So performances, not fights, so we're after wins not losses, unless you consider a loss particularly brave or impressive for some other reason! For me: 1) Kelson Pinto. Decent amount of buzz about this one there was a sense that there were two elite prospects colliding rather than one seeing off a patsy. That turned out to be untrue - Pinto never won another meaningful fight - but it was exciting at the time. And Cotto just chopped his man up, but not without seeing some fun first, fighting ring centre. That excellent third. Cotto fought with an even more exaggerated stoop then, he was special looking I think, I felt I hadn't really seen anyone like that in colour. Still, probably, the Cotto fight I pop on the most. 2) Margarito II. You seldom get the luxury of such a clean cut good guy/bad guy dynamic but this was it. And the pre-fight face off refereed by Kellerman will live forever; so, too, will the post-fight interview with Cotto which was very beautiful to behold. 3) Daniel Geale. Old man, still got it. This content is protected What you got? Stick to three picks please.
Off the top, I would say the Quintana fight. Geale too, yeah, that’s a good one. Third one? Hmmm. Perhaps Mosley?
Quintana is a good shout but Mosley? Thought he gave too much ground late there and he could have dropped the decision...maybe from the point of view of a varying fight plan, but I wouldn't call Mosley personally.
I haven’t seen it in so long. I remember thinking he won clear. I don’t think he has a ton of perfect performances.
Tbf, some people did have him winning pretty clear, and the judges were the ones that really mattered, but there was a chunk of folks who felt otherwise. The main thing I would say about it is that it would have been reasonable for Mosley to have won, although I think they got the right man. Mosley himself was pretty unperturbed.
Foreman was kind of marred for me by the knee fiasco and that ****ing divot Arthur Mercante. He was such a divot. Was this the fight where during referee's instructions he brought up Cotto's dead dad? In the ring? Might have cleared it with Miguel first I suppose but I remember being utterly furious at that and if he didn't clear it with Miguel he should be blinded. He was brilliant against Martinez, I had that one on this afternoon and it is for sure underrated.
Although Cotto was the underdog against Martinez, it's quite clear that Martinez was completely shot when they fought. It was a great moment in Cotto's career but nowhere near to being his best win.
No one mentioned the Torres fight? Not the smoothest performance but this one was a real war and Cotto proved he had a true fighting heart I love the Martinez. Martinez maybe didn't have the same legs but Cotto always matched up well against counter punching technicians. I actually like the Mayweather performance, he really pushes Floyd and it's a good contest
