Not to try and deflate the hype for December, but...

[Evil Abed]

The chins and there overall ability to take punishment has decreased on both of these guys.

I don't expect a better fight.

I expect a more cautious fight from Cotto and a much slower Margarito.

Not sure who wins.

[TintaBoricua]

Let me clarify

I dont think Cotto or his camp prepared mentally for what was in store with Margarito. Margarito is slow and is like a bullseye on a shooting range but he is tough as nails, just keeps throwing punches and has a few more skills than many give him credit for. They never realized that Margarito would be able to endure as well as he did and as I have seen Cotto do in the past against other pressure opponents he thought he could ropadope, box on the back foot and still get the job done without getting hurt himself. Hopefully Cotto learned a good lesson, languishing on the ropes like that just gets you unnecessary punishment.

Things I think will be different this go round

Cotto is more acclimated to 154, used to the gloves, used to the weight, had time for his game to adjust to the differences

Tony will be even bigger but so will Cotto

Is Tony damaged goods cause that was the worst beating I have seen in a long while

Steward has improved Cotto's jab and his ring generalship

Wraps will be good

Both may have better trainers at this point



I hate to hang a prediction on whether Margs was loaded up that night but I have to stay consistent, the guy's own trainer admitted that he always wrapped Tony's hands the same way, I'll take that to mean inserts in place. Even with the mistakes Cotto made that night I think had Tony not had the inserts and plaster the outcome would have been a much less painful and disappointing experience for Cotto. Same thing goes this time around but I see Cotto squeezing out a tough UD

Pretty much. Cotto was on the backfoot throughout the entire fight and when he did that Pernell Whitaker imitation on the ropes in round 5 with his hands down...I was thinking, "What the hell are you doing?! Keep your guard up and stay off the ropes!"

He looked fancy because he evaded the punches, but that was a really stupid move. He's tried to do that same crap against Manny at the end of one of the rounds and against Clottey as well...he needs to stop doing that as well as squatting all the way down to evade punches. He's gonna' get knocked off balance if he keeps doing that.

[-Antonio-]

Even if you're right this is one of the best undercards ive ever seen as far as potentially exciting fights. Lujan/jones might steal the show and thats the opening fight. Rios is rios and wolak/rodriguez is automatic.

I expect the garden to be rocking and people to be really pleased with buying the ppv...