COTTO'S PERFORMANCE... An Assessment

He didn’t invest in enough bodywork to slow Tony down. Tony’s like the Terminator and he tends to shake off his opponents’ haymakers, only he does it with a smile and even asks for seconds. He’ll come at you all night with bad intentions unless you somehow manage to land the perfect shot while he wasn’t ready. That’s more trying to be lucky than smart. A sustained and effective body attack is the key to lessen his aggression and to slow him down in an attrition fight, and maybe weaken him enough to score a KO. That’s exactly what Tony did to him, so he maybe he should try giving the tough Mexican a dose of his own medicine. It will be harder for Tony to read his attack if he mixes up his combinations to include body shots like he did in the first couple of rounds. I’ve observed something out of whack in Cotto’s stance, especially when they’re trading. He’s too squared up presenting Tony a much wider target then necessary and exposing his midsection to uppercuts. He also crouches down a lot (see pic). He should try his best to correct that. The ropes are a No-Man’s-Land for Cotto (that’s where he lost the fight) and it’s crucial to keep the battle in the center as much as he can. He spent too much time near the perimeter even while backpedaling where the ropes sometimes help Tony cut the ring and close the gap. By the time Cotto tries to sidestep, he gets within range of Tony’s salvos, then BAM… he gets caught with a big one. When you tiptoe along the ropes like that, you eventually end up in a corner ( especially when you gassed), which is the last place you want to be in against a strong pressure fighter. When he’s taking a break from all the movement, again he’s leaning on the friggin ropes, shoulders squared up with his guard raised protecting his sides with his elbows and his face with the gloves. However, he has the gloves too high up his forehead, leaving his middle exposed, including his chin (again see pic). That’s why his nose and mouth got busted up like that. It allows Tony to measure him comfortably and to fire at will with those vicious uppercuts (particularly with the left) to the jaw and body. It’s a double whammy because the ropes also hinder him from generating enough leverage in his punches and he ends up taking greater damage than he’s dishing out when he tries to fight back. Simply put… it’s sloppy defense. So how did he try to gain leverage… he leaned forward, or he crouched down. Sometimes he crouched to brace for impact or to avoid occasional hooks, which is an even worse position from uppercuts especially to his face. He’ll seldom get the upper hand in exchanges like that when his back is against the ropes unless he’s a defensive master like Floyd who knows exactly what to do to nullify a barrage in that type of situation... the slick bastard. :) If Cotto can’t duplicate that kind rope-a-dope which only a few can master, then he simply has no business being there. The next best option is to try to swing Tony around and turn the tables on him but that’s also easier said than done (I saw him do it once but instead of attacking, he backed off), or to get off those ropes entirely as soon he senses them. Not only once have I read something to the effect that “if he can’t run all night, he can’t win.” Anyway, I think Tony’s body shots took their toll on Cotto’s stamina and sapped his strength to be successful with that ploy, not to mention trying to maintain pace, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: He doesn’t have to run all night. It’s not about running, it’s about proper footwork. I’ve noticed Cotto overdoes the back pedaling a tad and overexerts himself. He should learn to be more economical in footwork yet be able to achieve the same desired effect without wasting as much gas in the process. It not just about controlling the distance or running away as much as proper positioning. That calls for more advanced lateral movement and pivoting. He also needs to jab some more when Tony’s following him around. Clinching is so underrated especially against a larger opponent who’s bearing down on you with howitzer type uppercuts. It’s not pretty but it’s an essential skill that helps keep an opponent from plugging away at your strength with power shots. It also affords you a chance to slow the pace and take a breather especially when you’re applying movement like Cotto was. Seldom do we see Cotto try to clinch and when he does, it’s usually only when he’s been hurt badly. http://www.marcobarrera.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=10678.0;attach=8780;image