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When you have a grueling fight like Cotto's first fight with Margarito, especially adding into the fact Margarito most likely had loaded gloves a fighter is not gonna be the same. That being said Cotto did not participate in a lot of wars. His fights with Mosley(skillful performance by cotto outboxed Sugar), Judah(exciting but Judah had his usual mid-fight gas out with help of low blows, Torres, and Pinto were good fights but he stopped the last two and he did not have to endure the type of punishment fights like Gatti-Ward, Corrales-Castillo had.
I believe Margarito took Cotto's physical and psycological prime away in their first fight. When he fought Pacquaio he was more mentally shot than phyically he was still in his twenties and coming off a close one with Clottey. He didnt have a chance to have a few good tune ups before he fought those, guys a testiment to his courage as a fighter.
After resurrecting his career and winning fights over his nemesis Margarito, Mayorga and Foreman his confidence was back, although he was not a his absolute physical peak. He did fight alot smarter. Diaz added some new wrinkles to his game and he also helped him be more versatile than just fighting from one range, which was mid range. He lost to Margarito and struggled in other fights because he never learned to hold on the inside or utilize his short center of gravity and lean on his opponents. Believe it or not the inside is safer than the outside. Mayweather was just to overall skilled although smaller, and Trout had too much size and reach for him to overcome...he didnt get outclassed but outboxed. A shot fighter is not gonna win titles at a higher weight, defend it, then go twelve rounds with the best fighter in the world, and a huge world class natural super welterweight
To conclude...
Cotto went further than I ever would have thought...I picked against him in the Mosley and Judah fights. I picked him to beat Margarito, we saw how that went. Had he fought Pacquaio or Mayweather earlier in his career the results may have been worse. Especially with Mayweather at 140 where he was elusive, had power, and threw nasty combos and counters or as the champion at 147
I believe Margarito took Cotto's physical and psycological prime away in their first fight. When he fought Pacquaio he was more mentally shot than phyically he was still in his twenties and coming off a close one with Clottey. He didnt have a chance to have a few good tune ups before he fought those, guys a testiment to his courage as a fighter.
After resurrecting his career and winning fights over his nemesis Margarito, Mayorga and Foreman his confidence was back, although he was not a his absolute physical peak. He did fight alot smarter. Diaz added some new wrinkles to his game and he also helped him be more versatile than just fighting from one range, which was mid range. He lost to Margarito and struggled in other fights because he never learned to hold on the inside or utilize his short center of gravity and lean on his opponents. Believe it or not the inside is safer than the outside. Mayweather was just to overall skilled although smaller, and Trout had too much size and reach for him to overcome...he didnt get outclassed but outboxed. A shot fighter is not gonna win titles at a higher weight, defend it, then go twelve rounds with the best fighter in the world, and a huge world class natural super welterweight
To conclude...
Cotto went further than I ever would have thought...I picked against him in the Mosley and Judah fights. I picked him to beat Margarito, we saw how that went. Had he fought Pacquaio or Mayweather earlier in his career the results may have been worse. Especially with Mayweather at 140 where he was elusive, had power, and threw nasty combos and counters or as the champion at 147
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