i heard alot of times that Cotto isn't and will never be the same fighter before 2008 i just watch'd rounds 1 to 6, the rounds that cotto was doing good vs margarito in fight #1 atfer carefully comparing to the first 6 rounds of the 2nd fight i see the same fighter, same speed he sits on his punches more now and he had terrible defense in that fight he was hammered in the ropes in all rounds so he seems better now, he has not faded, he is just more mature but he does swell easier
Yeah, he's not nearly as far removed from his prime as some might suggest. His movement and handspeed still looks very solid. He's made a couple fundamental corrections as well. The only area it looks like he's really regressed in is his infighting. He doesn't sit down and fire off those awesome combinations like he used to and that left hook to the body on the inside isn't what it once was. I just think he runs kind of hot and cold now. For instance, I thought he looked like crap against Mayorga, whereas he looked to be in better shape and crisper against Margarito. On a side note, Cotto does get marked up much easier now.
Cheto took Cotto's virginity..! after that fight he lost his feeling of invincibility..Cotto used to be the body killer who could box.. He wasent afraid to get hit and could blast you outta there to the body or the head.. After Cheto and Manny.. he looks like a shell of his former self.. Its like he lost some of the Fire and desire.. More so that the fire and Desire got knocked from him... Combo his falling out with his pops then his dad dying while they werent on good terms took some more outta him... Sad but true..
yeah his punch recovery isn't what it once was.. he gets hit way more often now.. and now it just seems like he is just there to box.. the Pre Cheto cotto was mean and vicious.. today's Cotto.. is just gunning for the Win..
Valid points. His confidence must not be what it was back in the day. I also think it's probably a good strategy to box more against bigger, durable junior middleweights. Cotto knows he can't go to war with the big guys. He knows he's not the sturdiest fighter and boxing more will lengthen his career, if only for a few fights.
I have never been blown away by Cotto like some of his die-hard fans who thinks he this unstoppable force. Top Rank inc was handling him very carefully. And in several fights early in his career he got rocked by guys who were not known for their power, then afterwards he was matched against some obscure fighters. Now with all that being said I have never claim that Cotto has faded, I just thought he was never an elite-level fighter. But TR hyped his ass pretty damn good. But there are only a hand full of people that can see through the BULL****. Example...GBP has been trying throw Amir Khan's name out there like he is a Superstar in the Making. And I have said since DAY-ONE, Khan will CRASH N' BURN....BAD!
I think it was mostly a mental thing, rather than a physical thing. He looked as sharp as ever in his last fight and had good timing against Pacquiao despite his regressed technical flaws, but he seemed to have lost the ability to fight back through getting hurt no matter what to get the win. He'd done it against Judah, against Torres, against Corely, against Mosley, and after Margarito, it seemed he was too gun-shy to do his best when hurt or bloodied. This, contrary to many's expectation, might actually be improving. He seemed more and more gradually growing confidence against his opposition at 154, and showed absolutely no intimidation or hesitancy when exchanging with Margarito, even when he ate a few uppercuts. His confidence is on the upswing, and I feel he could give us some performances reminiscent of a prime Cotto but with even better fundamentals in place.
Cotto looked his worst under Joe Santiago. In the Clottey and Pacquiao fights, he was an open book of technical flaws. Even down to his boxing stance.
No fighter is ever the same after a brutal KO and cotto has taken two, not to say he's not good anymore but will never be the same he was prior to those two KOs. :hat
A very good fighter Cotto, but I think there was a time when some folk very much overrated him and expected him to become a level above than what he turned out. He simply found his level. He's also possibly a guy who's struggled in the past through being a relatively small WW, but drained at LWW.
exactly, the point im trying to make is that the cotto of 2011 performed better in the first 6 rounds vs the same opponent compared to a prime version in 2008
He has no power when he backs up. He is not fast enough to turn over his punches when he is going backward. Since the last four rounds of the Mosley fight he is constantly backing up. If your not improving your falling behind and his best days are behind him. I think he was physically best at 140, no way he beats any middleweights unless they are hopeless stiffs.