Robert R. (San Francisco, CA): Manny Pacquiao recently stated that he thinks the two pounds that Cotto will have to lose will be the deciding factor in the fight. Considering that Cotto has tipped the scales at 146lbs in previous fights, do you favor that position?
Vivek W. (ESB): As stated in previous content, I thought the best weight for any type of advantage for Team Pacquiao would have been in the 142/143lb range. That would have required Cotto to literally count every calorie which not only feels quite uncomfortable during training camp, but also would have required him to revisit those shaky chin days of the jr. welterweight ranks. Instead, the contract was drawn for a very safe and comfortable 145lbs, which to me, makes the whole weight issue a non-issue. The fact that we continue to see (what appears to be) routine feast in the Cotto Camp household, equipped with everything from pasta to pincho’s, tells me that if there’s anything being watched closely behind closed doors, it isn’t anyones weight. Now granted, some of that can be game, aimed at sending a particular message, similar to what we see with Team Pacquiao who seems hell bent on having everyone think there’s this widespread disarray that never ceases in camp. But all things remaining equal, I think Cotto will be as strong as ever, particularly considering his slightly extended camp. For the Clottey fight, Cotto weighed in at 145lbs, and although it was close, he was never buzzed by an extremely strong fighter, and he proved strong enough to match power-punches with him, even knocking the durable Ghanaian fighter down with a short jab. So, I have no doubts that with the extra conditioning work performed by Lindman, he will enter the ring very strong, very durable, and very conditioned. The man standing across from him (Pacquiao) will be for sure, so anything less would result in another step on the darkside. A place I don’t think Cotto wants to visit again..
Clarendon O. (London): What did you think of David Haye’s victory over Nikolay Valuev?
Vivek W. (ESB): I think that it was a step towards something we’ve been waiting to see happen in the heavyweight division for quite some time. The heavyweight division has lacked talent and personality for a while. With the emergence of the K-Bros., we’ve gotten the talent part squared away, but up until now, the personality aspect was truly lacking. Haye brings a certain element of flair and hype to the sport, and if he can continue to deliver, no question, things will change immensely on the heavyweight landscape. Now, that “if” is a major question, because the road that lies ahead for him is quite different from the one he took to become champion by defeating Valuev. Valuev isn’t a bad fighter, but the speed and athleticism that he (Valuev) totally lacked will come in abundance against either Wladimir or Vitali. Aside from them, there are other great fights for Haye in the division. Personally, I’d like to see him face off against someone like Chambers, who is a purely fundamental fighter. Or even Arreola, who has the ability to take that power and force Haye to taste some as well. So, overall, I think it will be interesting to watch as it all unfolds, but no doubt, the road ahead for Haye will be much tougher, particularly if he plans to unify against Vitali and Wladimir.
Jason E. (Pompano Beach, FL): I feel you’re very critical of Manny Pacquiao, but the closer we get to the actual fight, the more I appreciate your position. Out of pure curiosity, I’d like to know what you thought of the recent HBO 24/7?
Vivek W. (ESB): Well, I see they hype machine about the issues within Team Pacquiao continues. Personally, it’s a good thing I’m a big fan of Pacquiao and Cotto, because despite the fact that these two men are devastating punchers, I think this particular 24/7 has lacked true punch. Of all the things said and done in each of the three episodes so far, it was one thing Miguel Cotto said in a preview to the final episode that truly sparked my attention, and may very well serve as the official prelude soundbyte to the actual fight. That comment is when he spoke of his loss to Margarito, saying that “it’s always there”, referring to the the difficulty of trying to move beyond such a humbling loss. In many ways it appeared that he had moved beyond the devastating loss, but this statement was pure confirmation that regardless of how good a fighter looks, it’s like a veteran who saw combat; you can go years without showing remnants, and then one day, the oddest occurrence sparks a flashback that serves as a major setback. We don’t know how, or if those remnants will resurface, but what we do know is that he’ll be in the ring against one of, if not thee best closer in the sport today. So, relative to the 24/7 episode itself, I thought it uncovered very little new territory, but as it relates to the two fighters themselves, I really do think many things could shift the tide from one man being the favorite to the other, and this one comment shows us exactly what a thin line that differential really is.
Jesse L. (Los Angeles, CA): I wasn’t too impressed with Chad Dawson’s victory over Glen Johnson. Do you think he’s truly a P4P contender like many continue to say?
Vivek W. (ESB): I think that many people are a bit unfair in their criticism of Dawson without ever actually considering the facts. Tarver and Johnson have consumed quite a bit of Dawson’s time in the ring lately, and last time I checked, neither one of those two men have ever been easy to defeat. Dawson showed a bit of growth in his fight with Johnson, and I think now that he can face other fighters who bring other elements to the table, we’ll get a chance to see if that growth continues, or if it stalls yet again. P4P contention? I think you have to add him somewhere deep on that list, but remembering that he’s still a work in progress. Years ago, we had similar questions about Miguel Cotto, based on him not exactly proving his worth on the scale we would have liked to see at the time. Fast forward a few years, and suddenly, he’s standing on the brink of a moment that could be more monumental than any of us could have ever imagined and to be quite frank, victory is well within his grasp. So, I do think that as Dawson evolves more, we’ll see exactly how far he’ll go up that list, but for now, there’s no question he belongs on there, albeit closer to the bottom than the top.
What do you think the future holds for “El Perro” (Alfredo Angulo) in the jr. middleweight ranks?
Vivek W. (ESB): I think Angulo is still a work in progress. He looked great last Saturday night, and even though his opponent was game, he wasn’t nearly the caliber that Angulo will need to defeat to get where he wants to be in the sport – (championship caliber). He’s powerful, but he’s one dimensional, and besides that, contrary to popular belief, he can actually be hurt by a pressing (non-sporadic) power puncher, which gives him quite a bit in common with the man whose game he patented his after – (Margarito). And just like Margarito, Angulo will have reasonable success against certain fighters, but eventually lose to a man whose experience is wide enough to assist him in overcoming those powershots and aggression. In the end analysis, I like the fierce nature that Angulo brings to the sport, so watching him develop is far from a bad thing. I look forward to the journey, and I think if he’s carried along at the right pace, there will come a time where he will definitely make noise in the 154lb range. Pace will ultimately dictate his future. Cintron was a badly miscalculated risk. The guy doesn’t even have 20 fights. He’ll be ready in time, but time is the operative term.
(Vivek Wallace can be reached at vivexemail@yahoo.com, 954-292-7346, Youtube (VIVEK1251), Twitter (VIVEK747), Facebook, and Myspace).