Praise flows for Cotto cut man

Blood was gushing from Miguel Cotto's left eyebrow, rendering the WBO welterweight champion virtually blind.

Cotto was in trouble against Joshua Clottey, who continued to pepper the champ with jabs, using the eye as target practice.

In Cotto's corner, Joe Chavez prepared to take action. When Cotto returned to his stool at the end of the third round, Chavez went to work.

In a matter of seconds, he had controlled the bleeding on two cuts. In each subsequent round, he kept Cotto's cuts from worsening.

Cotto ultimately banged out a 12-round split decision over Clottey on June 13, and Chavez was the unsung hero as Cotto improved to 34-1.

It was Chavez's first encounter with Cotto. But it wouldn't be his last. When Cotto agreed to defend his title against Manny Pacquiao, one of the first things he did was make sure Chavez would be working his corner as his cut man.

For Chavez, it wasn't that simple. He had worked in Pacquiao's corner, and he is close friends with Freddie Roach, who trains Pacquiao. He had been in a similar situation a year ago when Pacquiao fought Oscar De La Hoya and Chavez was employed by the Golden Boy.

Chavez went to Roach and asked him if he had an issue with him working Cotto's corner against Pacquiao.

"Joe's a close friend, and it was a chance for him to make some money," Roach said. "Cotto's going to have one of the best cut men in the world working for him."

Cotto and Pacquiao meet Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden, and, if history is any indication, he's going to need Chavez. Cotto has a propensity for getting cut in his fights, and having someone who can stop the bleeding is essential.

"He was very important to me in my win over Clottey," Cotto said of Chavez. "He did a great job with my cuts in that fight, and that's why I wanted to bring him back for this fight."

Chavez said he merely was doing his job.

"I'm so comfortable when I'm working in the corner," Chavez said. "In that fight, my total focus was making sure I stopped the bleeding and kept the doctor from stopping the fight."

Cotto said Chavez earned his trust with his performance in Madison Square Garden that night.

"We are like family with our team, and (Chavez) is a member of our family," Cotto said. "I trust him without question."

Chavez, 67, said Cotto's work ethic is among the best he has seen.

"He's a fighter with a lot of heart," Chavez said. "He's a quiet guy, but in his own way, he jokes around. We get along good. He has treated me very well. Anything I need, I have. It makes you feel important."

For any cut man, time is his biggest enemy. He has precious few seconds in which to perform his task, and, should he fail, the consequences can be devastating to the fighter.

"I never worry about blood," he said. "I shut everything out and look at the cut. You learn from years of experience how to stop the bleeding.

"You also have to be a little lucky. You have to put enough pressure on the cut to stop it, then apply the medicine and Vaseline and hope it's enough.

"My job is to keep (Cotto) going. I'll use all my skills to keep him fighting."

• NOTES -- Pacquiao remains a heavy betting favorite at the MGM Mirage sports books. As of Wednesday, Pacquiao was minus-340 With the take-back on Cotto at plus-260. ... Friday's weigh-in at the Grand Garden is open to the public, and admission is free. Pacquiao and Cotto are expected on the scales at approximately 3 p.m. ... Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman presented both fighters with keys to the city at Wednesday's final news conference.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.