Tweet
Boxing experts were asked for their opinion on how much impact Emanuel Steward's training will have on Miguel Cotto in Saturday night's junior middleweight title fight against Yuri Foreman at Yankee Stadium.
Here is what they had to say:
Larry Merchant/HBO boxing analyst: "Cotto is a fighter who has had a series of very hard fights. By reaching out to Emanuel, he has a chance for a fresh start.
"No one knows what it means for him to move up to 154 pounds. He seems more natural at welterweight. This particular fighter (Foreman) could be good for him because he is not a serious puncher. But he is slick and a polished fighter.
"Sometimes the body is easier to reach than the head. It's a question of riding him hard through the second portions of fights where Cotto has had trouble and resorts to various minds of attack that in my view are not to his advantage. Maybe he can get him to move forward more than backward.
"In recent years, this fighter has taken bad hits. He's gone through a lot of stuff in and out of the ring. Maybe Emanuel can help him turn the page and make this the first day of the rest of his life. Emanuel doesn't make them do what they don't want to do but what they do best. Emanuel is sort of a trainer emeritus, a person with a standing that may help him.''
Lennox Lewis/former heavyweight champion and Steward pupil: "Emanuel will have a real effect. Cotto is a real talent. But what happens with a lot of fighters is they go after things too late. The effect Emanuel has is positive. Whether mental or physical, it is positive. Some guys are just too late to get to him. I hope Cotto has a lot of fuel left.''
Angelo Dundee/52-year career boxing trainer: "Emanuel has a tough job with Cotto. He's got to get Cotto to break from being Cotto and fight the fight he needs to win. That's what he's got to get him to do.''
Domonique Bolton/ Kronk fighter who has sparred with Cotto in recent weeks: "People think Cotto only likes to bang. But he also likes to box. He can catch you off-guard. He knows how to set you up with a punch. He has good uppercuts. He blocks inside well. When he leans in and crouches he shortens himself. That's not what Kronk fighters do. So, I'm sure he will be reminded of that. He can take a punch. And bring a shot. Emanuel will constantly challenge him to be great. He will remind him of the little things, which are big things.''
Prentiss Byrd/former Steward assistant and current leader of amateurs at the All-American Heavyweight Academy: "What lessons are Cotto learning? He is a veteran fighter. What can you teach him? If he gets in that fight and some things he learned from Emanuel don't work right away, is he willing to stay the course? Will he revert back to what he used to do? Lennox, Klitschko, Emanuel got those guys near the top of their careers. This guy is on the slide. If he listens to Emanuel from the first time the bell rings all the way through, he can still be viable.''
Here is what they had to say:
Larry Merchant/HBO boxing analyst: "Cotto is a fighter who has had a series of very hard fights. By reaching out to Emanuel, he has a chance for a fresh start.
"No one knows what it means for him to move up to 154 pounds. He seems more natural at welterweight. This particular fighter (Foreman) could be good for him because he is not a serious puncher. But he is slick and a polished fighter.
"Sometimes the body is easier to reach than the head. It's a question of riding him hard through the second portions of fights where Cotto has had trouble and resorts to various minds of attack that in my view are not to his advantage. Maybe he can get him to move forward more than backward.
"In recent years, this fighter has taken bad hits. He's gone through a lot of stuff in and out of the ring. Maybe Emanuel can help him turn the page and make this the first day of the rest of his life. Emanuel doesn't make them do what they don't want to do but what they do best. Emanuel is sort of a trainer emeritus, a person with a standing that may help him.''
Lennox Lewis/former heavyweight champion and Steward pupil: "Emanuel will have a real effect. Cotto is a real talent. But what happens with a lot of fighters is they go after things too late. The effect Emanuel has is positive. Whether mental or physical, it is positive. Some guys are just too late to get to him. I hope Cotto has a lot of fuel left.''
Angelo Dundee/52-year career boxing trainer: "Emanuel has a tough job with Cotto. He's got to get Cotto to break from being Cotto and fight the fight he needs to win. That's what he's got to get him to do.''
Domonique Bolton/ Kronk fighter who has sparred with Cotto in recent weeks: "People think Cotto only likes to bang. But he also likes to box. He can catch you off-guard. He knows how to set you up with a punch. He has good uppercuts. He blocks inside well. When he leans in and crouches he shortens himself. That's not what Kronk fighters do. So, I'm sure he will be reminded of that. He can take a punch. And bring a shot. Emanuel will constantly challenge him to be great. He will remind him of the little things, which are big things.''
Prentiss Byrd/former Steward assistant and current leader of amateurs at the All-American Heavyweight Academy: "What lessons are Cotto learning? He is a veteran fighter. What can you teach him? If he gets in that fight and some things he learned from Emanuel don't work right away, is he willing to stay the course? Will he revert back to what he used to do? Lennox, Klitschko, Emanuel got those guys near the top of their careers. This guy is on the slide. If he listens to Emanuel from the first time the bell rings all the way through, he can still be viable.''