Everything But Poker

Thanks to the constant sound of horns, maracas and pianos blaring from the speakers in the corner of the ring, the mood inside the Pound For Pound gym Tuesday in Los Angeles was much more relaxed than I would have expected for a pre-fight media day – well, except for Miguel Cotto. For two hours today, Cotto trained lightly in front of dozens of media members, jumping rope and sparring with trainer Joe Santiago before answering a few questions.

While Cotto warmed up in the ring, the members of Team Cotto wandered around the gym, obliging all reporters when asked about the fighter’s preparations. Santiago, when asked about the hype surrounding the results of Manny Pacquiao’s two most recent fights, agreed that they may have been a bit overblown. “Hatton played bad defense and De La Hoya was at the end of his career,” he said. “Cotto is a different kind of fighter and he’s in the prime of his career. It will definitely be an interesting fight.”

There was plenty of discussion about the contrasting styles of Pacquiao and Cotto, one a speedy Southpaw with seemingly perfect technique, the other a rock-solid bruiser that refuses to go down. But Cotto and his fitness trainer, South African Phil Landman, boast that his combination of strength and speed will give him the upper hand. We will see what happens in two weeks, but for now, here are some highlights of the today’s workout session.