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A short article on Cotto and his upcoming fight (nothing we haven't heard before but thought people would like to read it anyway).
Cotto's style is plenty dangerous--for opponents and himself
Cotto's style is plenty dangerous--for opponents and himself
He has everything a boxing star needs: Knockout power, an aggressive style and an unbeaten record (30-0, 25 KOs). WBA welterweight champ Miguel Cotto also does everything boxing fans want: He fights with abandon, never sits on a lead and gets as good as he gives.
Yes, the last part is as bloody as it sounds, which is why his Nov. 10 showdown with Shane Mosley looms large. Beating the one star not afraid to get in the ring with him will force contenders (hello, Floyd Mayweather) to fight him -- and will mark the beginning of the end of Mayweather's status as boxing's best pound-for-pound fighter.
Cotto is pure danger in the ring. In his last fight, an epic Madison Square Garden scrap with former champ Zab Judah in June, Cotto built a huge early lead and could have coasted to a unanimous decision. Instead, he hit and didn't run. Judah landed big return fire and Cotto fought back fiercely, even getting a referee's warning for shots that landed too close to the belt.
Finally, with his face bloodied and swollen, Cotto pressed for a stoppage and got it with an 11th- round TKO.
The brawl was a typical night's work for Cotto, who in teo previous matches was wobbled by DeMarcus Corley and knocked down by Ricardo Torres before ending both with flashy knockouts.
"Those moments when he gets hurt and is vulnerable are crowd-pleasing," says HBO's Larry Merchant. "They show his will and spirit to overcome adversity."
Until now, analysts have been reluctant to throw much pound-for-pound credit toward a fighter who could be KO'd on any given Saturday night. Meanwhile, mainstream audiences haven't seen enough of Cotto to fully embrace him.
All that will change with the Mosley fight. Mosley has the glamour name, plus wins in his past five bouts. He fights with telegenic flash and will stay in the center of the ring to dance. If Cotto wins, he'll not only force analysts to recognize his pound-for-pound chops, he'll also strike the pay-per-view jackpot by forcing a 2008 bout with Mayweather or Oscar De La Hoya.
"I'm prepared for all the big names," Cotto says. "I want to be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter."
No matter how dangerous that could be.
Yes, the last part is as bloody as it sounds, which is why his Nov. 10 showdown with Shane Mosley looms large. Beating the one star not afraid to get in the ring with him will force contenders (hello, Floyd Mayweather) to fight him -- and will mark the beginning of the end of Mayweather's status as boxing's best pound-for-pound fighter.
Cotto is pure danger in the ring. In his last fight, an epic Madison Square Garden scrap with former champ Zab Judah in June, Cotto built a huge early lead and could have coasted to a unanimous decision. Instead, he hit and didn't run. Judah landed big return fire and Cotto fought back fiercely, even getting a referee's warning for shots that landed too close to the belt.
Finally, with his face bloodied and swollen, Cotto pressed for a stoppage and got it with an 11th- round TKO.
The brawl was a typical night's work for Cotto, who in teo previous matches was wobbled by DeMarcus Corley and knocked down by Ricardo Torres before ending both with flashy knockouts.
"Those moments when he gets hurt and is vulnerable are crowd-pleasing," says HBO's Larry Merchant. "They show his will and spirit to overcome adversity."
Until now, analysts have been reluctant to throw much pound-for-pound credit toward a fighter who could be KO'd on any given Saturday night. Meanwhile, mainstream audiences haven't seen enough of Cotto to fully embrace him.
All that will change with the Mosley fight. Mosley has the glamour name, plus wins in his past five bouts. He fights with telegenic flash and will stay in the center of the ring to dance. If Cotto wins, he'll not only force analysts to recognize his pound-for-pound chops, he'll also strike the pay-per-view jackpot by forcing a 2008 bout with Mayweather or Oscar De La Hoya.
"I'm prepared for all the big names," Cotto says. "I want to be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter."
No matter how dangerous that could be.
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