Manny Pacquiao is regarded by many as the #1 pound for pound fighter in the world. He is one of boxing’s biggest stars with a career record of 47 wins and three losses, with 37 wins coming by way knockout. Some of those wins have come against boxing’s biggest names such as Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. He has only lost once in the last 10 years.

So it’s no wonder boxing odds makers opened with Pacquiao as a heavy favorite (-280) for his fight against Miguel Cotto Saturday November 14 in Las Vegas. Miguel Cotto is no slouch, which makes this the most anticipated fight of the year. Cotto is a two-time welterweight champion who enters with an impressive record of 34-1, with 27 via the knockout. He’s beaten the likes of Zab Judah, Shane Moseley and Joshua Clottey. But outside of Clottey, none of Cotto’s wins have been all that impressive. He was stopped by Antonio Margarito in 2008 but has since rebounded with two victories leading up to this one.

The two will fight at a catch weight of 145 lbs, two pounds lighter than the welterweight limit of 147 lbs. This should favor the smaller Pacquiao who is naturally the smaller man. Cotto struggled to make weight when he fought at 140 lbs, so those problems could come back to haunt them for this one, making it something for us to keep an eye on.

In the ring, I give Cotto a better chance than the current odds (-330) suggest. While Cotto has not faced the type of names Pacquiao has, he’s been in the ring with some of the best, facing many styles along the way. His lone loss was a tough one, but keep in mind it may have come against a fighter who may have been cheating at the time.

Pacquaio built his name climbing through the weight classes, but he faced Oscar De La Hoya who was well past his prime. He faced Ricky Hatton who was coming off of a brutal knockout at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Cotto will be Pacquiao’s toughest test to date. He has the ability to cut off the ring and an underrated jab. He is a solid counter puncher who will be able to trade with the Pac-man if needed. The one thing that concerns many is Cotto’s chin which has come into question after the Margarito fight. As mentioned, if Cotto has problems making weight, that could affect his chin.

I’m not sure if Cotto will be able to consistently stay with the faster, more elusive Pacquiao, making a decision unlikely and a knockout even more unlikely. In fact, he could lead to his own demise. Pacquiao has the better corner and is more experienced in this setting. As the fight goes on, look for Cotto to wear down, setting up what everyone is waiting for, a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather showdown. Manny Pacquiao by decision. Good luck to all.