Most of the major players in boxing have their bouts set, although the fight most wanted, Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr., was obviously not agreed to. Instead of Mayweather, Pacquiao will take on Timothy Bradley, while Puerto Rican pugilist Miguel Cotto has agreed to take on middleweight champion Sergio Martinez.
Cotto has re-established himself as a superstar after linking up with Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach and demolishing an overmatched Delvin Rodriguez in October of 2013. He is still with Roach, and they are opening up their training in the Philippines, where Manny is holding his camp.
Pacquiao will begin his sparring sessions soon, and rumors are flying that the fast friends are going to spar one another-even if Roach is denying it.
"That is false," Roach said. "Cotto might come here if we stay long enough, to come and see the Philippines and train with Manny. But [Cotto will] not spar with him."
Cotto is fighting Martinez at 159 lbs., while Pacman is still at welterweight, so Roach said that sparring each other makes little sense. Also, Cotto's style is far more aggressive and body-based than Bradley's so it isn't clear how a session with him would prepare Pacquiao.
However, Cotto will be stepping into the ring with a very quick-handed middleweight in Martinez, so Pacquiao's speed could certainly aid Cotto's preparation.
Pacquiao's camp has said the sessions are already planned out, and will include former champion Kendall Holt. Pacman is expected to have a high-intensity camp so that he can prove his loss to Bradley in 2012 was a robbery, and to stave off Bradley's accusations about Manny's heart.
He's a nice dude, man," Bradley said of Pacquiao. "Pacquiao is very humble, very spiritual. But I don't think he has that killer instinct. I don't think he has that fire in him. I really don't."
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