LAS VEGAS, NEV. (July 20, 2009) – BOB ARUM, CEO of Top Rank, announced today that the mega-fight between boxing’s No. 1 pound-for-pound king and the reigning Boxing Writers Association of America’s (BWAA) Fighter of the Year, MANNY “PacMan” PACQUIAO, and the pride of Puerto Rico and three-time world champion MIGUEL COTTO is official. “Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto have reached an agreement to fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday, November 14,” said Arum. The fight will be seen live on HBO Pay-Per-View. Top Rank is working on a major media tour to start right after Labor Day. Further details will be announced as we get closer to kicking off the tour..”

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, has won six world titles in as many different weight divisions ranging from 112 to 140 pounds. His performance in 2008 was described as “Henry Armstrongesque,” winning world titles at 130 and 135 pounds with victories over Juan Manuel Marquez and David Diaz, respectively, and knocking out and retiring Oscar De La Hoya at 147 pounds to finish the trifecta. This year, he picked up where he left off last year – winning another world title in a new weight division -- dealing defending junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton a one-punch second-round knockout on May 2.

Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, has sold more tickets at Madison Square Garden in this millennium than any other fighter. He has held a world title every year since 2004. Puerto Rico’s most exciting fighter, Cotto held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight crown from 2004-2006, successfully defending it six times before vacating it to capture the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title at the end of 2006, a title he held for nearly as long. He won his second welterweight title in February this year, knocking out Michael Jennings in the fifth round at Madison Square Garden to become the WBO welterweight champion. Notable scalps on Cotto’s belt include Sugar Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Joshua Clottey, Pauli Malinaggi, and Demarcus Corley.

This is good news, two of the best around face each other... this one ill be hard to call.

One man gang

Step to far for Emanuel. Cotto will stop him.

I agree. Pacquiao is a brilliant fighter, but this is a step too far. Cotto is just too big and too strong.

Presumably Cotto still has to give weight and iot's not just Pacquiao going straight up to welter?

I think Pacquiao will give Cotto nightmares with the speed, but I hope I'm wrong and Cotto sparks the fucker.

The fight will be at 145 catchweight. It's a great matchup and should be an exciting fight while it lasts. I don't expect it to go the distance and although i give Pacman a shot at beating Cotto, at this early stage i'm predicting Cotto to win and possibly stop Pacman.

Not exactly Armstrongesque after all, is he? Not that beatingf David Diaz could ever be considered Armstrongesque.

cotto the 6/4 outsider, presumably because everyone thinks pacquiao is some kind of invincible superhero who'd probably beat the klitschko's. manny 1/2.

i'm backing manny because he's a freak

Im going with Manny on this one too, if its at 147 however Cotto eats him alive.

I said that about both DLH and Hatton. I won't make that mistake this time.

This time I'll say nothing.

Just spotted this post. Cant believe Cotto is stupid enough to even give 2lbs away. Cotto is one of the worst cases of a fighter who cannot fight when drained and little Manny gets his way again.

He weighted in 146 for his last fight, can't possible see this as a problem. That one pound is just taking his underwear off and a few spits.

I want Cotto to win this, but I can see this being a tough fight for the both of them. Manny will def. get his combinations of and will land those uppercuts and for Cotto to win he has to be able to land, which was the deciding factor in the De la Hoya/Hatton fights. In both, they could've possible done much damage to Pacquaio but they never were able to figure him out.
But De la Hoya was shot and Hatton never was much of a boxer anyway. I honestly believe Cotto brings a lot more to the table in terms of boxing skill and counterpunching ability so, at least in theory, this fight will be a lot closer. But Pacquaio is really good at avoiding being trapped in a corner and is possibly the least stationary target in boxing and that skillset alone might be enough for him to win this fight.

and this is the eternal unanswered question regarding this fight. if two pounds is nothing, why have the catchweight at all? if it really is just a case of cotto taking his pants off, why not have it at 147? if it really is nothing, then it benefits manny as no-one can say cotto was drained if he wins. everyone said the win over de la hoya was more to do with oscar's utterly wrecked body. if cotto loses, everyone can say the weight was the factor.

it seems very obvious that two pounds will make a difference.

Sorry, but i disagree. I think Cotto's defensive weakness will be the difference here. Shane Mosley i think exposed Cotto's openness to shots up stairs. Pac is much quicker than Shane and another thing, Cotto can be a bit of a slow starter compared to other welterweights.

I can't see Cotto being able to pin Pac down long enough to inflict his style on him.

I don't think it will be another Hatton quickie but i see Pac grinding Cotto down in ten rounds. I appreciate those who feel Cotto being too bit etc.. but i feel pac's speed coupled with Cotto's defensive lapses being the deciding factor.

if pacquiao win , this will be his 7th title,.. history will be unfold.. i hope he can beat cotto.