Cotto's definitely no cherry-picker...

Read today a 2011 article about the time Cotto got snubbed by HBO when he and Arum pitched a fight with Vanes Martirosyan, and got snubbed. Did not know Cotto actually was considering that fight: "According to Arum, his offer of Cotto-Vanes Martirosyan for $1.5 million was turned down before Martinez even had an opponent for the date in question." Now I'm no boxing expert, but mostly a fan like most of you (despite a lot of you acting like experts around here). Besides GGG, the two names that I see thrown around here identified as the most ducked fighters are Martirosyan and Lara. This only serves to prove that Cotto is no ducker and is willing to fight the most dangerous opponents in their prime. Now I'm perfectly aware that he's close to retirement and is trying to maximize profits and recognition (thus I don't expect GGG, Lara, or Martirosyan getting a shot for practically no monetary reward so close to retirement), but if anything, his professional résumé speaks for itself. He fought the best opposition available in his prime and was involved in many exciting and dangerous wars, and now deserves to reap the rewards of his hard-earned efforts by choosing monetarily attractive opponents. Even then, he's talking about dangerous opponents like Sergio Martinez, a rematch with Mayweather, and a young and strong (yet unproven) Canelo. There's no way you'll ever see popular up and coming fighters like Canelo try to fight dangerous, career defining prime opponents like Lara and Martirosyan. In fact, it's laughable that a completely unproven Canelo is getting a shot at Mayweather without even facing a proven fighter, and not even convincingly beating the only boxer with some sort of recognition in Trout and a completely shot Mosley. Then, his camp shamefully argues that they would not fight Martirosyan because he's not a big enough monetary draw, as if he's finishing his career and has already faced worthy opposition besides getting a lucky and undeserved shot at Mayweather. GTFO with that bullsh*t! These paper champions are constantly fed smaller and technically inferior opponents like lambs to the slaughter, and still sometimes cannot get an impressive win. Then you have Mayweather (whose skills I deeply admire) cherry-picking opponents past their prime (Cotto, dangerous but arguably not as much as a few years ago), or unproven and inexperienced (Canelo) in order to protect his precious "0" loss record. I never miss a Mayweather fight, but I definitely do not drink his ridiculous kook-aid. I think it was telling that he recently congratulated his team for "intelligently"picking his opponents to maximize his profits and reduce his risk of a loss. People around here are always saying Cotto is shot or nearly shot. If history will prove anything, it's that Cotto was always willing to fight anyone in their prime when it most counted, was willing to fight a cheater and confront his demons against Margarito, and was willing to go toe to toe against the best at any time. I think that's more admirable than setting up hyped-up paper champions with "rock star" looks with inferior opposition, or cowardly cherry-picking past-prime opponents despite having godly boxing skills. Don't you? -Flood

Comments (13)

Cotto is a warrior... Reminds me of Gatti in a lot of ways -always willing to go to war with anyone, anywhere at anytime -win, lose or draw. He might not be the most skilled player in the game but the man has heart. The man earned a chance to fight in the 2000 Summer Olympics for Christ's sake. I'd say he's a pretty skilled boxer in his own right.

12y ago

Flood

What the hell are you going on about Martirosyan? Nobody says he's a ducked fighter. I've read it multiple times in this forum. I think a search would do the trick. Although, I've read some of the comments above about Vanes crying about being avoided and being a boring fighter. Interesting stuff. Anyway, interesting comments all around. I didn't mean that Cotto was accused of being a cherry picker. Instead, he's known NOT to be a cherry picker, and I just wanted to highlight that fact because now people criticize him for picking Delvin as an easy fight. Nothing wrong with picking an easier fight to build confidence, but Delvin is no tomato can as people are now saying. Before the fight, I read tons of posts saying that Cotto could lose, that Delvin gave Trout all he could handle, etc. Now, predictably, these same people are saying that it was an easy fight to begin with. These people also forget that Cotto picked Trout, of all people, to restore confidence after losing to Mayweather, and against everyone's advice (as posted earlier). Anyway, just giving respect and mad props to a fighter I've always admired. And another very important point: Win or lose, no matter the opponent, Cotto NEVER gets involved in a boring fight. You always get your money's worth in spades, which is not the case with many of the so-called "must see TV" fights we get these days. -Flood

12y ago

2Shotz

Cotto Warrior... Cotto is a warrior... Reminds me of Gatti in a lot of ways -always willing to go to war with anyone, anywhere at anytime -win, lose or draw. He might not be the most skilled player in the game but the man has heart.

12y ago

Rudiamonds

Cotto is one of the few Unquestionable warriors in boxing

12y ago

DoktorSleepless

What the hell are you going on about Martirosyan? Nobody says he's a ducked fighter.

12y ago

bluebeam

Cotton and Manny Pacquaio both exciting noncherrypickers David diaz and shane mosley were cherrypicks for pacquiao

12y ago

KING_MEAT

cotto is a no bull**** fighter. you line them up, you give him the price, hell take it. losses dont mean nothing to him, he can fill up seats even if he loses another 3

12y ago

Check_hooks

I never heard anyone call Cotto a cherry picker

12y ago

paulf

Yeah, I vaguely remember this as being the story. The point of the thread though is on-point. Cotto would and has fought anyone. He doesn't give a crap. He fought Trout for christ-sakes, even though TR and GBP both advised against it. I give him mad respect for it though because I always liked Trout, especially since he's from New Mexico and I spent 6 wonderful years in that location. As it relates to Vanes - luckily that fight didn't happen. That guy bores me to tears. Cries about being avoided - avoids quality comp in his class. Yeah. Before this bout, they had been trying to work out Berto-Cotto, but since Berto was already being paid over a million bucks to fight cans, he was expecting a much larger amount of money to face Cotto. What he was wanting would have amounted to over half the purse, so the fight died in negotiation. Cotto would have beat that ass.

12y ago

JmH_Reborn

WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS that HBO wanted Martinez-Cotto on that date. DiBella was all for it, but Arum balked at the idea and turned it down. He wanted an easier fight for Cotto, and proposed Cotto-Martirosyan. HBO passed and gave the date to Martinez, since he was the one who accepted the initial fight and was on his way up. Vanes isn't a ducked fighter, he is a fighter no one gives a **** about. He has turned down fights with Angulo and Kirkland while at the same time claims to be avoided. Cotto would have handled him easily, which is why Arum wanted to make the fight. Yeah, I vaguely remember this as being the story. The point of the thread though is on-point. Cotto would and has fought anyone. He doesn't give a crap. He fought Trout for christ-sakes, even though TR and GBP both advised against it. I give him mad respect for it though because I always liked Trout, especially since he's from New Mexico and I spent 6 wonderful years in that location. As it relates to Vanes - luckily that fight didn't happen. That guy bores me to tears. Cries about being avoided - avoids quality comp in his class.

12y ago

paulf

12y ago

BUNGALOWS

Boxing fans should already know this. Cotto's a badass Puerto Rican dude that can kick the **** out of 99.9% of this world.

12y ago

Deeznuts

Cotton and Manny Pacquaio both exciting noncherrypickers

12y ago