Tweet
It seems like just yesterday that Miguel Cotto was one of the rising stars in the sport of boxing. Hailing from Caugus, Puerto Rico and already known because of his accomplishments as an amateur, Cotto’s ascension in the professional sport was both calculated and impressive.
In June of 2002 Cotto made an impression with a fifth round stoppage over former title contender Justin Juuko at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada and from that point forward he began finding himself in the public’s eye more often that not. In the following years Miguel stormed through a list of capable journeyman and hardened veterans, all the while showcasing remarkable poise and professionalism as fighter.
Cotto won the WBO Jr. Welterweight title easily by stopping Kelson Pinto in the sixth in an April 2004 showdown in Puerto Rico and the championship taste was one that he would hold on to for several years. Defenses over Randall Bailey, Ricardo Torres, Muhammad Abdulaev, and Paulie Malignaggi were showcases of Cotto’s patient attack, tremendous body punching, and unrelenting will.
In his wild bout with Torres, as well as a February 2005 stoppage over DeMarcus ‘Chop chop’ Corley, Cotto was rocked on repeated occasions and their was speculation about his struggle to make 140 pounds. Cotto would move up to Welterweight in classy and destructive fashion, as he brutalized Carlos Quintana at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City to capture the WBA championship of the world.
Things were going according to plan for Cotto as his star continued to rise with a pair of high-profile wins over Zab Judah and Shane Mosley in 2007 and he began marching up the pound for pound rankings as well. Cotto’s talent was easily identifiable and his ceiling was obviously high but the summer of 2008 would mark a rough patch in his career.
On July 26th Cotto would find himself in the ring with the relentless aggression of Antonio Margarito in a huge Pay per view showdown. The early momentum was controlled by Miguel but despite building up a lead he began to fade over the second half of the fight. Margarito was in Cotto’s face and never gave him an inch, pounding away until the brave champion had seen enough in the 11th round. It was a devastating loss for Cotto and one in which he suffered a tremendous amount of punishment.
Following a short break Cotto would return in 2009 with wins over Michael Jennings and Joshua Clottey at Madison Square Garden. While Jennings was a soft touch and disposed of with ease, Clottey presented a much stiffer task and the fight was nip and tuck, with Cotto coming on top by split decision. Next for Cotto was a November clash with rising Manny Pacquiao and heading into the bout he found himself the underdog.
Cotto started well against Pacquiao but suffered a pair of knockdowns in the 3rd and 4th, with the latter being much more severe, and faded over the remaining rounds until he was ultimately stopped in the 12th. Cotto’s physique showed off his obvious dedication for the bout but he simply couldn’t cope with Pacquiao’s speed and combination punching from awkward angles. The loss left some wondering if Miguel would ever fight again.
After another short break from the sport it was announced that Cotto would be returning this coming June 5th at Yankees Stadium against recently crowed WBA Jr. Middleweight champion Yuri Foreman. On paper the bout figures to be competitive, given Cotto’s championship experience and the still present question marks surrounding Foreman, but a closer look reveals that this could be a dangerous tussle for Miguel.
Yuri Foreman isn’t the type of fighter who is going to strike much fear in his opponents. Standing at 5"11 with a lanky frame, the Belarus native’s style in the ring is one that is defined by deft movement and speed, with high octane action rarely in the recipe. Still, the 29-year old is unbeaten in 28 fights and his style in the ring is so elusive that it’s hard to image anyone having an easy time with him.
Heading into the contest Cotto has teamed up with trainer Emmanuel Steward, a man who has had success rejuvenating the careers of Heavyweight champions Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko over the years. The Kronk trainer has a lot of talent to work with in Miguel but you have to wonder how Cotto’s exact mental and physical states are at this point after two gruesome losses.
During the pre-fight festivities Cotto has said all of the right things, pointing to the future and not the past, but the facts remain that he is going up against a man who is naturally bigger and with an awkward style. Cotto’s chin has also been dented and many have said that his best days are behind him. While on paper this may look like a former champion moving up in weight to tackle a more inexperienced foe, logic says that inside of the ring the reality will be slightly different. No matter how you look at it Cotto’s career is on the line June 5th and it is a do or die situation.
link