Does Cotto have the perfect plan to beat Mayweather?

On May 5, WBA junior middleweight titleholder Miguel Cotto will make his third defense against WBC welterweight beltholder Floyd Mayweather Jr., who will be in pursue his eighth major title in a fifth weight class when they meet at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. 

In the co-featured bout, junior middleweight titleholder Saul "Canelo" Alvarez will defend his WBC belt against former champ Shane Mosley.

Cotto (37-2, 30 knockouts) is holding camp in Orlando, Fla., and Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) is training near his home in Las Vegas.

Cotto, 31, has career wins over ex-world beltholders Mosley, Joshua Clottey, Paulie Malignaggi, Zab Judah, Yuri Foreman, Ricardo Mayorga and Antonio Margarito -- the last four by knockout.

Cotto is coming off December's 10th-round stoppage of Margarito, which avenged his 11th-round stoppage  loss in July of 2008 that was the first setback of Cotto's career.

The Margarito win was Cotto's third straight stoppage win since losing to Manny Pacquiao in November of 2009, and Cotto's first bout with trainer Pedro Diaz, a PHD in Pedagogical Sciences and an ex-university professor in sports science.

The following is a blog of Cotto's camp notes answering questions about his workouts. It was taken from a press release distributed by Golden Boy Promotions, the lead promoter of the HBO Pay Per View-televised event.

Wednesday, April 18

How are you preparing for this fight?

Is there any one aspect of Floyd Mayweather’s game that concerns you most, or that you’ve focused on more than any other during training?

"I'm training really hard for this fight. I am motivated and focused to have a great performance on May 5. I know his style and his game and what he is capable to do for the win, but my trainer, Pedro L. Díaz, has the perfect game plan to defeat Floyd.

"With that, we will have a great overwhelming victory on May 5. I am performing better than ever in training, strengthening all areas of my game plan and working extremely hard. I know how to make my opponent open to body shots.

"I’m an aggressive fighter, that’s my style, and that’s what puts me in a good position. Preparing is following up on these things that I already know and delivering each and every move with sharp accuracy. Accuracy is essential, I can’t stress that enough.

"I’m a left-handed fighter and I know how to use that to my advantage. Look at my fight with [Shane] Mosley [a unanimous decision victory in November of 2007.] I know how to land anything I throw, which is key. A powerful defense doesn’t faze me because I know how to consistently crack it.

"It’s about movement and mental strategy.  Training and prepping has been about stressing that exact idea and then again, following through. I am quick on my feet and will be able to anticipate whatever is thrown at me.

"You will definitely see an evolved Miguel Cotto out there. I know you’ll see some moves out of me that are familiar, but I will be stronger and more on point than ever before.

"I know I’m going against a strong defensive fighter who doesn’t consider losing an option. I know it will be tough. But based on where I am right know, and where I know I will be on May 5, I can say, without doubt, that I will prove to the world that I am the better fighter."

Photo by Octavian Cantilli, Hogan Photos, Golden Boy Promotions

Lem Satterfield can be reached at lemuel.satterfield@gmail.com