tonight at 7:15 pm.

I think they should do a 24/7 with Larry Merchant

can someone pop a link in here asap? cheers

ayo wtf

edit: i knew damn well this joint wasnt on at 7:15... didnt even make no type of sense..

10 eastern time

* goes back to playing uncharted 2:

Looking forward to it. The first time HBO have done a 24/7 about a fight I am actually looking forward to.

likewise. looking forward to this one as well.

It's giving me a twinge thinking about it

this has the potential to be one of the worse 24-7's .... these guys can barely speak English... atleast the actual buzz of the fight itself is enough to drive the interest...

edit:

lmao @ pacman playing basketball.... if floyd & pacman doest materialize in the rign... they should play a 1 on 1 game of bball for charity

or floyds entourage vs pacmans entourage in a 5 on 5... that shit would be fucking ODDDDDDDDD


floyd - ellerbe - roger - 50 cent - that one random big black guy
vs
pacman- roach - buboy - michael moore - alex ariza


shit would be hot haha

they should have buboy vs brian perez on the under card.... id rather watch that then the current under card

edit:

THATS IT!!!

wack....

pretty good first episode...cotto's wife is hot......

Pacs camp is in shambles. Cotto is super focused.

Why I think Cotto will win.

The ole 24/7 Effect in action again.

This fight doesn't need any effect...it's a coin flipper before Liev tones in.

This episode looked more contrived and staged than ever. That being said, there is no "24/7" effect going on here. THERE WAS A FUCKIN TYPHOON disrupting Manny's camp, combined with the fact that he's having sitdowns with Politicians and worried about his country and surroundings.

I think we can confidently say that Manny isn't as focused as Miguel right now. I don't know exactly what that means come fight night but it's discouraging for Manny's prospects.

Cotto's wife looks like an Alien.

i hope one day there will be a paul williams 24-7

IF... Paul wins on 12/5 and signs up to face Pavlik again next spring, I'd think that fight might call for a 24/7 but probably night as it won't be a major PPV attraction.

Oh we know you do.

PWill would need someone like Floyd to even warrant a 24/7. Ratings thrive on that polarization.

If you are being serious Cliff I'm with you. I think this is the hardest fight of Pac's career and def a 50/50 fight if not 55/45 Cotto no matter the 2 pounds or whatever it is.



Man I just spent 5 1/2 weeks in Asia and I swear during that time there were 3 major Typhoons that hit the PI. Bad time in that country, really, really bad time.

I'm dead serious and am picking Cotto. Already done it on the record elsewhere (though I could always switch week of...had to have something for publication). That said, the failure of 24/7 to place Pacquiao in perspective is maddening. Back in the day, they could convey the personal and historical together. They'd do a segment of Tyson's personal life and another on how he stacked with Louis or something. Three 24/7's with Pac and they've yet to fully explore, "Hey, dude was a 20 year old Flyweight champion ten years ago and now he's messing with THIS."

Also, did anyone notice, now that Floyd is back, just HOW downplayed Pac and P4P were?

I dont give a shit if they can speak english. The 24/7 could have been better. They need to focus more on the fight itself and why it will be exciting. Interview all the boxing people...start hyping that...

I didn't notice that, they sure hyped Manny's two latest victories. If anything, Freddie downplayed it by denigrating Hatton.



I agree. I wonder if the people who piss and moan because two fighters don't speak English are capable of enjoying a Kurosawa movie.

Yup, but they only said P4P once that I recall. It was the theme of the last 24/7. HBO loves to pick the P4P king...might say where they think the bread is buttered.



Um, they spoke English all night.

Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao: 24/7 Pt. 1 Reviewed

By Cliff Rold

It feels like only weeks since the last journey though reality TV waters…mostly because it has been. Unlike the last time out, the hype this time surrounds a fight that isn’t a foregone conclusion, isn’t just a showcase.

Narrator Liev Schreiber’s voice over plays as the image of Yankee Stadium in unveiled. “…in the bowels of a modern sports temple,” we are introduced to the warriors at the heart of what will be the most viewed, and anticipated, fight for the rest of 2009. They share the same space but, at least for the cameras, don’t look much in each other’s directions. Highlights of one man’s highs, and another’s highs and lows, lead to clips of their press conference on the New York diamond.

“This is Pacquiao-Cotto, 24/7.”

Cue the music and real-timish review...

... (skipping ahead - full review at http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=23045)

Final Thoughts: This was a fascinating start to the series. The tragedy in the Philippines added a weight and drama, a reality, this show often lacks in its various incarnations. It was impressive work by the documentary crew, balanced well against the Pacquiao camp issues and training story, never feeling exploitative. On the other side of the ledger, Cotto is hard to gimmick. He comes across as a fighter’s fighter going about his business.

If this show failed, and it has three episodes to correct it, it was in the lack of perspective given to Pacquiao’s career. It was a similar problem in the 24/7’s for his bouts with Oscar De La Hoya and Hatton. The full scope of what Pacquiao has done, and is attempting to do, is not being fully conveyed. Pacquiao’s status as a ‘pound for pound’ leader was mentioned. Not once in the show was it noted that Pacquiao is challenging Cotto for a title in a seventh weight class, a feat never seen even in this watered down era of ‘belts for all.’

This author has some problems with the catch weight stipulation for this bout, noted on air at 145 lbs. It can mitigate the fullness of the accomplishment if Pacquiao wins in November, as does the fact that there are multiple Welterweight title claimants. However, it would still be an accomplishment. Cotto is, at worst, the second or third best active Welterweight in the world with a victory over one man with a case for the top spot, Mosley, and a range of competition within the division former lineal king Floyd Mayweather has yet to face.

When this decade began, Pacquiao was 21 years old and just months removed from the lineal World title at 112 lbs. Ten years later, he is challenging for a piece of the Welterweight crown and is favored to win.

Boxing has a richness of history which is second to no other sport. No Flyweight champion had ever risen to win the Featherweight crown before Pacquiao. No former Featherweight champion, even with an unnecessary catch weight, has tested the peak of the Welterweight division like this since Henry Armstrong.

Being that this is essentially a hype show, a commercial engagement, it fails the viewer in not making those points. A couple camp members getting saucy is interesting stuff but there are available, non-soap opera, elements available to make the fight feel special.

And that’s what this is all about ultimately. On November 14th, the world should be getting one hell of a fight. Grade: B+

first time Ive read your article and I must say, I am impressed.

145 is not a weight class.

I thought it was a very solid 24/7 and not all of it on Manny's end. The family issues Cotto has had me intrigued. Self admitted not a great husband, self admitted having his uncle hold him back a bit it was nice to see Cotto other than the standard "I fight whoever Top Rank" spiel

however

the one thing that I went away with was the look Manny had on his face when Freddie told him he was leaving and Manny looking at him like "ok and you are bothering me with this why?"

and he had that look not once but twice. It's one thing to have the dramatic music, the Liev voice, the disaster on the island but the things that I came away with on Mannys side were that and how Freddie said he has changed even to him.

this was very intriguing and IMO people who thought otherwise need to rewatch and dig a little deeper

I caught that...it's a subject all the rage over there because people think Koncz is reinforcing a bad side.

Cotto is a top fighter. Helluva talent.

But it always astonishes me how completely ordinary he looks in the gym. There are workout vids on youtube going back years and it's always the same thing.

I mean, no frills at all. Really, really basic, slow methodical methods on just about every tool and in every exercise.

Stark contrast to Manny, who does everything at full speed.

I know it's not about appearances, but just something that always sticks out to me when I watch him work. Anyone else notice this?

I caught that too prod to be honest he always looks meh when training but he never shows sparring so who knows how much he turns it up when the cameras are off

I worry about the inexperience of his trainer. I relaize he is comfy with him but it would be nice to have a war hardened game planner trainer in there letting Cotto know how the fight is going

i thought it was boring.

and other than roach trying to create some controvery with this first round KO crap, I think it'll stay that way...

We won't see any theatrics in Cotto's work, that's for sure. No Roy Jones on the double end bag. No Mayweather looking at the camera while pounding the speed bag. No Manny Pac shadow boxing with blazing speed. Just does his thing. Tough to argue with the results.

word

Definitely seems like the distractions could be a factor in Manny's camp. Not only the environmental but the personal issues. Though, he has had drama in the past with Freddy and others so maybe this is more commonplace than we know.

The first time head trainer for Cotto just doesn't sit right with me. I agree with Eaner on that. What's going to happen if things aren't going Cotto's way? If plan A and B aren't working? No offense to dude, but this doesn't seem like the right time to be calling someone up from the farm team.

Cotto's friend needs to chill on the pinchos and do some more laps on the pool. Or is he there to make sure Cotto makes 145 by eating all the food?

It wouldn't be a Manny Pacquiao camp without chaos.

I was chatting to someone today and he said Cotto has gone and got himself inked? tattoos all over his body now?

9 of them.

Lot of tribal patterns.

trying to scare pac? lol

Cotto's bestie is fat.


A bunch of pointless ones.

24/7 is so gay and tired, I wouldn't even watch it with Paul.

The production value is top notch but I would prefer they get a little more gritty with it.

You would think with these two types of fighters they'd go with a little less gloss and polish. Also consider that the Phillipines has been devastated by the elements recently and they still managed to make every shot picturesque.

Make it more documentary style and less reality show.

Definitely makes me question how prepared Cotto will be for someone as dangerous as Pac.

I also think Cotto won't be hungry enough by spending his training camp in that lavish mansion. Should've taken his former trainer's advice and stayed in PR to train.

Would've been hungry for it.

Cotto's training does look pretty simple. All you really see is him throwing shots, his traininer throwing slow hooks that even a turtle could duck, and then Cotto throwing some more slow combos.

I wonder who Cotto is sparring with. It was smart of Manny to choose JLC as a sparring mate

The slant on this first show, like all 24/7's, was to make it seem more even. In this case it was by showing the "underdog" as focused and hungry, and the "favorite" as distracted and overconfident. Part of me even thinks Roach has staged or exaggerated the in-camp tensions (between team-members...obviously not the weather). He's a serious pro who is always very aware of what he lets get put on camera for the other camp to see, and I doubt he'd so freely show off some of this stuff.

It was a decent show. I picked Mosley to steamroll Cotto after seeing clips from their respective camps where Shane looked like a superhero, and Miguel looked like he always does in training: plodding and methodical. I've stopped putting much stock in these things.

Not sure how I feel about Castillo as a sparring partner. Three or four years ago he'd have been perfect. Today his ability to pull the trigger is WAY off, and might not help Manny get ready for Cotto's excellent timing.

The first episode was actually good but they'll run out of material. These guys just just aren't going to make good exciting 24/7's, most fighters wouldn't. Still, I'm more interested in Cotto's camp and issues as we've already seen Manny plenty of times.

I'm a big Cotto fan but he's going to lose. A big reason is like E pointed out, his trainer. I have little to no faith in him. I was hoping Cotto might've picked up a new trainer in between fights. Working with a new trainer for arguably the biggest fight of his career is a risk but I rather him had worked with an established trainer than his "friend".

War Cotto regardless!

first episode
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=WR9TE8SV

Agree. It's a coin toss for me because Castillo has very educated hands and can probably still go in the gym. He'll bring quality. At the same time though, he's not going to prepare Manny for Cotto's quick hands and overall athletic ability, which might be underrated by some.

I'd love to see the sparring sessions, that's for sure.

just finished watching the 1st episode.

a few things;

- pacman doesnt seem focused and his camp looks like its in a mess i.e the fights between the corner men, , the natural disaster in the country, freddie roach insisting they leave now but pacman doesnt seem to be 2 bothered, lack of ground work - running, sparring partners castilo? wtf the dude is a ghost.

- cottos new trainer

is this another classic of mis-direction from the production team? they want to make it appear that pacman is not ready, whilst cotto is?

mmmm

you are a champ mutts. cheers mate.