WHILE a lot of experts believe that pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao will win his Nov. 14 date with World Boxing Organization welterweight titleholder Miguel Cotto, three-division world champion Felix Trinidad thinks otherwise and is betting on his countryman to come out victorious on the much-anticipated super fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Trinidad believes that the 28-year-old Cotto has the edge over the smaller Pacquiao because the Puerto Rican world champion is a natural welterweight.

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“On the night of the fight, Pacquiao will still not be a full welterweight. And Cotto is very strong. As the fight plays out, around rounds 7, 8, 9 is when Cotto starts taking over. I think Cotto will win by decision but he might even get a knockout.

With all of my heart I think Miguel Cotto will win,”

The 36-year-old Trinidad respects Pacquiao’s boxing skills but he believes Cotto still has the advantage because of his strength and size.

“Manny is a bigger puncher and a good boxer but he never faced a natural welterweight like Miguel,” he said.

Trinidad isn’t convinced with Pacquiao’s eighth round destruction over the aging Oscar dela Hoya, the only welterweight Pacquiao has faced, because he believes that the Mexican-American boxing icon wasn’t the fighter that he used to be.

“Oscar was a great champion. He did many, many great things in boxing. When I fought him it was a great fight. But when he fought Pacquiao, Oscar was already a little past his prime. He was not the same,” he said.

Trinidad had a memorable battle with dela Hoya, where he won a 12-round majority decision in their world title unification bout 10 years ago.