MANILA, Philippines—Puerto Rican icon Miguel Cotto stands a good chance of getting an opportunity to redeem himself against pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 13.
Pacquiao’s chief lawyer Jeng Gacal told the Philippine Daily Inquirer Monday night that he would recommend to Manny that he take on Cotto, instead of Mexican Antonio Margarito, when they meet on Thursday.
“I would insist that we fight Cotto,” said Gacal. “We have nothing to gain against Margarito.”
Although beaten by TKO in the 12th round when they fought last year, Cotto rebounded mightily by wresting the World Boxing Association junior middleweight title from Israeli Yuri Foreman with a ninth-round TKO in June.
“At least, with Cotto, Manny has an eighth world title to aspire for,” added Gacal, who will also be Pacquiao’s chief of staff when the seven-time, seven-division champion formally assumes his new role as congressman of Sarangani province.
Four-time world champion Cotto and two-time winner Margarito emerged frontrunners in Pacquiao’s roster of possible opponents after Floyd Mayweather Jr. opted not to sign the fight contract dangled by Top Rank honcho and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum.
Cotto, who fought Pacquiao at a catch weight of 145 lb, is expected to put up a tougher stand when he battles the Filipino at 154.
Like Pacquiao and Cotto, Margarito is also in Arum’s stable, although the Mexican is still prohibited from fighting in the United States after he was found wearing illegal hand wraps when he fought and lost to Shane Mosely on Jan. 24, 2009.
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