Comments Thread For: Miguel Cotto Believes Stricter Medical Tests Could Save Lives

[Heru]

I agree. This problem is largely prevalent among the lower weight classes due to these cats cutting too much weight; Especially in the last week of training.

Some are cutting up to more than 5-7 pounds in the last week which is very dangerous. It can cause the body to become over heated and dehydrated to the point of organ failure. The weight should be lost slowly in a healthy manner.

The sanctioning bodies should mandate that fighters weighing under 154 lbs should report to training camp weighing no more than 15 lbs above their normal fighting weight limit. This would reduce the numbers of brain injuries like subdural and epidural hematomas and deaths in the ring.

Excellent post!

If there were a survey amongst Trainers/Fighters, I'd estimate fighters arriving to camp 20% above their division limit and 30% for fighters that are struggling to make weight.

Arriving to camp 10% above the limit could do wonders for reducing the risk of severe injury. From the sources I've heard throughout the years,it's more likely that fighters are at 10% above the limit the week of the fight!

Severe dehydration should be the #1 topic for improving fighter safety. They are severely dehydrating themselves to receive head and body trauma against a trained professional.

To throw this out there, it's probably one of the main accelerators for talent eroding. Which is why the careers of Heavyweights seem to last longer.

[TheFrog]

Pretty amazing the career he was able to have after being beaten with plaster so badly. Most fighters never recover from something like that. Sure wonder how much better he would’ve been if that hadn’t of happened.

I cannot help but wonder the same thing man. Cotto was clearly never the same athlete after the Margarito fight. His skills remained potent but he wasn't the same dog that he was before.

[elfag]

Oh the the guy who got his "lineal" middleweight title by beating on a cripple hobbling around on broken knees is now concerned about fighter's health and boxing injuries

Right

[Verus]

I noticed that also. Weird for them to say that. He was born there and still lives there. I think they must have meant: "The Puerto Rican Ex-Champion" or something along those lines.

You are probably right as to what the writer meant to say, but "ex Puerto Rican" has a certain ring to it...kinda funny. I can see some advantages of inserting "ex" in the mix in other settings. For example, rather than people saying I am an old guy, they should say I am an ex young guy.

[Dreamking]

Sparring matches shouldn't be treated like a real match or a war. Trainers and gyms should start cracking down on this type of behavior to help reduce the level of damage a fighter will take during their camps and over the life of their career. This can be the first step for healthier fighters and a safer sport.

[Bronx2245]

Reading Cotto making statements on fighter safety reminds me of what Margarito did to him! It kind of makes Arum look hypocritical in his statements regarding the BBBofC, when it was he who helped Margarito get a license in Texas, after California shot him down!

Margarito Applies For a Texas License, Arum is Optimistic

https://www.boxingscene.com/margarito-applies-texas-license-arum-optimistic--30173

Off to Texas for Margarito and Arum

https://www.badlefthook.com/2010/8/18/1630538/off-to-texas-for-margarito-and-arum

[SN!PER]

Cotto's Mexican now, he finally jumped ship.

[tokon]

First offense, years banned from boxing. Second offense jail time. Trust me they'll stop fcking doping these pieces of garbage

Don't make a criminal prosecution a second time thing; deliberately taking a banned substance, in contravention of the agreed rules and regulations, in order to inflict greater damage on the opponent should result in assault conspiracy charges. Haul the coaches, managers and promoters in too! See how quickly that stops it . . .

[Tomasio]

¿The "ex Puerto Rican"? ¿Since when Cotto stop being Puerto Rican?
& its good to have better treatment & check ups after the fights, but also before the fights as well(especially after the weigh in cause some really dehydrate themselves), cause some of these problems are started before the fighter steps into the ring..Some by excessive weight loss, others too much punishment while sparring anong other issues..

[flojspot80]

FUN FACT: Pacquiaos sparring partner during the Marquez last fight was Provodnikov.

I was actually thinking provodnikov might have soften him up for that Marquez KO. I remember in that 3rd round Pac went down with the overhand right and normally he has a durable chin.