There have been rumors circulating the internet about Team Cotto firing sparring partners. Early last week promoter Bob Arum visited Miguel Cotto’s training camp in Florida to see how his WBO welterweight champion was doing for his upcoming clash scheduled for November 14 against Manny Pacquiao.
Shortly after Arum’s visit, changes where made. Main sparring partner, Francisco “Gato” Figueroa (20-3-1, 13KOs), was sent home. Figueroa’s departure is unclear. Figueroa has been Cotto’s sparring partner for his prior fights so they obviously knew what they were getting into.
Some say promoter Bob Arum himself was responsible for sending Francisco home early. It has also been hinted that Figueroa was able to hurt, or in some reports, knock down Cotto while sparring.
“Everything was great until I got called to go home and there was no explanation of why, no ‘Gato can you throw more jabs?,’ ‘Gato can you bounce more?,’ ‘Gato can you counter more?’ It was no explanation but you gotta go home, that’s the explanation you give to an animal, not a human being.” Figueroa told Leave it in the Ring Radio.
There’s no word yet on whether or not Team Cotto has replaced Figueroa. As of now Cotto is currently sparring with Keeny Abril (9-3-1, 5Kos) and 36-year-old Fred Tukes (7-1-1, 5KO’s)
If you ask me, I don’t think is a good idea for Cotto to train with fighters with less than 10 professional fights especially when your facing the world’s best pound for pound.