Pacman-Cotto Looms

MANNY Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz said he had a positive meeting with World Boxing Organization light middleweight champion Miguel Cotto to discuss a possible rematch with the Filipino champ should the planned Nov. 13 megabuck showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. fail to push through.

Koncz told Manila Standard in an overseas telephone conversation that he had a private meeting, with Cotto and that the developments were very positive.

“But that is all I want to say right now,” said Koncz.

At the same time, Koncz said he would meet with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who had just arrived in Puerto Rico, later Wednesday night (Manila time).

Cotto won the 154-pound title from a virtually crippled Yuri Foreman, who hurt his previously injured right knee and hobbled around the ring before the referee stopped the fight.

The Puerto Rican battered the hapless Foreman in Round 9 last June 5 and indicated he is not afraid of fighting Pacquiao again, even though he received a bad beating and lost by a 12th-round technical knockout last November.

Cotto has even agreed to fight Pacquiao at a catch-weight below the 154 limit, since the much smaller Filipino champion is not even a fully-fledged welterweight, although he won the 147-pound title by beating the Puerto Rican.

In the meantime, Antonio Margarito, who is being considered as a possible opponent for Pacquiao in case Mayweather doesn’t sign a contract submitted to him by Arum, has apparently agreed to come down to 147 to face Pacquiao.

However, Margarito, who was suspended for one year by the California State Commission after he was found to have used illegal hand-wraps in his fight against Cotto, has to first obtain a license to fight from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

NSAC executive director Keith Kizer informed Manila Standard that the Commission will have a meeting on Friday at which Margarito will have to appear and effectively make a case for himself.

Asked whether the NSAC will ask Margarito to first get cleared by the California Commission that suspended him, Kizer responded: “ I am not sure what the Commission will decide.”

Ronnie Nathanielsz, Manila Standard