Pacquiao vs. Cotto

LAS VEGAS — Joe Santiago is 32 years old. He has never boxed, not once, never built a champion, never trained a fighter for a bout of the magnitude that awaits him Saturday. Santiago speaks softly, in Spanish, his baseball cap turned backward, his baby face revealed. He is not a trainer cut from the Rocky cloth. He lacks the facial scars, the advice delivered in gruff tones and colorful language, [...]

Don’t think for a minute that this will be another straightforward move-up win for Manny Pacquiao. I have always been a fan of Miguel Cotto ever since he turned pro; right from the off he had the air of a complete fighter. Granted, he is a little bit mechanical and there are times when he could stop the other guy a lot quicker, but he is happy drilling away, just getting the job done. He is [...]

LAS VEGAS—My fellow Pinoys know that, when it comes to picking any Pacquiao fights, I’ve been way out of the closet for the longest. I would Pacman to turn back Al Queda. I would favor Megamanny to squash the entire countries OF Iran and North Korea, which might not be a bad idea in either case.

LAS VEGAS – The Fight Factory Gym is in a converted warehouse in a small industrial park in Tampa, Fla. The banners covering the walls trumpet the virtues of all things Miguel Cotto. But the banner that catches the eye immediately upon entering the gym has Manny Pacquiao’s face in the crosshairs of a rifle scope. Across the top of the banner are the words: “On Nov. 14 the world [...]