Roach helps out Manny victim

MANILA, Philippines - Former WBO lightwelterweight, WBO/WBA welterweight and WBA lightmiddleweight champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico was once stopped by Manny Pacquiao with Freddie Roach in the Filipino’s corner. That happened in Las Vegas in 2009. Now, Cotto is being trained by Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood for his comeback fight against the Dominican Republic’s Delvin Rodriguez in Orlando on Oct. 5. And there’s no better man to resuscitate Cotto’s career than Roach.

While in the past Roach was known as a maker of champions, now he’s the re-maker of champions. Cotto isn’t the only former champion whom Roach is priming for a bounce back. On Nov. 23, Roach will be with Pacquiao for his fight against Brandon Rios in Macau, trying to recoil from back-to-back losses to Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez.

Cotto and Pacquiao were recently at the Wild Card Gym together. Cotto was at the sweatshop prepping for Rodriguez while Pacquiao dropped in during his US tour to promote the Rios bout. Pacquiao showed up wearing a Kobe Bryant Nike jersey. Cotto wore a black Wild Card T-shirt. The former rivals exchanged pleasantries four years after their epic battle where referee Kenny Bayless stepped in at 0:55 of the 12th round.

Cotto, 32, is coming off back-to-back losses like Pacquiao last year. He was outpointed by Floyd Mayweather in May and Austin Trout in December. Before the defeats, Cotto halted Yuri Foreman, Ricardo Mayorga and Antonio Margarito in that order. His record is 37-4, with 30 KOs. Rodriguez, 33, has a 28-6-3 record, with 16 KOs. Five of his setbacks were on points. He’s fresh from stopping Freddy Hernandez and previously undefeated George Tahdooahnippah.

Cotto replaced trainer Pedro Diaz with Roach and is back to working with Top Rank although he remains a free agent. Rodriguez, described as a perennial contender, is out to make a name for himself at Cotto’s expense. The Dominican has fought for the world title twice and lost. It’s his chance to add a “name” fighter to his list of victims. Trout is the only recognizable high-profile fighter whom Rodriguez has faced and Trout won a unanimous decision to retain the WBA lightmiddleweight crown in Carson, California, last year.

Rodriguez said he’s going for a knockout to retire Cotto once and for all. “I have 12 rounds to score the knockout,” said Rodriguez, quoted by James Slater in Boxing News. “I want a KO. I’m not going to tell you what round, just that I won’t leave it to the judges. I think I’m the fresher fighter. I’ve not been through the beatings he’s been through. This is the biggest fight of my career. I’m going to put everything I have into winning.”

Rodriguez said he has the utmost respect for Cotto. “He may have lost his last two fights but look at who it was he lost to – two of the best fighters out there, Mayweather and Trout,” said Rodriguez. “You can’t take anything away from Cotto, he’s a warrior, a three-division champion and he has the hunger back. Cotto wants to show the people he’s back and is still a great fighter.”

Roach said it’s back to basics with Cotto. “I make him do fundamental things he didn’t do anymore, cut the ring off and be smart” said Roach in Boxing News. “Knowing how to control the ring is a lost art right now and I’m working with him on that so he can be more effective in his next fight.”

It was Cotto who called out to Roach and the celebrated trainer didn’t turn him away. Roach said Cotto told him he has at least three fights left in him and asked if he could help. “I’m trying to bring back his boxing, head movement and his punch count needs to be higher and I’m really pleased with what we’ve done so far. Miguel is getting used to me. Sometimes, I try to hit him and I say, ‘If I don’t try to hit you then you’re not going to make the move I want…if I hit you, it’s really your fault because I shouldn’t be able to hit you.’ Ultimately, it comes down to the fighters. During that minute break between rounds, there’s not a hell of a lot you can do. If you didn’t prepare him for the fight in the gym, you’re not going to change anything in that minute. You can make small adjustments but my job is mostly done in the gym and after the weigh-in, my job is pretty much done. It’s up to the fighter at that point.”