Miguel Cotto vs Carlos Palomino prime for prime at 147

[Ray Corso]

He was no different then any other prospect, once your declared a prospect you go through a few years of fighting "stiffs" thats a dozen or so KO wins. A smart managers gives a fighter a few "test" fights as the progress moves on. Once you go from prospect to contender your opponents aren't "going out" so you find out where you are within the division. Thats the maturation point, some guys who are ****ing out stiffs find out their power is average or below average once the opponents are fighting to win. It looks like Cotto has resigned himself to be a mover and try to punch in combination and when hes in there with a guy who can hurt him hes cautious about pitfalls and traps. I think hes doing what he feels is a necesity to give himself the best chance for success. Sometimes fans miss this maturation and expect fighters who had a high KO percentage to continue to KO people. Very few fighters bring power or gain power as they move up in weight. Cottos best weight is probably between welter and ltW. I'd guess 142 to 144 even at fight time. Ray

[The Surgeon]

Cotto was literally murderin gomez as soon as the fight started.

And Gomez was so bad when he swung for Cotto he would miss wildly
when cottos head wasn't even moving????

By the third it should have been over but as usual cotto was blowin and looked weakened.......


Watch the fight again it is mind blowing that it went as long as it did
considering how it started.

Im not even debating this, its that ridiculous.

Mosley there is a case for (i dont see it personally) but Gomez? No, just no.

[The Surgeon]

Cotto was fading in the Mosley fight. The first 6 rounds or so, Cotto just had the best jab I've seen in a long time just controlling Mosley and he was sharp and accurate.
Then he forgot it, Mosley winged a few right hands and he was on his back feet.

Mosley closed the gap, I just thought that was the best Cotto jab I've ever seen that night and he just put it on the shelf late.

Mosley vs Cotto is easily one of my all time favourite fights (terribly underrated!) and ive probably seen it more than any other fight excluding prime Tyson fights of course

His jab was magnificent early but as Mosley changed it up and got more aggressive Cotto went more on the counter and dispensed with the jab, he was in control the whole time and as far as i was concerned well ahead. He had a cut mouth again, wasn't about to stop Shane and knew he was ahead on the cards so played a lil defence and fought off the backfoot late though he was still winning rounds and scoring with Hard damaging punches while in reverse - Cotto can not only beat a guy on the backfoot he can beat a guy UP on the backfoot!

He was Brilliant that night IMO and while probably a bit tired and also with a mouth full of blood far from fading, fading fighters dont land with the power he was landing with

[The Surgeon]

Here is my take from the scorecard thread


Round 1: 10-9 COTTO

Round 2: 10-9 COTTO

Round 3: 10-10 EVEN

Round 4: 10-9 COTTO

Round 5: 10-9 COTTO

Round 6: 10-9 COTTO

Round 7: 10-9 COTTO

Round 8: 10-9 COTTO

Round 9: 9-10 MOSLEY

Round 10: 9-10 MOSLEY

Round 11: 10-9 COTTO

Round 12: 9-10 MOSLEY

TOTAL - 117-112 COTTO

I felt Miguel had the better start and took the opener, The second was closer but i gave it to Cotto with his big Left cross nicking the round. I couldnt split them in the third - Even Jack Mosley said it was even and was happy as if he knew theyd lost the first 2. The fourth i prefered Cotto's work, The 5th was a big round for Cotto, The sixth he took again this timed maily based on strong right hands, Round Seven was close but i liked Miguel and he was tagging Shane as he was backing up all round, Another close round in the eighth, the nineth was Mosleys and he had Cotto backing up with a mouth injury, tho it was made close and Cotto scored with a big left at the end. Round ten belonged to Shane IMO i liked his right hand bombs but Manny Steward thought it was a Cotto round or even. In the eleventh Miguel pulled it back landing the cleaner harder shots off of the back foot but in the twelfth Miguel was backing up too much without scoring too much and Mosley took the round

[them_apples]

that was a pretty good win for Cotto. Mosley not being and old man and still game, although not at his best.