My unbiased take on the Cotto-Margarito aftermath

[Steak]

no offense Cotto fans, but his strategy had nothing to do with his victory. In fact, he preformed worse in the second fight than he did in the first.

Its just that Margarito had fallen a long way. I said this over and over again leading up to this fight, that Cotto would win, maybe by stoppage, because Margarito is way past prime. Margarito literally hasnt had a meaningful win in 3 years(since the first Cotto fight).

Margarito may have won the first fight, but imo Cotto ruined him that night. Just so much punishment Marg absorbed, and Marg was starting to slide before the 1st fight anyway.

[~AK49~]

Here is where you shut your mouth.... all three official judges, gave Antonio Margarito 3 separate rounds in that fight this was in NY Cottos back yard..

3 separate rounds between the judges think about that for a second

You say that as if margarito won any rounds in the first place.

At best he looked better in some rounds, but he didnt win any of them.

[peps1904]

An unbiased take on Margarito Vs Cotto by a Puerto kneecan?! LMFAO!
**** OUTTA HERE!

[x3_bazooka_x3]

You say that as if margarito won any rounds in the first place.

At best he looked better in some rounds, but he didnt win any of them.

He won three different rounds on three different cards at the end of 9 with 3 rounds left

[Exciterx30]

I generally agree but think you're being a little too harsh on Margo and his fans. In fairness, Margarito has always been a late starter and has historically had his best rounds late in the fight so regardless of how bad he looked it's not unreasonable to think that he might have had some moments in the final 3 rounds against a fighter he stopped previously before, has had stamina issues let's face it and kept on putting the pressure.

Yes he was losing the fight, losing the fight big but again look at the 1st Cotto fight and the Williams fight, both fights in which Margarito came on strong at the end after getting fairly dominated and outboxed the 1st 5-6 rounds. While he doesn't always come from behind to win, he is the type of fighter whose stamina, determination and body attacks that become most effective and evident late in fights.

As far as not saying "the better man won blah blah blah" I think we all knew the bad blood and immense pride of these two fighters and I think it's bit idealistic to think they would let bygones be bygones just like that especially when a fight ended against the will of that fighter who rightly or wrongly believed he still could've won.

I know Margarito is a late starter but in this fight he had not done the type of work that turns a fight around. Basically, he pressured Cotto but was not landing debilitating shots as in the first fight. Margarito is always tough, I said that and will say it again. I don't mind fair fans but can't stand delusional ones, who are in total denial and often troll a thread just for the hell of it. Once someone goes :"Margarito would have busted his ass within a round just because he has more guts than Cotto, blah, blah" I stop reading because it's a waste of energy and time.

In the Williams fight he ran out of rounds, which is what I think would have happened had the fight continued. I could see Margarito winning a couple of those last three rounds but, even then, the best he could have done was get a 116-112 loss on all cards since the official ones were 89-82 after nine.

I also understand the thing about not giving credit, but the thing is that I don't dislike Margarito as a fighter. As a fan, if he accepted that Cotto implemented a better gameplan that night that would have said a lot about his character. Even Cotto admitted during the Face Off that Margarito was a strong puncher. I respect Margarito as a fighter, even after the wraps scandal, but it's illogical to say Cotto, a guy who gave you two tough fights, bruised you, and hurt you, hits like a girl. It just seems like something a sore loser would say. That's just the way I see it as a fan. He still gave a good effort and I have enough common sense to recognize that. I wish others were, more or less, like that.

[William Blake]

I'm glad that Cotto got the win but if Margarito eye didn't get injured, Cotto would have been domed. I was crossing my fingers hoping for the ref or doctors to stop it.

If/ then speculative sentences don't really do much for me. I understand where you are coming from, but the simple facts are that 1) Cotto boxed beautifully 2) He didn't get tired 3) He avoided the toe-to-toe and 4) He got off the ropes when he found himself there.

Cotto was never going to beat Margarito toe-to-toe, so he put in the exact game plan he needed to win. Let's give him some credit.

[PRking718]

no offense Cotto fans, but

his strategy had nothing to do with his victory. In fact, he preformed worse in the second fight than he did in the first.

Its just that Margarito had fallen a long way. I said this over and over again leading up to this fight, that Cotto would win, maybe by stoppage, because Margarito is way past prime. Margarito literally hasn't had a meaningful win in 3 years(since the first Cotto fight).

Margarito may have won the first fight, but imo Cotto ruined him that night. Just so much punishment Marg absorbed, and Marg was starting to slide before the 1st fight anyway.

NO WAY. Cotto clinched. Pushed margs around. Took his punches way better. Traded back at times effectively. Strategy and no plaster got the win. Margs' pressure is not effective since Cotto, stop denying the plaster damn its like no matter what people look to something to deny that when it is so obvious. No one starts to try and cheat at the top.

[Steak]

NO WAY. Cotto clinched. Pushed margs around. Took his punches way better. Traded back at times effectively. Strategy and no plaster got the win. Margs' pressure is not effective since Cotto, stop denying the plaster damn its like no matter what people look to something to deny that when it is so obvious. No one starts to try and cheat at the top.

I dont know if Margarito had actual plaster, and neither do you.

What I do know is that if you actually watch the two fights, you can clearly see
1. That Margarito actually was landing a lot more early on in the first fight
2. That Cotto was much sharper and faster, and was landing clean and heavier blows in the first fight and
3. Margarito had more power, just judging by his body mechanics. Look how he actually gets full leverage and more of his whole body behind his shots in the first fight, then look at the rematch where theyre mostly just arm shots.

People keep acting like Cotto had this amazing boxing ability in the rematch, when in reality he was boxing better in the first fight. Landing cleaner shots, using the ring, dodging shots...its all there. The difference is Margarito was actually coming forward much more aggressively and assertively, and was landing shots from the 2nd round on.

look how much better they both look:

[~AK49~]

He won three different rounds on three different cards at the end of 9 with 3 rounds left
[IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/28im7ah.jpg[IMG]

Ya, you didnt understand what i was saying. Ill have to rewatch the seventh round, but he did not win the fourth, and in no way won the ninth. I dont care what some scrub put on their scorecard, i saw the fight myself. All night cotto landed the harder, cleaner punches, at a higher percentage with less punches thrown. Everything Marg did big was answered, and then some.