adding that Cotto’s defense will be the key to neutralizing the Filipino’
s quick fists and punching power.
Cotto pitched training camp almost a month earlier than Pacquiao for their welterweight title clash at the agreed weight of
145 pounds at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
By Jun Medina, Manila Times
TAMPA, Florida: Welterweight title prospect Frankie “El Gato” Figueroa of New York has joined Miguel Cotto’s training camp
as part of preparations to expose the Puerto Rican welterweight champion to a sparring partner who moves like Manny
“PacMan” Pacquiao in the ring. “I do try to emulate Pacquiao the best way I can, but at the same time I’m doing my Gato
moves,” Figueroa, a 5’6” southpaw who has quick hands and good footwork like the Filipino pound-for-pound king, told Ben
Thompson of Fighthype.com.
Figueroa joined two other Cotto sparring partners at his Tampa, Florida training camp, namely: junior welterweight Kenny
Abril (9-3-1, 5 by knockouts) of Rochester and 36-year-old welterweight Fred Tukes (7-1-1, 5 KOs).
“I’m here training hard and getting Cotto ready for Pacquiao’s movements, and you know, it’s going great,” said Figueroa (20-
3, 13 by KOs), who was born in Puerto Rico but now calls the Bronx in New York City his home.
- Figueroa, who just completed his first day of sparring with Cotto, said
Team Cotto hired him because he works hard in training and has
sparred with his fellow Puerto Rican in the past.
- “He [Cotto] knows I don’t play and that’s what he needs. He wants non-
playing movement, and I’m there for him. Cotto ain’t no bitch, and that’s
for sure,” said Figueroa who is scheduled to fight former Pacquiao
sparmate Rashad Holloway on November 4 as the co-main event of the
ESPN Wednesday Night Fights.
- Cotto’s trainer Joe Santiago, said the choice of Figueroa, who is about
the size of Pacquiao, was part of their rigorous preparation for Cotto’s
biggest fight ever against the acknowledged pound-for-pound best boxer
in the world from the Philippines.
- Team Cotto confident “Miguel has great of respect for what Pacquiao has
achieved in the ring,” Santiago said. “But after the fight on November 14,
we are confident of returning to Puerto Rico with the Cotto’s
championship belt intact.”
Santiago said thinks that Pacquiao, who started fighting at 108 pounds, “is bloated at 126 pounds.”
Cotto, who started fighting professionally as a junior welterweight, said that the Puerto Rican star’s training is flowing
smoothly, adding that he does not worry about the cut Miguel suffered from a head butt during his recent successful title
defense against the rugged Joshua Clottey.
Santiago said Team Cotto has studied tapes of Pacquiao fights, including his three losses, to identify “weaknesses” in the
Filipino icon’s game.
He said they are wary of Pacquiao’s speed and power, adding that Cotto’s defense will be the key to neutralizing the Filipino’
s quick fists and punching power.
Cotto pitched training camp almost a month earlier than Pacquiao for their welterweight title clash at the agreed weight of
145 pounds at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
