Cotto vs. Lara

That makes one of us, Ruben. lol Erislandy is still growing as a pro. The fight with P. Will, despite the outrageous decision, was tremendous experience for Lara. Even the fight with Molina was good work for Erislandy. Cotto might be a little faded, but I think he has enough left to edge out Lara. Of course, I thought Williams would be too much for Erislandy...and I was (happily) proven wrong. I see Miguel winning a decision over Lara. I got serious faith in Lara and I think Cotto has significantly dropped since the Pac fight. I'll have to disagree with that, Lara is nowhere near being Joshua Clottey. Lara is more Quintana with with faster hands. Lara is also a big puncher at 154 than Quintana is at 147. That right there, handspeed and power, already gives Lara the edge in the Quintana comparison. Couple it with Cotto not being the same fighter as he was in the Quintana fight. I got Lara winning. Agreed, I think people are way too stuck on the whole styles make fights thing. Claiming that Cotto cannot be outboxed is ridiculous and he has never faced anyone who can box as well as Lara either. The whole thing about Cotto being effective against everyone but high volume fighters is a bit silly since the same can be said about Lara, infact most people thought Paul Williams would win since he is a high volume fighter. Not saying that its impossible for Cotto to win but people need to take an actual objective look at the match-up. Lara may be unproven but Cotto is definately unproven at 154 and wouldn't have any physical advantages, I'd be pretty confident in Lara pulling off the victory.

cotto by TKO

not hating on anyone, but imho this fight would be boring as fukk. the bigger guy lara will run and pick his spots and the smaller guy cotto will try and stalk lara... recipe for a boring azz fight. bring on cotto/marg at 154, cotto/ortiz at 150 or 147 if possible, cotto/khan at 150 or 147 if possible, cotto/bradley at 150 or 147 if possible.

At 154 I think these fighters would win right now: Martinez Margarito Dzinziruk In about two years or so, I would favor Alvarez and Lara, Angulo At 147 Pacquiao Mayweather...if he still has his legs In a year, id favor Ortiz. I think Bradley, Vanes, Berto, Lara, Angulo, Wolak and now we have to accounr for Molina would give him close and competitive bouts, but not win. Although I wouldn't count them out either since anything can happen Okay, I was wrong then. But I think Cotto will beat Margarito on Dec 3. It's not that Cotto has gotten better, it's just that Margarito has fallen off hard. Basing this on his fight against Garcia, and how he looked so bad in the Pacquiao fight. He just looks like a completely different fighter, doesn't look like that Margarito that beat Cotto at all. Sure Cotto has fallen off, but Margarito has fallen way off, and Cotto has looked better than Marg. As opposed to back then, coming in to the Marg-Cotto I fight, I thought Marg was looking better and that's why I picked Margarito to beat Cotto in the first fight. But this time around i'm pretty sure Cotto wins. I'm probably gonna bet some points on that fight. I think Bradley, Berto, and Lara beat Cotto but the rest would lose.

Lol, does anybody at all beat Cotto in your opinion? I'm gonna eliminate Sergio from that question, because Sergio kill Cotto and i'm sure you agree. But does any one else beat Cotto? I don't think I have seen you saying Cotto would lose. At 154 I think these fighters would win right now: Martinez Margarito Dzinziruk In about two years or so, I would favor Alvarez and Lara, Angulo At 147 Pacquiao Mayweather...if he still has his legs In a year, id favor Ortiz. I think Bradley, Vanes, Berto, Lara, Angulo, Wolak and now we have to accounr for Molina would give him close and competitive bouts, but not win. Although I wouldn't count them out either since anything can happen

Both southpaws, Lara and Quintana. But I still see more Clottey than Quintana in Lara. I'll have to disagree with that, Lara is nowhere near being Joshua Clottey. Lara is more Quintana with with faster hands. Lara is also a big puncher at 154 than Quintana is at 147. That right there, handspeed and power, already gives Lara the edge in the Quintana comparison. Couple it with Cotto not being the same fighter as he was in the Quintana fight. I got Lara winning.

A sustained body punishment puts Lara down. It'd be a great fight though, I'd support it. Maybe Lara can snatch a belt from K9 and spruce it up Lol, does anybody at all beat Cotto in your opinion? I'm gonna eliminate Sergio from that question, because Sergio kill Cotto and i'm sure you agree. But does any one else beat Cotto? I don't think I have seen you saying Cotto would lose.

I think that's a good comparison, but I think he is a faster, more skilled, better Quintana. I think he is one of those guys who's performances will rise with his competition level. It appears he almost gets bored in the ring at times. I've noticed this with some of the other Cuban fighters, other than Gamboa who is all action all the time. PW pressured him the whole fight forcing him to fight more and he rose to the occasion. I think the same would happen against Cotto. When I got to the part about "it appears he almost gets bored in the ring at times," I thought to myself exactly what you said next. I've even seen it with Gamboa. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that a couple of Yuri's knockdowns are attributable to lack of focus. It could be a nasty byproduct of fighting all those amateur fights. These former Cuban amateur stars fought a ton of fights against weak opposition. They might've developed a stubborn "coasting" attitude. Too much amateur experience is detrimental to a pro fighter.

Lara's a low activity boxer, Cotto's never had trouble with that. I have enough faith in what Cotto has left to pick him by decision.

That makes one of us, Ruben. lol Erislandy is still growing as a pro. The fight with P. Will, despite the outrageous decision, was tremendous experience for Lara. Even the fight with Molina was good work for Erislandy. Cotto might be a little faded, but I think he has enough left to edge out Lara. Of course, I thought Williams would be too much for Erislandy...and I was (happily) proven wrong. I see Miguel winning a decision over Lara. I agree with everything you said:boxing:

I disagree that Clottey is the guy who Lara compares to on Cottos resume imo I see a lot more of Quintana in Lara rather than Clottey. I think that's a good comparison, but I think he is a faster, more skilled, better Quintana. I think he is one of those guys who's performances will rise with his competition level. It appears he almost gets bored in the ring at times. I've noticed this with some of the other Cuban fighters, other than Gamboa who is all action all the time. PW pressured him the whole fight forcing him to fight more and he rose to the occasion. I think the same would happen against Cotto.

I'd say Cotto, but Lara gives him a run for his money.

Who you got? close fight imho... cotto gets the nodd...

I disagree that Clottey is the guy who Lara compares to on Cottos resume imo I see a lot more of Quintana in Lara rather than Clottey. Both southpaws, Lara and Quintana. But I still see more Clottey than Quintana in Lara.

Miguel has two losses on his record: Marg and Manny. Margarito, on his best day, is a relentless fighter -- as he was agianst Cotto. Lara's nothing like him. Manny's Manny. Erislandy's nothing like him either. Who is? The closest comparable fighter to Lara in Miguel's resume is Joshua Clottey. He and Lara ball up in the same high guard when being attacked. The important difference is that Clottey throws more combinations, while Erislandy tends to be more of a one-two type of fighter. Josh had the fight with Cotto in his grasp, but allowed Miguel to snatch it from him. I still think Cotto's got the edge in a match-up with Lara. But Miguel's a little faded, having absorbed a lot of punishment in the last few years. Cotto was in a war against Marg, took a lot of punishment in a win against Clottey and got hammered versus Pacquiao. Erislandy might just prove that he's too much for the gutsy Cotto at this stage in Miguel's career, as he did with Williams. I disagree that Clottey is the guy who Lara compares to on Cottos resume imo I see a lot more of Quintana in Lara rather than Clottey.

Miguel has two losses on his record: Marg and Manny. Margarito, on his best day, is a relentless fighter -- as he was agianst Cotto. Lara's nothing like him. Manny's Manny. Erislandy's nothing like him either. Who is? The closest comparable fighter to Lara in Miguel's resume is Joshua Clottey. He and Lara ball up in the same high guard when being attacked. The important difference is that Clottey throws more combinations, while Erislandy tends to be more of a one-two type of fighter. Josh had the fight with Cotto in his grasp, but allowed Miguel to snatch it from him. I still think Cotto's got the edge in a match-up with Lara. But Miguel's a little faded, having absorbed a lot of punishment in the last few years. Cotto was in a war against Marg, took a lot of punishment in a win against Clottey and got hammered versus Pacquiao. Erislandy might just prove that he's too much for the gutsy Cotto at this stage in Miguel's career, as he did with Williams. Yeah thanks for basically agreeing with everything except the bold bro!!

Cotto would beat Lara rather easily.People tend to forget that pressure fighters & high stamina is what bothers Cotto.I don't know if anyone realizes but Cotto has never been outboxed.Lara isn't a pressure fighter,those kind of fighters have not beaten Cotto to date.Styles make fights,Cotto smokes him right now. Miguel has two losses on his record: Marg and Manny. Margarito, on his best day, is a relentless fighter -- as he was agianst Cotto. Lara's nothing like him. Manny's Manny. Erislandy's nothing like him either. Who is? The closest comparable fighter to Lara in Miguel's resume is Joshua Clottey. He and Lara ball up in the same high guard when being attacked. The important difference is that Clottey throws more combinations, while Erislandy tends to be more of a one-two type of fighter. Josh had the fight with Cotto in his grasp, but allowed Miguel to snatch it from him. I still think Cotto's got the edge in a match-up with Lara. But Miguel's a little faded, having absorbed a lot of punishment in the last few years. Cotto was in a war against Marg, took a lot of punishment in a win against Clottey and got hammered versus Pacquiao. Erislandy might just prove that he's too much for the gutsy Cotto at this stage in Miguel's career, as he did with Williams.

Cotto would beat Lara rather easily.People tend to forget that pressure fighters & high stamina is what bothers Cotto.I don't know if anyone realizes but Cotto has never been outboxed.Lara isn't a pressure fighter,those kind of fighters have not beaten Cotto to date.Styles make fights,Cotto smokes him right now.

Cotto hasn't fought no one good in years it seems... I'll take Lara to show heart and pull off the win.

The Cuba vs Puerto Rico tag would be dope too! There's going to be a lot of that in the coming years. As some of these Cuban defectors gain greater and greater success, they'll inspire more of their countrymen to leave the island and seek fortune abroad. Some Cuban-Americans like Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin will also be inspired. I can see a possible P.R.-Cuba rivalry building. And, from the looks of it on this board, a Cuba-Mexico rivalry as well.