How high do you rank Miguel Cotto?

[Walt Liquor]

At his best, Miguel Cotto was a very good fighter. He was never elite though, and far too many people considered him to be so. I think he's been consistently overrated in my time on this site, as much as any other fighter in the same time period.

Who would you consider elite in cotto's weight classes?

[fenixbb]

Cotto is still an exciting fighter and is or was an elite fighter. He went trough too many wars. If Cotto is a B+ fighter then why did Pacquiao need a catchweight against Cotto and why did Floyd retired and came back to fight the 60 % Cotto ? Cotto never ducked the well known elite fighters and gave allways his best period.

[Brother Jay]

Cotto is still an exciting fighter and is or was an elite fighter. He went trough too many wars. If Cotto is a B+ fighter then why did Pacquiao need a catchweight against Cotto and why did Floyd retired and came back to fight the 60 % Cotto ? Cotto never ducked the well known elite fighters and gave allways his best period.

Disagree here.

When Floyd fought Cotto, Cotto was at the most accomplished point of his career.

Cotto, when he beat Mosley(which is very debatable), didn't even last 8 months before he was brutally beaten bloody in the first loss of his career in his fight against Margarito. And after that win, Margarito didn't last 8 months before he was KO'd by Mosley in his very next fight.

Its never been proven that Margarito needed plaster fists to do it against Cotto either.

Cotto avenged his loss against Margarito at 154, fought his way to the top and became the #1 reigning champion of the division. Let's be real about this.

Cotto was never perceived to have ducked anyone elite because Cotto hadn't fought anyone considered elite until he got the win over Mosley.

Same with Margarito .. except Margarito got beaten earlier by a very green Paul Williams, who ALSO lost in his very next match to the lowly Quintana.

All this talk of ducking without any perspective makes comments boring and flat out untrue. The supposed "elite" were only "elite" for ONE FIGHT IN THEIR CAREERS! They didn't win even ONE FIGHT after the biggest win of their careers before getting embarrassed.

Some so-called "fans" used the term duck to diminish what the best have done and continue to do.

[devildg]

Disagree here.

When Floyd fought Cotto, Cotto was at the most accomplished point of his career.

Cotto, when he beat Mosley(which is very debatable), didn't even last 8 months before he was brutally beaten bloody in the first loss of his career in his fight against Margarito. And after that win, Margarito didn't last 8 months before he was KO'd by Mosley in his very next fight.

Its never been proven that Margarito needed plaster fists to do it against Cotto either.

Cotto avenged his loss against Margarito at 154, fought his way to the top and became the #1 reigning champion of the division. Let's be real about this.

Cotto was never perceived to have ducked anyone elite because Cotto hadn't fought anyone considered elite until he got the win over Mosley.

Same with Margarito .. except Margarito got beaten earlier by a very green Paul Williams, who ALSO lost in his very next match to the lowly Quintana.

All this talk of ducking without any perspective makes comments boring and flat out untrue. The supposed "elite" were only "elite" for ONE FIGHT IN THEIR CAREERS! They didn't win even ONE FIGHT after the biggest win of their careers before getting embarrassed.

Some so-called "fans" used the term duck to diminish what the best have done and continue to do.

LOL what a load of BS...most accomplished point? He was most accomplished before Margarito battered him in the first fight. He fought a damaged Margarito at catchweight, beat a paper champion before that.

[IMDAZED]

Cotto was an elite fighter in three divisions and probably ranked #1 (albeit briefly) in all three. That may or may not be enough to get him in the Hall of Fame. He holds a win over Mosley and some solid opposition but I'm not sure he's got that standout, defining win and he did fall short against the very best. Regardless of where he ends up being placed, he was an excellent fighter in his time and certainly one of the fighters I truly respect everything about.

[New England]

yeah, beating an old ass Mosley and Yuri "the gimp" Foreman is truly Elite stuff.

mosley wasn't at his peak, but he was looking pretty decent when he fought cotto, and put on a good showing.

[Brother Jay]

LOL what a load of BS...most accomplished point? He was most accomplished before Margarito battered him in the first fight. He fought a damaged Margarito at catchweight, beat a paper champion before that.

How many champions had Cotto beaten when he beat Mosley?

Answer: None

Miguel Cotto's jrWW belt was a vacant title when he got it.

Miguel Cotto's WW belt was a vacant title when he got it.

You don't become accomplished by collecting belts that champions left behind. You become accomplished by defeating reigning champions.

And you're confusing being undefeated with being accomplished, son. Cotto wasn't most accomplished after the Mosley fight as Cotto was just Shane's second fight back at WW. Beating a faded Vargas at 154 twice did nothing for Shane's rank at WW. And as I mentioned, Cotto's win over Mosley is very debatable.

You're clearly a hype enthusiast who gets off on name recognition .. instead of paying attention to what rank the opponents have attained by the time a challenger fights them.

This isn't the UFC and boxing doesn't work like that.

Cotto did more for his legacy at jrMW than he ever did at WW. Just because you were entertained by Cotto's losses at WW doesn't make them more important because YOU say so.

[SonnyDempsey]

Cotto is an unusual fighter in that he's built like a brawler but also has (had) very advanced boxing skills. (He's a boxer/brawler, for the umpteenth time - not a boxer/puncher)

He was at one time the only legitimate boxer who used short punches on the inside rather than fighting with range from the outside. That's what makes him unique. He's a brawler who just happens to have the 2nd best jab in boxing, which is incredibly rare.

He's also the hardest puncher Floyd Mayweather has ever faced (reference Paulie Malignaggi's commentary during the Trout fight). His jab is more powerful than most fighter's right hands.

He's knocked two fighters down with a jab. Knocked out several fighters with body punches.

Any time he's faced subpar opposition, he's destroyed them. Even elite fighters don't usually break down and demolish an opponent so easily. They just outclass them and win a clear fight. Cotto beats them up (see Gomez, Jennings, Foreman, Judah, etc.)

Gave Floyd Mayweather one of his toughest fights and actually landed on him consistently, busting up his face. Very rare when Floyd gets hit at all, let alone shows damage all over his face.

Even while being a shot fighter (Post Margarito I is a shot version of Miguel Cotto) he's been competetive with elite fighters.

[fenixbb]

Disagree here.

When Floyd fought Cotto, Cotto was at the most accomplished point of his career.

Cotto, when he beat Mosley(which is very debatable), didn't even last 8 months before he was brutally beaten bloody in the first loss of his career in his fight against Margarito. And after that win, Margarito didn't last 8 months before he was KO'd by Mosley in his very next fight.

Its never been proven that Margarito needed plaster fists to do it against Cotto either.

Cotto avenged his loss against Margarito at 154, fought his way to the top and became the #1 reigning champion of the division. Let's be real about this.

Cotto was never perceived to have ducked anyone elite because Cotto hadn't fought anyone considered elite until he got the win over Mosley.

Same with Margarito .. except Margarito got beaten earlier by a very green Paul Williams, who ALSO lost in his very next match to the lowly Quintana.

All this talk of ducking without any perspective makes comments boring and flat out untrue. The supposed "elite" were only "elite" for ONE FIGHT IN THEIR CAREERS! They didn't win even ONE FIGHT after the biggest win of their careers before getting embarrassed.

Some so-called "fans" used the term duck to diminish what the best have done and continue to do.

First of all Cotto was still not the best Cotto when he fought Mayweather. Cotto was like you said beaten bloody by Margacheato. It was also not proven that he (Margacheato) did not use plaster. But somehow since he was caught Cheatos well known power "vanished". Mayweather said you are not the same when you are beaten, ask Hatton. Cotto beat a better Mosley (even if it a close fight) than Mayweather. Mayweather is the smartest fighter on the planet. He knows the right time to choose his opponents. So IF Cotto is not an elite fighter than Mayweather has beaten just a B+ fighter , who caused him some problems. Oh I forgot beating a smaller Marquez and outweighing him , beating a super lightweight Hatton makes you an elite fighter . Which was the fight in your opinion that Cotto should have taken to be considered as an elite fighter ? Mayweather beat Zab Judah and was knocked down by him but that makes Mayweather still an elite fighter right ? But when Cotto beat Judah that gives Cotto nothing but a win. I do not like it if somebody writes so much negative things about Cotto and discredits him.
What the best have done and continue to do is being smart and fight the right fights at the right time and make people believe that they have beaten the best fighter in their primes. What I liked about Cotto was his warrior mentality his toughness his will and his character. Cotto is not the same fighter anymore since the fight with Cheato. He was not smart enough and accepted the conditions for the Pacquiao fight. Floyd would have never do that.
Mayweather for example has skills but nobody gets critics for nothing. As of right know I am not interested in boxing anymore like I was in the past. I did not even watched one 24/7 episode of Pacquiao Marquez and I will probably just look for the result tomorrow. There is a theory, which is called "Game Theory" it says that if two instances are equally strong than none of them would dare to attack each other. Events which prove this theory are the cold war and in boxing it is the Mayweather vs Pacqiao or Pacquiao vs Mayweather fight. But Cotto fought in my opinion anybody in front of him and that made him an elite fighter.

[EDD1]

very good fighter. good skills, decent power, average chin, poor stamina and a bit lazy if you ask me. he should still be fighting at 147, but i guess he likes his mams cooking too much. not a HOF fighter imo.

I have a lot of respect for Miguel cotto, one of my favorites and I would rank him high in Puert Rican Boxing...

I also always felt he gased to soon on many occations and he did seem better at 140,,,

His life and Career has been too hecktic for a pro;

--Issues with his uncle (never really figured that one out)

--Marital issues(Probably let the fame get to his head early)

--I also believe he was not very happy with Arum at the height of his game

--His team said they needed to go to 147 cause 140 was too difficult to make

--Legit or not; the Tony fight took a lot from him (i believe)

--The new trainer seemed like more of a novelty than real progress


When he started I saw him at the seland arena and I was impresed by the body work he used to do,,,
Goes down as the only fighter convinced my brothers to root for a PR figher