INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Antonio Margarito, with a lot of time and no more illegal substances in his hands, says the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight scheduled on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will likely be a replay of another fight held at the same venue in December 2008.

That is, Margarito says, if Cotto agrees to the catch weight being proposed for fight night.

“From the very first round,” Margarito told BoxingScene.com, “the advantage would be for Pacquiao because Cotto would be dehydrated like Oscar De La Hoya.”

Pacquiao demolished boxing icon De La Hoya in eight rounds at the MGM Grand in Dec. 6 last year, with several people saying that the Golden Boy was too dehydrated to put up a fight against the tenacious Pacman.

And with the Pacquiao-Cotto fight contract carrying stipulations for a catch weight, Margarito said the Puerto Rican reigning WBO light welterweight champion, who is putting his title on the line, will be at a big disadvantage.

“I think Cotto is giving up too many advantages to Pacquiao if the fight is done at 145 lb, even more if the fight were to happen at 143 like Pacquiao wants,” Margarito added.

Margarito is currently serving out a suspension for fighting with illegal substances in his hand wraps in a January fight with Shane Mosley this year which Mosley won.

Pacquiao was expected to receive the initial contract for the fight from business adviser Michael Koncz Sunday and then make a counteroffer. But from all indications, the Pacquiao-Cotto fight is already a go.