What year was Cotto's prime or GGG's prime?

[Lester Tutor]

How was GGG at the age of 31? How was Cotto at the age of 31?

Because apparently to Thomas Hauser Floyd fought Cotto when Cotto was out of his prime....

[NearHypnos]

How was GGG at the age of 31? How was Cotto at the age of 31?

Because apparently to Thomas Hauser Floyd fought Cotto when Cotto was out of his prime....

It's hard to say. It looks like the Margarito fight took a lot out of him. Physically but mostly mental. I think we may have overrated the "prime beaten out of him" statement as he was still young then. But that loss seemed to take him out of his zone, make him doubt himself a bit. Before Marg he could get dropped but would remain dangerous and fierce and would even come back to score kds of his own. Margarito (lets not include the plaster for arguments sake) just broke him for a while and it was no doubt the way he lost as well. Margarito was a straight zombie and a terror that night. He might have had that plaster but he still was zombie mode, landing his hits, taking everything Cotto could possible give until he shattered him as a man. After that fight he'd shell up in adversity and cower and just fell out of his groove it seemed. I think that while certainly older, Roach made him enjoy boxing again. Sure, he fought some questionable people but he was fighting the way he did when he was younger. Willing to trade left hooks, leaning in with confidence and trusting his body shots. Not retreating after flush shots and just overrall seeming to have more focus. I do think he got up for the Mayweather fight in terms of prep and hunger but he was just outclassed. He was competitive, but it was more or less a white wash.


It's hard to say. He lost to Canelo but Canelo wasnt only bigger than him but stylistically it wasn't the best of matchups for Cotto. Cotto has never been a high rate type of guy and it turned out to be a battle in spots which favors Canelo's style of fighting. Cotto has always done well vs "boxer" types and right handed "movers" because he's so polished and has amazing timing with his jab which disrupts the rhythm of these guys. The Trout fight I believe we didnt see the best Miguel Cotto and we did see the best Trout in a match that favored him stylistically as well as physically. Trout is a big southpaw who fights fairly reserved and stays within himself and Cotto just didn't assert himself there. He got frustrated and never adapted.


I don't know man. Cotto doesn't seem that shot to me. He has in fights looked like the fire was gone and he seemed to show up for Floyd and all the Roach fights. Even vs Marg 2 it felt like Marg was starting to find him. It's like he found his fighting strength again recently and the Canelo fight shouldn't be a gauge.


I think he was possibly prime ENOUGH vs Floyd, found his passion once more with Roach and he lost a tough fight vs a Canelo with superior attributes.

War Cotto either way. Love his style in the ring and how he's such a cold, menacing and calculating type fighter. If he stays within himself I'm not sure any 154 pounder can beat him.



GGG has been in his prime for a bit and his activeness in the ring and lack of ounishment will keep him there for a few more years. That's what I love about that dude. He's just constantly training or preparing for a fight that he's staying in that zone/form. Reminds me of a young Tyson who fought a LOT earlier on and was just constantly primed for war. Just stayed in that shape due to his corners' dilligence and discipline.

[boliodogs]

Most boxers are in their prime between 25 and 30. They are getting stronger until about 25 when they are as strong and fast as they will ever be. They stay at their best physically until they near 30 and then they start to slowly decline even if they take the best of care of their bodies. Hopkins is a rare exception and not the rule. Other factors than age can effect a fighter's prime. Cotto was probably at his physical prime in the 25 to 30 years like most other boxers. I think Cotto did his best fighting when he hired Roach to train him. They seem like a perfect fit and Roach gets the most out of Cotto and Cotto goes all out for Roach. If Roach had been training Cotto I think he would have beat Trout and made his fight with Mayweather very close. Cotto isn't shot. He never fought better in his life than he did with Canelo. Canelo is just entering his prime and clearly beat Cotto but Cotto gave him a hell of a fight. GGG was probably prime in the 25 to 30 years but he is so damn good he crushes everybody at age 33. He trains hard and stays in shape so he will probably continue to dominate for another few years.

[SplitSecond]

Definitely don't think Cotto was Prime since he moved from welterweight. He was just all round lighter and quicker. Plus through the years his right hand has become more and more irrelevant, especially with Roach, it's at it's worse, too much focus on the left hook I guess. He could have really given Canelo a fight if he could throw his right like in his younger days.

[gmc_rfc_06]

Cotto's prime was plastered away from him.

He was still a very good fighter in stages after that night, but never quite the same.

[Southpawology]

Cotto was prime during his WW days. His shots are still explosive and he can still move I dont consider cotto shot but def past prime.

[bigjavi973]

How was GGG at the age of 31? How was Cotto at the age of 31?

Because apparently to Thomas Hauser Floyd fought Cotto when Cotto was out of his prime....

2007-2008

[soul_survivor]

Cotto's prime years were 2006 - 2009 imo but his absolute peak had to be 2007, when he was the best welter on the planet and coming off a strong run at 140.

In 2012, Cotto was far from his peak and nearing the end of his prime but considering how great a fighter Cotto once was, he was still good enough to hang with Floyd but not the same as it would have been in the 3 year span of 2006-2009.

[Twako]

...waiting here for floyd groupies to chime in saying cotto was prime when floyd fought him.

[Lester Tutor]

It's hard to say. It looks like the Margarito fight took a lot out of him. Physically but mostly mental. I think we may have overrated the "prime beaten out of him" statement as he was still young then. But that loss seemed to take him out of his zone, make him doubt himself a bit. Before Marg he could get dropped but would remain dangerous and fierce and would even come back to score kds of his own. Margarito (lets not include the plaster for arguments sake) just broke him for a while and it was no doubt the way he lost as well. Margarito was a straight zombie and a terror that night. He might have had that plaster but he still was zombie mode, landing his hits, taking everything Cotto could possible give until he shattered him as a man. After that fight he'd shell up in adversity and cower and just fell out of his groove it seemed. I think that while certainly older, Roach made him enjoy boxing again. Sure, he fought some questionable people but he was fighting the way he did when he was younger. Willing to trade left hooks, leaning in with confidence and trusting his body shots. Not retreating after flush shots and just overrall seeming to have more focus. I do think he got up for the Mayweather fight in terms of prep and hunger but he was just outclassed. He was competitive, but it was more or less a white wash.


It's hard to say. He lost to Canelo but Canelo wasnt only bigger than him but stylistically it wasn't the best of matchups for Cotto. Cotto has never been a high rate type of guy and it turned out to be a battle in spots which favors Canelo's style of fighting. Cotto has always done well vs "boxer" types and right handed "movers" because he's so polished and has amazing timing with his jab which disrupts the rhythm of these guys. The Trout fight I believe we didnt see the best Miguel Cotto and we did see the best Trout in a match that favored him stylistically as well as physically. Trout is a big southpaw who fights fairly reserved and stays within himself and Cotto just didn't assert himself there. He got frustrated and never adapted.


I don't know man. Cotto doesn't seem that shot to me. He has in fights looked like the fire was gone and he seemed to show up for Floyd and all the Roach fights. Even vs Marg 2 it felt like Marg was starting to find him. It's like he found his fighting strength again recently and the Canelo fight shouldn't be a gauge.


I think he was possibly prime ENOUGH vs Floyd, found his passion once more with Roach and he lost a tough fight vs a Canelo with superior attributes.

War Cotto either way. Love his style in the ring and how he's such a cold, menacing and calculating type fighter. If he stays within himself I'm not sure any 154 pounder can beat him.



GGG has been in his prime for a bit and his activeness in the ring and lack of ounishment will keep him there for a few more years. That's what I love about that dude. He's just constantly training or preparing for a fight that he's staying in that zone/form. Reminds me of a young Tyson who fought a LOT earlier on and was just constantly primed for war. Just stayed in that shape due to his corners' dilligence and discipline.

a beautiful and empirical assessment you gave.

however, should boxing fans assume that weigh class challenges, particularly greats that have moved up in weight and show consistency, vs a fighter that stays only in one class? doesn't that change the narrative of a top notch boxer?

one might even argue that heavyweight could be the ultimate and last standing test for a man to use his fists, meaning, he can if he wants, max out a superpower weight - heavyweight? Or, others could say that a 4 weight champ could be better, depending on resume...

I have my doubts about Cotto vs Margarito I, and personally that's because it was Top Rank ala Arum flavour. I think Arum has more conspiracy surrounding ''entertainment'' with the help of HBO than the phrase ''controversial Bradley'' which ironically is also Top Rank.

plaster of paris... I mean...yup.