Done trashing Margarito's career; let's reevaluate Cotto's

DiegoFuego

So many people were writing Cotto off after only TWO losses and one close fight with Clottey. I even heard people saying Cotto looked awful against Foreman and Mayorga. Why? Because he lost one or two rounds to each of those guys before TKOing them?

Going back before his career seemed to have turned for the worse...

He fought Mosley close in 2007 but did beat him. I haven't heard too many people claim Mosley deserved the win. 115-113 for Cotto makes it close yet pretty clear to a lot of people and seemed fair.

After he was bludgeoned with plaster for 11 rounds...

He fought a life and death battle with Clottey, but Clottey, like Margarito, has a great chin and gets stronger as the fight goes on. And Cotto just isn't going to out box someone the way Floyd or Pacquiao can. A lot of people came off this fight saying Cotto was shot. I came off it impressed that he pulled out a tough, tough fight given what he had gone through only a year before.

Now it's obvious the first loss to Margarito was BS and shouldn't count. And what if in the next 5-10 years, it's proven that Pacquiao was on the juice? Not saying he would have beaten Pacquiao, but, had the losses been removed, COTTO WOULD BE UNDEFEATED with wins over some great names.

He's not an all-time great top 100 fighter or anything, but do you really think Cotto is that far behind some of the better fighters of this decade, the likes of Barrera, Morales, Marquez, Mosley, etc? Because I really don't.

IMDAZED

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiegoFuego

So many people were writing Cotto off after only TWO losses and one close fight with Clottey. I even heard people saying Cotto looked awful against Foreman and Mayorga. Why? Because he lost one or two rounds to each of those guys before TKOing them?

Going back before his career seemed to have turned for the worse...

He fought Mosley close in 2007 but did beat him. I haven't heard too many people claim Mosley deserved the win. 115-113 for Cotto makes it close yet pretty clear to a lot of people and seemed fair.

After he was bludgeoned with plaster for 11 rounds...

He fought a life and death battle with Clottey, but Clottey, like Margarito, has a great chin and gets stronger as the fight goes on. And Cotto just isn't going to out box someone the way Floyd or Pacquiao can. A lot of people came off this fight saying Cotto was shot. I came off it impressed that he pulled out a tough, tough fight given what he had gone through only a year before.

Now it's obvious the first loss to Margarito was BS and shouldn't count. And what if in the next 5-10 years, it's proven that Pacquiao was on the juice? Not saying he would have beaten Pacquiao, but, had the losses been removed, COTTO WOULD BE UNDEFEATED with wins over some great names.

He's not an all-time great top 100 fighter or anything, but do you really think Cotto is that far behind some of the better fighters of this decade, the likes of Barrera, Morales, Marquez, Mosley, etc? Because I really don't.

Good post although I'm not quite sure Clottey can be considered as a fighter who gets stronger as the fight wears on. In fact, I'd say it's the opposite. Regardless, Cotto may not be the best of this era but he's a great fighter of this generation. I'd like to see him cap it off with a Pacquiao rematch or even Mayweather--whatever will get him big money.

DiegoFuego

Quote:

Originally Posted by IMDAZED

Good post although I'm not quite sure Clottey can be considered as a fighter who gets stronger as the fight wears on. In fact, I'd say it's the opposite. Regardless, Cotto may not be the best of this era but he's a great fighter of this generation. I'd like to see him cap it off with a Pacquiao rematch or even Mayweather--whatever will get him big money.

Yeah, actually I was way off base with that Clottey claim. He completely fades late in fights. But he takes punishment similarly to Margarito and doesn't crack defensively. He just quits fighting.

IMDAZED

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiegoFuego

Yeah, actually I was way off base with that Clottey claim. He completely fades late in fights. But he takes punishment similarly to Margarito and doesn't crack defensively. He just quits fighting.

Yup sounds about right lol.

IronDanHamza

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiegoFuego

So many people were writing Cotto off after only TWO losses and one close fight with Clottey. I even heard people saying Cotto looked awful against Foreman and Mayorga. Why? Because he lost one or two rounds to each of those guys before TKOing them?

Going back before his career seemed to have turned for the worse...

He fought Mosley close in 2007 but did beat him. I haven't heard too many people claim Mosley deserved the win. 115-113 for Cotto makes it close yet pretty clear to a lot of people and seemed fair.

After he was bludgeoned with plaster for 11 rounds...

He fought a life and death battle with Clottey, but Clottey, like Margarito, has a great chin and gets stronger as the fight goes on. And Cotto just isn't going to out box someone the way Floyd or Pacquiao can. A lot of people came off this fight saying Cotto was shot. I came off it impressed that he pulled out a tough, tough fight given what he had gone through only a year before.

Now it's obvious the first loss to Margarito was BS and shouldn't count. And what if in the next 5-10 years, it's proven that Pacquiao was on the juice? Not saying he would have beaten Pacquiao, but, had the losses been removed, COTTO WOULD BE UNDEFEATED with wins over some great names.

He's not an all-time great top 100 fighter or anything, but do you really think Cotto is that far behind some of the better fighters of this decade, the likes of Barrera, Morales, Marquez, Mosley, etc? Because I really don't.

Yes, I do.

Doctor_Tenma

Quote:

Originally Posted by IMDAZED

Good post although I'm not quite sure Clottey can be considered as a fighter who gets stronger as the fight wears on. In fact, I'd say it's the opposite. Regardless, Cotto may not be the best of this era but he's a great fighter of this generation. I'd like to see him cap it off with a Pacquiao rematch or even Mayweather--whatever will get him big money.

Agree, might as well since Floyd ain't getting it. Now that Cotto has a better team behind him, and both Mosley and Marquez exposed Pacquiao's weaknesses, maybe Cotto can do something with a better game plan. I hope he brings that right hand with him cause he's gonna need it, that stood out last night. I saw some glimpses of the Cotto from the Mosley fight.

IMDAZED

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronDanHamza

Yes, I do.

. How far behind do you think?

The Gambler1981

He is a very good fighter, but he is somewhat of a front runner although not everyone was able to take advantage when the going got tough. So while a poor trait at least he has shown the ability to pull it together if allowed.

What always bothers me about Cotto is when he fights going backwards, because he does it to avoid damage but ends up taking more than if he just fought aggressively. A short stocky guy should press inside and get inside the range where the other guy can be effective and work from there, moving away just doesn't suit him because he never has the range advantage to take advantage of moving away.

Cotto has real talent and boxing skills but to me he lacks that attention to detail that really allows a guy to move beyond being very good, but his career has been solid he avenged one of his loses and his other defeat is to one of the top couple guys of the era, don't know how you can really knock that to much.

NAPO

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiegoFuego

Yeah, actually I was way off base with that Clottey claim. He completely fades late in fights. But he takes punishment similarly to Margarito and doesn't crack defensively. He just quits fighting.

Cotto never faded in the Clottey fight.

Cotto was boxing Clottey pretty good until (in my opinion) that intenational headbutt came..Cotto couldn't see jack **** trough that eye.

IMDAZED

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dominicano Soy

Agree, might as well since Floyd ain't getting it. Now that Cotto has a better team behind him, and both Mosley and Marquez exposed Pacquiao's weaknesses, maybe Cotto can do something with a better game plan. I hope he brings that right hand with him cause he's gonna need it, that stood out last night. I saw some glimpses of the Cotto from the Mosley fight.

Me too. A little slower but it's like he dusted off some of the skills last night. Yeah, a Pac rematch isn't such a bad idea. Don't know if he can drop to 147 though.