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COTTO VS PACQUIAO: “TRIAL BY FIRE”
By Gary Todd
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 13 Oct 2009
Page 1:
MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas, 14th of November, 2009.
With the end of 2009, closing in on us all, and thoughts of vacations, and time with our friends and families, its also been a time to reflect on the past year, and also, the year ahead. Not so, for Miguel Cotto, and Manny Pacquiao. These two ring warriors are in fierce battles with themselves, preparing to face each other on November 14th. There has been some tremendous match ups this year but this is going to be special. It’s one of those fights, that just thinking about it, gives you butterfly’s in your stomach, and it’s one of those fights that you know, will live up to its name. “Firepower”.
Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao are two very different fighters, with totally different styles of fighting, but both have one thing in common. Power.
With 89 fights between them, and 64 of their opponents being relieved of their senses, with most of their knockouts coming by an accumulation of punches thrown in combinations, could this fight be dubbed as anything else?
Miguel Cotto started his career after the 2000 Olympics, and quickly stormed up the light welterweight division, fighting a mixed bag of hopefuls, and former world champions along the way.
In 2004, he fought Kelson Pinto, for the vacant WBO World title, and battered the man who had beaten him in the amateurs, to win his first world championship belt.
From that time onwards, Cotto has never taken a backwards step, moving forward, stepping up to fight quality opponents, and giving us, the fans, some memorable nights, on his path to glory. One night in particular was when he fought Ricardo Torres, at the “Boardwalk” in Atlantic City. This town gave us some brutal encounters over the years, and Cotto v Torres was another night to remember.
Ricardo Torres had come into the fight as a late replacement, and was a virtual unknown to not just the boxing fans around the world, but to the boxing media. When he entered the ring, many thought this was going to be another lamb to the slaughter, at the hands, of the man from Caguas, Puerto Rico.
Cotto came out fast, sticking the jab, and following with some fast left hooks, all the while, stalking, and targeting Torres' body. All expectations of a good fight went out the window, when Torres went down in the first round, from a left hook from Cotto. Torres got up, with his eyes wide and clear.
In a brilliant, round two, which saw Torres eat more hooks, until, suddenly, catching Cotto on the hop, he landed a thunderbolt punch flush on the jaw of the Puerto Rican, which sent him into panic mode, but also ignited him to feel the need to trade bombs on the inside, which could have cost him the fight. Coming forward, body bent, and head bowed, all the while swinging away wildly, Cotto was nailed again by another left hook haymaker, but got up and went back to his corner, knowing he had taken Torres’s best. What a round.
As the rounds progressed, and with a growing confidence in his ability to visibly shake Cotto up, Torres foolishly left his body and head wide open, and Cotto continued to persevere and punish him, until, finally in the 7th, he let rip, a tremendous, clinical combination, that took all the fight out of Ricardo Torres, to knock him out to retain his world title.
It was now 2006, and Cotto had made his mark in the light welterweight division. After battling with his body, he decided to move up in weight, where huge money fights could be made. At his first fight at 147, it was announced Cotto would be fighting the tough southpaw, Carlos Quintana for the vacant WBA, welterweight world title, back in Atlantic City. Thousands travelled from New York to witness Cotto hammer Quintana’s body over 5 rounds, to take the title back to Puerto Rico. From there on, Cotto was on a destruction and destroy mission, beating Oktay Urkal, Zab Judah, Shane Mosley, and Alfonzo Gomez.
With great performances, better opposition, and clear cut wins, it looked like no one could beat him at the weight.
Antonio Margarito had been around a while, fighting anyone who wanted to fight. He didn’t care, he just wanted to make a better life for himself and his family. He wasn’t great to watch, didn’t speak any English, and just couldn’t get a break on the lucrative PPV primetime circuit, and while struggling through life, winning in the ring, but never taking home a decent paycheck, he was a dangerous, desperate man. Miguel Cotto could change all that for him in one night.
Cotto v Margarito was signed for July, 2008, and it was a tremendous struggle of a proud champion, taking everything from a challenger, willing to do anything to win. In the fight, Cotto, in my mind, was winning on points, until he made the fatal mistake of punching himself out, and allowing his opponent to drive unprotected shots into him, while on the ropes. It was unbelievable to watch. It was like Cotto had nothing left, while Margarito soared.
Continued on Page 2:
By Gary Todd
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 13 Oct 2009
Page 1:
MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas, 14th of November, 2009.
With the end of 2009, closing in on us all, and thoughts of vacations, and time with our friends and families, its also been a time to reflect on the past year, and also, the year ahead. Not so, for Miguel Cotto, and Manny Pacquiao. These two ring warriors are in fierce battles with themselves, preparing to face each other on November 14th. There has been some tremendous match ups this year but this is going to be special. It’s one of those fights, that just thinking about it, gives you butterfly’s in your stomach, and it’s one of those fights that you know, will live up to its name. “Firepower”.
Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao are two very different fighters, with totally different styles of fighting, but both have one thing in common. Power.
With 89 fights between them, and 64 of their opponents being relieved of their senses, with most of their knockouts coming by an accumulation of punches thrown in combinations, could this fight be dubbed as anything else?
Miguel Cotto started his career after the 2000 Olympics, and quickly stormed up the light welterweight division, fighting a mixed bag of hopefuls, and former world champions along the way.
In 2004, he fought Kelson Pinto, for the vacant WBO World title, and battered the man who had beaten him in the amateurs, to win his first world championship belt.
From that time onwards, Cotto has never taken a backwards step, moving forward, stepping up to fight quality opponents, and giving us, the fans, some memorable nights, on his path to glory. One night in particular was when he fought Ricardo Torres, at the “Boardwalk” in Atlantic City. This town gave us some brutal encounters over the years, and Cotto v Torres was another night to remember.
Ricardo Torres had come into the fight as a late replacement, and was a virtual unknown to not just the boxing fans around the world, but to the boxing media. When he entered the ring, many thought this was going to be another lamb to the slaughter, at the hands, of the man from Caguas, Puerto Rico.
Cotto came out fast, sticking the jab, and following with some fast left hooks, all the while, stalking, and targeting Torres' body. All expectations of a good fight went out the window, when Torres went down in the first round, from a left hook from Cotto. Torres got up, with his eyes wide and clear.
In a brilliant, round two, which saw Torres eat more hooks, until, suddenly, catching Cotto on the hop, he landed a thunderbolt punch flush on the jaw of the Puerto Rican, which sent him into panic mode, but also ignited him to feel the need to trade bombs on the inside, which could have cost him the fight. Coming forward, body bent, and head bowed, all the while swinging away wildly, Cotto was nailed again by another left hook haymaker, but got up and went back to his corner, knowing he had taken Torres’s best. What a round.
As the rounds progressed, and with a growing confidence in his ability to visibly shake Cotto up, Torres foolishly left his body and head wide open, and Cotto continued to persevere and punish him, until, finally in the 7th, he let rip, a tremendous, clinical combination, that took all the fight out of Ricardo Torres, to knock him out to retain his world title.
It was now 2006, and Cotto had made his mark in the light welterweight division. After battling with his body, he decided to move up in weight, where huge money fights could be made. At his first fight at 147, it was announced Cotto would be fighting the tough southpaw, Carlos Quintana for the vacant WBA, welterweight world title, back in Atlantic City. Thousands travelled from New York to witness Cotto hammer Quintana’s body over 5 rounds, to take the title back to Puerto Rico. From there on, Cotto was on a destruction and destroy mission, beating Oktay Urkal, Zab Judah, Shane Mosley, and Alfonzo Gomez.
With great performances, better opposition, and clear cut wins, it looked like no one could beat him at the weight.
Antonio Margarito had been around a while, fighting anyone who wanted to fight. He didn’t care, he just wanted to make a better life for himself and his family. He wasn’t great to watch, didn’t speak any English, and just couldn’t get a break on the lucrative PPV primetime circuit, and while struggling through life, winning in the ring, but never taking home a decent paycheck, he was a dangerous, desperate man. Miguel Cotto could change all that for him in one night.
Cotto v Margarito was signed for July, 2008, and it was a tremendous struggle of a proud champion, taking everything from a challenger, willing to do anything to win. In the fight, Cotto, in my mind, was winning on points, until he made the fatal mistake of punching himself out, and allowing his opponent to drive unprotected shots into him, while on the ropes. It was unbelievable to watch. It was like Cotto had nothing left, while Margarito soared.
Continued on Page 2:
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