By Mark Vester
A few boxing experts from Puerto Rico took a few moments with El Nuevo Dia to analyze the proposed July 26 super fight between welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito.
Jose Bonilla, trainer of Carlos Quintana, says Margarito is tough fight, but Cotto has the skills to offset his style.
"He presents a different style and is strong and very large welterweight when compared to what Cotto has faced before in that division, like Zab Judah and Shane Mosley, who were fast, but boxers. This it is a different style, a type that always comes forward, but is not as fast as Mosley or Judah and I believe that Cotto has the style to face that type of Mexican boxer who always comes foward by using good positioning and lateral movement," Bonilla said.
"You have to prepare 100% with a good tactical plan and you have to stop to fight with him. You cannot box all the time because you have to let him that you are there."
Felix Trinidad Sr. agrees with Bonilla about the fight being tough, but feels that Margarito is too slow to win.
"This is a real fight, in the sense that Margarito throws a lot and comes to fight, but I find him a little bit slow for Cotto. That it is a great advantage for Miguel," Trinidad said. "He is a big fighter and strong, but Cotto showed again that he can do many things. Margarito is taller when compared to Cotto, but it makes it easier for Miguel to strike to the body."
'Iron Boy' Ivan Calderon, WBO light flyweight champion, says that based on what he saw last weekend, he is sure that Cotto will win and even by knockout. But, he says that Cotto will have to start strong in the first five rounds.
"Before I saw the fights last Saturday, I thought that Margarito would be one of the strongest fights for Miguel, but as I saw how strong and fast Cotto was, although (Gómez) may not have been an opponent on his level, and Margarito started slow as usual, I now think that Cotto will win in a more comfortable fashion, and even by knockout," Calderon said. "If Cotto does not take advantage of the first five rounds, Margarito will present a lot of danger down in the later rounds."
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