World Boxing Council middleweight champion Miguel Cotto believes Manny Pacquiao will win against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their upcoming super fight on Cinco de Mayo weekend on May 2 at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Cotto initially declined to predict the outcome of the Pacquiao vs Mayweather fight when asked about it earlier this week, but the Puerto Rican had a change of heart in a recent interview.

Cotto said he thinks Pacquiao will win against Mayweather because of trainer Freddie Roach. The reigning WBC middleweight champion is high on Roach, who helped him revive his career with victories over Delvin Rodriguez in October 2013 and Sergio Martinez in June last year.

"After working with Freddie I think Freddie is going to be huge in the fight," Cotto said of Roach being a critical factor in the upcoming super showdown between Pacquiao and Mayweather. "I'm going for Manny."

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican is familiar with the fighting styles of both Mayweather and Pacquiao. Cotto took a 12th-round technical knockout loss to Pacquiao during their World Boxing Organization welterweight title fight in November 2009, and was dominated by Mayweather during their showdown in May 2012.

Meanwhile, former International Boxing Organization light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver also believes Pacquiao could win against Mayweather, but only if he scores a knockout.

Tarver said in an interview with On The Ropes Boxing Radio that he sees Mayweather winning by decision, but Pacquiao's vaunted punching power could change the outcome of the match.

"I think Pacquiao is gonna have some moments and you know he has a very powerful punch," Tarver said. "I think Floyd wins a decision but if this fight doesn't go the distance, you have to lean toward Pacquiao landing that shot within the distance."

Tarver also added that Mayweather might have scored impressive victories earlier in his career, but he pointed out that the reigning pound-for-pound king has not faced a fighter like Pacquiao before.

"We've seen Pacquiao knocked out, but at the same time, he possesses the type of style and from a southpaw stance, we cannot lose sight of that," Tarver said. "Pacquiao is a tremendous southpaw, something that Floyd Mayweather hasn't seen a whole lot of, and Pacquiao is moving at light speed."

Mayweather will put his 47-0 record on the line along with his WBC and World Boxing Association welterweight titles, while Pacquiao will put his WBO welterweight crown at stake in the fight that is expected to set records in terms of revenue and pay-per-view numbers.

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