His career I believe is all but done. I'm on the fence with this question. Would like feedback.

No - his legacy (as it currently stands) will be as a noteworthy (among his contemporaries) but ultimately forgettable figure in the history of boxing.

No - his legacy (as it currently stands) will be as a noteworthy (among his contemporaries) but ultimately forgettable figure in the history of boxing.

Exactly. A nice guy; a quality boxer but not HOF quality.

I hope he saved some money and has a happy life outside of boxing. I don't see him beating Mosely, certainly not Mayweather. If he wants to make another few paydays. OK. But he needs to start thinking about the next phase of his life.

I don't think so. Not as his record stands.

No, im afraid not. he was/is a good boxer, just not good enough to be amongst all those other big names in there..

Sorry Cotto!

Cotto has plenty of quality wins on his resume:

Cesar Bazan (former WBC lightweight champ)
Carlos Maussa (future WBA light-welterweight champ)
Lovemore N'dou (future IBF light-welterweight champ)
Randall Bailey (former WBO light-welterweight champ)
DeMarcus Corley (former WBO light-welterweight champ)
Ricardo Torres (future WBO light-welterweight champ)
Paulie Malignaggi (future IBF light-welterweight champ)
Carlos Quintana (future WBO welterweight champ)
Otkay Urkal (European light-welter and welterweight champ)
Zab Judah (former IBF/WBO light welterweight champ and Lineal WBC/WBA/IBF welterweight champ)
Shane Mosley (former IBF light weight champ, two time WBC welterweight champ, WBA/WBC light-middleweight champ and future WBA welterweight champ)
Joshua Clottey (former IBF welterweight champ)

Plus wins over solid contenders like Demetrio Ceballos, Victoriano Sosa, Kelson Pinto, Gianluca Branco, Alfonso Gomez and Michael Jennings.

One questoinable loss to former WBO welterweight champ Margarito (loaded handwraps?) and one decisive loss to the pound for pound best fighter on the planet.

In my opinion that is a Hall of fame resume. However one more big win/world title would really cement his place.

nothing but love for him but i don't think so.

Not yet but if he sticks around like Sugar Shane did he could. Sugar Shane had two bad years in boxing from 2002-2004 where he lost to Forrest and Wright. The only problem being is that Cotto has taken way more punishment. Hope he comes back

I don't think so. Not as his record stands.

What? he's got an excellant record! One controversial loss and the other, Cotto should have no shame in losing to Manny. Many other boxers have lost as many or more fights and came back to win bigger and avange losses. Cotto's still young. He needs a new camp and trainer, drop his attitude and start listening to a really good trainer and team.

Some re-contructive surgery might help. His nose and that cut from the Clottey head butt are liablities for him. He can come back. And in a big way. :boxing:

If Cotto can win a few more fights I think he can get in. He has only had 36 professional fights and people are speaking about him like he's done.

I think he could heal up, beat a few soft opponents, take on a couple of serious contenders and get a real title shot in 2 years or so. If he can reinvent his career and win some meaningful fights in the next few years I don't see how you could deny him. The guy hasn't had a non-title fight in 5 years for gods sake.

As it stands I don't think he has done enough.

I don't think so, he was on the brink of becoming a HOFer before the Margarito fight and before the Pacquiao fight but he lost both, suspect wraps or not against Margarito, he lost. He still has time though.

1 good-great win short of being a Hall of Famer a couple wins short of first ballot.

Either a victory over a good titleholder at 154 or a win over Mosely-Berto would get him in there. Maybe even a titleholder, the Mosley-Berto loser, and Margarito.

As it stands NO. Cotto dosent even make the top 10 greatest PR fighters list. But i still think he has a chance. I believe if his people are smart they will move him up in weight to 154. He can beat either spinks, foreman, or martinez who are the champs on that division. That will give him 4 titles in 3divisions same amount as Benitez and Trinidad. His only blemish will be the margocheater fight which now with the pictures of the pink substance cleary he cheated and his lost to Pacman which already is being questioned due to Perfomance enhancing drugs. The last part has already been discussed extensively in other threads.

I say no at this point.

He has some good names and wins on his resume, but I think the fact that he won vacated titles and lost his two biggest fights take some shine away.

He still has time to get back on the horse and pick up a few more quality wins though. Perhaps this subject can be revisited one day.

I say no at this point.

He has some good names and wins on his resume, but I think the fact that he won vacated titles and lost his two biggest fights take some shine away.

He still has time to get back on the horse and pick up a few more quality wins though. Perhaps this subject can be revisited one day.

the vacated titles thing really isn't that big in my opinion. the man makes the fight/title. floyd mayweather beat carlos baldomir for the welterweight title.....i don't think anyone can decisively argue that baldomir is any better than carlos quintana however.

he didn't lose his two biggest fights either. he lost one of them. the shane mosley fight was a bigger legacy fight for cotto than the margarito fight was. shane is a great fighter and will make the hall of fame easily. margarito....not so much.

As it stands NO. Cotto dosent even make the top 10 greatest PR fighters list. But i still think he has a chance. I believe if his people are smart they will move him up in weight to 154. He can beat either spinks, foreman, or martinez who are the champs on that division. That will give him 4 titles in 3divisions same amount as Benitez and Trinidad. His only blemish will be the margocheater fight which now with the pictures of the pink substance cleary he cheated and his lost to Pacman which already is being questioned due to Perfomance enhancing drugs. The last part has already been discussed extensively in other threads.

Really? Name 10 better Puerto Rican fighters. I know 5 are pretty simple:

Gomez
Trinidad
Ortiz
Benitez
Torres

after that it's not so clear. Camacho, DeJesus, Rosario, Calderon....Miguel Cotto is certainly in that class, if not better.

Really? Name 10 better Puerto Rican fighters. I know 5 are pretty simple:

Gomez
Trinidad
Ortiz
Benitez
Torres

after that it's not so clear. Camacho, DeJesus, Rosario, Calderon....Miguel Cotto is certainly in that class, if not better.

Excellent point. Rosario is in the IBHOF, and Calderon had a chance at induction as well. Sixto Escobar was the first Puerto rican inducted, so you can say at least 6 were better than Cotto

I don't think so, he was on the brink of becoming a HOFer before the Margarito fight and before the Pacquiao fight but he lost both, suspect wraps or not against Margarito, he lost. He still has time though.

I agree with this.

if Barry McGuigan can be voted in then Cotto is nailed-on to be inducted otherwise the IBHOF is a sham

Really? Name 10 better Puerto Rican fighters. I know 5 are pretty simple:

Gomez
Trinidad
Ortiz
Benitez
Torres

after that it's not so clear. Camacho, DeJesus, Rosario, Calderon....Miguel Cotto is certainly in that class, if not better.

I agree on the 5 you mention, here are 6 more(including 3 you mentioned).

Samuel Serrano- who had like 13 defenses as featherweight.
Sixto Escobar- already mentioned.
Juan Laporte-dosent have the greatest won and lost record but he had incredible competition. He never was kod until the end of his career. He fought the likes of Azulmah Nelson, Salvador Sanchez, Wilfredo Gomez, Tszyu etc.
Dejesus The only lightweight to beat DUran during his 72-1 streak as a lightweight. He beat good fighters as lampkin and gave medina his first lost. He also was robbed in a hometown decision in the Gomez fight in Venezuela So he really was like 43-0 when he fought Duran. His other notable lost was Cervantes by decision. He was 58-5 but only 3 real loses in his prime and 2 were to the hands of stone.

Camacho People find his style to be annoying, as he never was knocked out even by Chavez and Trinindad. What people fail to recognize is that Camacho has fought in 7 weight classes and has a title in each one; and YES he has only 3 that are considered legit, as people dont take the IFC serious. But to fight 87 times in 7 classes and NEVER be KOD is a feat. But if that is not enough he did beat Mancini, Limon, Ramirez,Rosario(although controversial), Pazienza, and Haugen. THose are all champions. His only major lost was to Chavez and Trinidad. But he fought Trinidad in his fourth weight class at 147. His first lost to Haugen was nonsense as the ref took a point away for not touching gloves and it cost him a draw. I take his resume over cotto anyday. I wont mention his wins over duran and leonard since they were past their prime. 79-5-3 NO KO's not shabby.

Rosario Cotto has not surpassed EL CHapo yet. Chapo is known mainly for losing to Chavez. But he also beat Ramirez, Jones, and Bramble. He fought in a division that was filled with talent. His lost to Camacho was disputed. His victory over Garza by KO for the WBA JR Welterweight title cemented his name as one of the greatest PR fighters of all time.

So now there is 11 total fighters that i put ahead of Cotto. This dosent even count Juan manuel lopez will fight for a featherweight title soon and is moving up the ranks or Calderon. I put Cotto ahead of John John Molina and Wilfredo Vasquez after his win over Mosley.


I still think is making his legacy. If he wins at 154 he definitely will surpass some guys on the list. In addition, his lost to margocheater is questionable and years from now maybe something about pacman will come out to question his success. So the jury is still out on how high in this list he will get?

oh yes he did, Cotto's two losses came in later round Knockouts against big punchers Margarito and Pacquiao, cant blamed him for not being able to face Mayweather, "Money" Floyd wants no part of Cotto in '08.

Then it's a yes for Hatton to..
In other words, no I don't think Cotto's done enough..

the vacated titles thing really isn't that big in my opinion. the man makes the fight/title. floyd mayweather beat carlos baldomir for the welterweight title.....i don't think anyone can decisively argue that baldomir is any better than carlos quintana however.

he didn't lose his two biggest fights either. he lost one of them. the shane mosley fight was a bigger legacy fight for cotto than the margarito fight was. shane is a great fighter and will make the hall of fame easily. margarito....not so much.

You bring up fair points, but in regards to winning vacated belt, I don't personally think it's a bad thing and I'm not looking down upon it completely in disgust. IMO in this day and age of 17 weight classes and four belts, some may see look at that in a somewhat negative way. He did go on to defend those titles and make them his own.

Yes Mosley will most likely go to the IBHOF, but IMO a prime Margarito, a top WW and Mexican fighter would've have looked very good on his career resume, moreso than Shane at the given time.

Just giving my perspective.

Cotto has a way better resume than some of the boxers that are in the HOF. So yes he get's in no doubt about it.

As it stands NO. Cotto dosent even make the top 10 greatest PR fighters list. But i still think he has a chance. I believe if his people are smart they will move him up in weight to 154. He can beat either spinks, foreman, or martinez who are the champs on that division. That will give him 4 titles in 3divisions same amount as Benitez and Trinidad. His only blemish will be the margocheater fight which now with the pictures of the pink substance cleary he cheated and his lost to Pacman which already is being questioned due to Perfomance enhancing drugs. The last part has already been discussed extensively in other threads.

Yes he does. He is #7 on my list and many others.

#1 - Wilfredo Gomez
#2 - Wilfred Benitez
#3 - Felix Trinidad
#4 - Carlos Ortiz
#5 - Jose Torres
#6 - Edwin Rosario
#7 - Miguel Cotto
#8 - Sixto Escobar
#9 - Estaban De Jesus
#10 - Jose Torres

All of this is subjective as i have him at #12 now. But as i said if he takes care of business at 154 he will jump a few more slots. Currently, Juan Manuel Lopez and Ivan Calderon are moving up the ranks as neither has lost a fight. I will like to see Calderon vs Donaire and JML vs either Cabellero or Chris John.

His career I believe is all but done. I'm on the fence with this question. Would like feedback.

Absolutely. If fighters like Jim Braddock and Jose Torres have made it to the hall, why wouldn't Cotto? He's accomplished enough in his career to be inducted.

Then it's a yes for Hatton to..
In other words, no I don't think Cotto's done enough..

Based on the criteria for the hall today, Hatton will go.

Cotto has plenty of quality wins on his resume:

Cesar Bazan (former WBC lightweight champ)
Carlos Maussa (future WBA light-welterweight champ)
Lovemore N'dou (future IBF light-welterweight champ)
Randall Bailey (former WBO light-welterweight champ)
DeMarcus Corley (former WBO light-welterweight champ)
Ricardo Torres (future WBO light-welterweight champ)
Paulie Malignaggi (future IBF light-welterweight champ)
Carlos Quintana (future WBO welterweight champ)
Otkay Urkal (European light-welter and welterweight champ)
Zab Judah (former IBF/WBO light welterweight champ and Lineal WBC/WBA/IBF welterweight champ)
Shane Mosley (former IBF light weight champ, two time WBC welterweight champ, WBA/WBC light-middleweight champ and future WBA welterweight champ)
Joshua Clottey (former IBF welterweight champ)

Plus wins over solid contenders like Demetrio Ceballos, Victoriano Sosa, Kelson Pinto, Gianluca Branco, Alfonso Gomez and Michael Jennings.

One questoinable loss to former WBO welterweight champ Margarito (loaded handwraps?) and one decisive loss to the pound for pound best fighter on the planet.

In my opinion that is a Hall of fame resume. However one more big win/world title would really cement his place.


Awesome resume and he lost to one of the all time greats, his other defeat, we will never know the truth, but ALOT worse fighters have been put into the hof

if Barry McGuigan can be voted in then Cotto is nailed-on to be inducted otherwise the IBHOF is a sham


Exactly. No all time great in real terms but a cinch for the HOF.

I see by the voting if Cotto continues to fight and beat a few more excellent fighters, he would have an excellent shot. Thanks for everyone's .input.

I hope Cotto is able to bounce back, two losses like that are rough to really get your confidence back up again...i don't think he's ready yet but if he could do a little more we'll see. Hopefully he'll be like sugar shane.

Cotto is a warrior, he deserves in, will fight the best

Sorry but no.

He's the type of fighter you'll remember as ''one of the best fighters of OUR time'' but never an ATG.

He will never be next to the legends like Wilfred Benitez, Wilfredo Gomez and Felix Trinidad.

The question was the HOF. Not who is an all time great. I assure you that many fighters in the HOF are not all time greats.

I see by the voting if Cotto continues to fight and beat a few more excellent fighters, he would have an excellent shot. Thanks for everyone's .input.

Thanks for the excellent thread

Listen people have the wrong viewpoint of fighters who get into the boxing HOF, some people think they should be top 100 of all time to be inducted. If people like Barry Mcguigan get in there, of course miguel should be in. Also a lot of people were sayin Vernon Forrest (may he R.I.P) but miguel has done just as much as Vernon, so defintly miguel should be in there.

Not at all. He is a good fighter but not that good.

Not at all. He is a good fighter but not that good.

He is better than a lot of fighters in the HOF and he's had a better career than many of the guys in there. I don't know how they would deny him a spot at the hall.

Yes i think miguel just makes it! one more title would confirm it