Cotto vs. Lara

[ny123]

I think Lara clearly skools him

I honestly dont see anything that Lara does that would seriously trouble Cotto. Imo this would be a slightly more competitive repeat of Cotto Quintana.

[b0ndsj0ns20]

When was the last time Cotto KO'ed anyone of note? He has never been a one punch KO artist. Lara out boxes him with ease, but loses because he can't possibly win a decision against Cotto.

[RubenSonny]

I'm confident Lara would give Cotto a beating.

[CubanGuyNYC]

I'm confident Lara would give Cotto a beating.

That makes one of us, Ruben. lol

Erislandy is still growing as a pro. The fight with P. Will, despite the outrageous decision, was tremendous experience for Lara. Even the fight with Molina was good work for Erislandy. Cotto might be a little faded, but I think he has enough left to edge out Lara. Of course, I thought Williams would be too much for Erislandy...and I was (happily) proven wrong. I see Miguel winning a decision over Lara.

[RL_GMA]

I think people are forgetting Cotto himself is a really crafty guy in the ring and is smart. Lara is really good due to his amateur background and it showed against Williams. But Cotto is another animal to deal with and is a much better boxer than Williams. The height won't be an issue of concern for Cotto nor does Lara really pressure his opponents, so it leaves it open for a back and forth fight that could really go either way.

The Cuba vs Puerto Rico tag would be dope too!

[CubanGuyNYC]

The Cuba vs Puerto Rico tag would be dope too!

There's going to be a lot of that in the coming years. As some of these Cuban defectors gain greater and greater success, they'll inspire more of their countrymen to leave the island and seek fortune abroad. Some Cuban-Americans like Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin will also be inspired. I can see a possible P.R.-Cuba rivalry building. And, from the looks of it on this board, a Cuba-Mexico rivalry as well.

[BTL]

Cotto hasn't fought no one good in years it seems... I'll take Lara to show heart and pull off the win.

[Bushbaby]

Cotto would beat Lara rather easily.People tend to forget that pressure fighters & high stamina is what bothers Cotto.I don't know if anyone realizes but Cotto has never been outboxed.Lara isn't a pressure fighter,those kind of fighters have not beaten Cotto to date.Styles make fights,Cotto smokes him right now.

[King Ju-Ju]

cotto would be favored to win imo. id go with him.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Cotto would beat Lara rather easily.People tend to forget that pressure fighters & high stamina is what bothers Cotto.I don't know if anyone realizes but Cotto has never been outboxed.Lara isn't a pressure fighter,those kind of fighters have not beaten Cotto to date.Styles make fights,Cotto smokes him right now.

Miguel has two losses on his record: Marg and Manny. Margarito, on his best day, is a relentless fighter -- as he was agianst Cotto. Lara's nothing like him. Manny's Manny. Erislandy's nothing like him either. Who is?

The closest comparable fighter to Lara in Miguel's resume is Joshua Clottey. He and Lara ball up in the same high guard when being attacked. The important difference is that Clottey throws more combinations, while Erislandy tends to be more of a one-two type of fighter. Josh had the fight with Cotto in his grasp, but allowed Miguel to snatch it from him.

I still think Cotto's got the edge in a match-up with Lara. But Miguel's a little faded, having absorbed a lot of punishment in the last few years. Cotto was in a war against Marg, took a lot of punishment in a win against Clottey and got hammered versus Pacquiao. Erislandy might just prove that he's too much for the gutsy Cotto at this stage in Miguel's career, as he did with Williams.