By Jhonny Gonzalez
Trainer Emanuel Steward is getting two plans together for his boxer, WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (35-2, 28KOs), for use in the upcoming defense against Ricardo Mayorga (29-7, 23KOs) on March 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Steward has one plan with Cotto boxing with his jab on the outside, and another with inside battle using combination punching to the head and body. Between the two, Steward would prefer for Cotto to keep the fight on the inside.
"Michael is very good fighting from the outside. But I he would prefer that he fight from a short distance, because that's where his punches are incredibly strong. And at short range, his punches will arrive there first before those of Mayorga. This is where Miguel can punish him," Steward told Jose Sanchez.
Steward is very happy with Cotto's style because the Puerto Rican boxer relies heavy on the use of power punching.
"Today we face a generation of boxers who play around but don't hit. And that is killing the sport of the boxing. Mayweather, Jr. is very talented, but he doesn't make any commitment to use power in his punches. He throws and throws, but he doesn't follow through. But Miguel is not like this. He works with his power. And you can feel the difference. I know when I am working with Miguel because I feel sore afterwards," Steward said.