Puerto Rico’s WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto, one of the possible opponents of Manny Pacquiao in his next fight, declared that he will only fight "the Pacman" at a specified weight range.

"Nothing less than 145-pounds," Cotto told Puerto Rican newspaper “Primera Hora,” as reported by BoxingScene.com's Mark Vester.

"I'm not willing to fight [Manny Pacquiao] below 145-pounds," stressed Cotto.

Vester wrote that Cotto said he "will not risk his health for a multi-million dollar payday."

Cotto’s statement negated what Michael Koncz earlier told the Philippine Star, “We are told Cotto is agreeable to fight at a catchweight limit of 144. Manny might want to bring it down to 142.”

Koncz added, “Manny’s comfortable where he is right now, fighting as a light welterweight. Why should he agree to what Cotto wants?”

“If Cotto wants to fight Manny, it should be at Manny’s terms. This fight would mean more to Cotto than to Manny. If a limit of 142 is agreed, let Cotto struggle to make weight, not Manny,” he said.

Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Promotions, also told the Philippine Star that a Pacquiao-Cotto fight would be a “sell-out.”

For the meantime, Cotto will have to defend his title against Joshua Clottey at the Madison Square Garden in New York on June 13.

Pacquiao will reportedly watch the fight at ringside with his coach, Freddie Roach.—with a report from Joaquin Henson, The Philippine Star