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Floyd Mayweather vs. Miguel Cotto 2012: Big Business, Utter Mismatch!!DO YOU AGREE?
http://www.*************.com/columns...tter-mismatch/
By Hans Olson
It was December 8, 2007. Floyd Mayweather had just knocked out Ricky Hatton, hanging the first loss on “The Hitman’s” record. As Larry Merchant interviewed Floyd in the ring post-fight, Floyd stated that he “needed a vacation,” and he had “done what he had to do in the sport;” he had “accomplished what he had to accomplish.”
If Floyd Mayweather were to have never fought again he would have been right, for he had done just about everything a professional boxer would have dreamt of doing.
Larry Merchant, forever the lovable antagonist, pressed Floyd.
“So are you saying you’re not going to fight a Miguel Cotto,” said Merchant. “A young, up and coming strong fighter, and a [guy] a lot of people would like to see you in with? “Miguel Cotto is one hell of a champion, along with the rest of the welterweights,” Floyd responded. “Shane Mosley is one hell of a champion. All the guys at welterweight and 154. And there are big champions. I once said before when I talked to my team…I won’t let the sport of boxing retire me, I’ll retire from the sport.”
So the fight with Miguel Cotto never happened. Floyd would go on hiatus, eventually coming back in 2009 to defeat Juan Manuel Marquez, then dominating “Sugar” Shane Mosley the following May, then knocking out Victor Ortiz this past September. Miguel Cotto’s career has been a more considerable roller-coaster ride, losing controversially to Antonio Margarito in 2008, a loss he avenged this past Saturday. Apart from Margarito, there were triumphs over Michael Jennings, Joshua Clottey, Yuri Foreman, and Ricardo Mayorga—though there was that career shortening beat-down from Manny Pacquiao.
All the while, fans still clamored for a Floyd Mayweather/Miguel Cotto clash.
Even when Floyd was retired. Even when Miguel had lost.
With his win Saturday night, Miguel Cotto puts himself in the perfect position to land the Floyd Mayweather super-fight, something Manny Pacquiao could get—if it weren’t for his promoter, Bob Arum.
Speaking of Arum…contractually, it’s widely known that Miguel Cotto is just about out of his obligations with Top Rank. Boxing Insider’s own Rich Mancuso reported yesterday in his post fight column that “it was heard from a ringside observer that Cotto said in the Garden ring to Margarito, ‘Goodbye to you and Arum.’” Rich made it clear that Cotto’s statement couldn’t be confirmed, but it certainly seems more than plausible given the rocky relationship Miguel has had with Arum and Top Rank since the first Margarito fight for obvious reasons. There are of course many contractual stipulations that must be worked out, even as a contract expires. Much of this fine print is unknown, so we can only speculate. One would imagine though, that Bob Arum would like to keep Miguel Cotto in his Top Rank stable, Cotto being one of boxing’s biggest ticket sellers, at the gate and at the box office.
Arum may have just the plan to keep Cotto around. “The fight I want to do with Miguel, is right here [in Madison Square Garden] with Chavez,” Arum was quoted in a report by Boxing Scene’s Miguel Rivera that ran Sunday. This would make sense, and Cotto could chase history by winning a championship in a 4th division…if he agreed to terms to re-up on his contract. Cotto/Chavez Jr. would be a mega-event certainly, and it’s a fight Miguel could win.
Against Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto has virtually no shot.
Maybe when Larry Merchant first presented the idea back in 2007, Cotto would have had somewhat of a shot. Heck, some may have even picked the Puerto Rican to upset Floyd. It could have been competitive. Maybe.
In 2011, Floyd Mayweather is head and shoulders above any other fighter in boxing, pound for pound. Just as masterful as he was in 2007…In 2011, he’s just as masterful.
On May 5, 2012, Miguel Cotto could perhaps earn a terrific pay day.
He would also earn a considerable beating.
Yesterday, today, tomorrow, next year, in another life…Floyd Mayweather beats Miguel Cotto every time.
The thing is, one aspect of Miguel Cotto as a fighter is that he’s never been afraid to take a challenge. Despite this, or in spite of it, Cotto has always challenged himself. He’d be willing to do something Manny Pacquiao—his fault or not—won’t do.
Boxing Insider’s Hans Olson can be reached at hanswilliamolson@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @hansolson
By Hans Olson
It was December 8, 2007. Floyd Mayweather had just knocked out Ricky Hatton, hanging the first loss on “The Hitman’s” record. As Larry Merchant interviewed Floyd in the ring post-fight, Floyd stated that he “needed a vacation,” and he had “done what he had to do in the sport;” he had “accomplished what he had to accomplish.”
If Floyd Mayweather were to have never fought again he would have been right, for he had done just about everything a professional boxer would have dreamt of doing.
Larry Merchant, forever the lovable antagonist, pressed Floyd.
“So are you saying you’re not going to fight a Miguel Cotto,” said Merchant. “A young, up and coming strong fighter, and a [guy] a lot of people would like to see you in with? “Miguel Cotto is one hell of a champion, along with the rest of the welterweights,” Floyd responded. “Shane Mosley is one hell of a champion. All the guys at welterweight and 154. And there are big champions. I once said before when I talked to my team…I won’t let the sport of boxing retire me, I’ll retire from the sport.”
So the fight with Miguel Cotto never happened. Floyd would go on hiatus, eventually coming back in 2009 to defeat Juan Manuel Marquez, then dominating “Sugar” Shane Mosley the following May, then knocking out Victor Ortiz this past September. Miguel Cotto’s career has been a more considerable roller-coaster ride, losing controversially to Antonio Margarito in 2008, a loss he avenged this past Saturday. Apart from Margarito, there were triumphs over Michael Jennings, Joshua Clottey, Yuri Foreman, and Ricardo Mayorga—though there was that career shortening beat-down from Manny Pacquiao.
All the while, fans still clamored for a Floyd Mayweather/Miguel Cotto clash.
Even when Floyd was retired. Even when Miguel had lost.
With his win Saturday night, Miguel Cotto puts himself in the perfect position to land the Floyd Mayweather super-fight, something Manny Pacquiao could get—if it weren’t for his promoter, Bob Arum.
Speaking of Arum…contractually, it’s widely known that Miguel Cotto is just about out of his obligations with Top Rank. Boxing Insider’s own Rich Mancuso reported yesterday in his post fight column that “it was heard from a ringside observer that Cotto said in the Garden ring to Margarito, ‘Goodbye to you and Arum.’” Rich made it clear that Cotto’s statement couldn’t be confirmed, but it certainly seems more than plausible given the rocky relationship Miguel has had with Arum and Top Rank since the first Margarito fight for obvious reasons. There are of course many contractual stipulations that must be worked out, even as a contract expires. Much of this fine print is unknown, so we can only speculate. One would imagine though, that Bob Arum would like to keep Miguel Cotto in his Top Rank stable, Cotto being one of boxing’s biggest ticket sellers, at the gate and at the box office.
Arum may have just the plan to keep Cotto around. “The fight I want to do with Miguel, is right here [in Madison Square Garden] with Chavez,” Arum was quoted in a report by Boxing Scene’s Miguel Rivera that ran Sunday. This would make sense, and Cotto could chase history by winning a championship in a 4th division…if he agreed to terms to re-up on his contract. Cotto/Chavez Jr. would be a mega-event certainly, and it’s a fight Miguel could win.
Against Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto has virtually no shot.
Maybe when Larry Merchant first presented the idea back in 2007, Cotto would have had somewhat of a shot. Heck, some may have even picked the Puerto Rican to upset Floyd. It could have been competitive. Maybe.
In 2011, Floyd Mayweather is head and shoulders above any other fighter in boxing, pound for pound. Just as masterful as he was in 2007…In 2011, he’s just as masterful.
On May 5, 2012, Miguel Cotto could perhaps earn a terrific pay day.
He would also earn a considerable beating.
Yesterday, today, tomorrow, next year, in another life…Floyd Mayweather beats Miguel Cotto every time.
The thing is, one aspect of Miguel Cotto as a fighter is that he’s never been afraid to take a challenge. Despite this, or in spite of it, Cotto has always challenged himself. He’d be willing to do something Manny Pacquiao—his fault or not—won’t do.
Boxing Insider’s Hans Olson can be reached at hanswilliamolson@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @hansolson
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