Will Cotto raise his workrate against Margarito?

I'd guess that his workrate will decrese in this fight, because I feel Cotto will try to fight smater and really make his punches count, without leaving himself open too much.

 

I agree with this assessment. Cotto will need to fight essentially a technical fight against Margarito, who will probably want to brawl in this fight. If he needs to exchange, Cotto will exchange but will make his punches really count so as to inflict as much as damage as he can. Everybody thinks this will be a war but I believe that Cotto will show that he is multi-dimensional and that he has the versatility to be a brawler but also a smart technician depending upon the opponent. Thus, he will have to be more like a Mayweather than as a Pacquiao. I will still think he will come forward but he will be judicious in doing so.

 

I don't think his workrate will raise too much higher against a fighter like Margarito, as I think he'll be looking for open opportunities for accurate punches and counter-shots.. Cotto will fight smart against Margarito and box.. Basically what Maxomer just said.. Margo will definitely have a much higher workrate than Cotto, but he's not gonna' land a lot of shots..

 

Cotto won't and can't increase his normal work rate because he might be taken out of his comfort zone and gasped for air in the later rounds. Margarito is a certified 12 rounds fighter.

The most logical thing to do is . . . hurt Margs early and slows him down by body shots.

 

Cotto will throw the right punches at the right time to offset Margarito and actually lower Margs own work rate. Don't be surprised if Margarito's punch stats aren't as high as they normally are.

 

No way, that would be playing to Marg's advantage. Cotto will use his superior movement and overall boxing skills, to fight at HIS pace. He will land clean hard shots, whilst avoiding the punches of Margarito. Cotto will fight this one very smart trust me. He will be very effecient, and will cut Marg down round by round, but never standing toe 2 toe and just exchanging with him. I would be surprised to see Cotto losing rounds in this one, just an overall better fighter, who will stick to an intelligent gameplan.

 

And people are going to be surpised by how there really isn't going to be that much of a size/physical strength difference between the two. Marg won't be able to win a wrestling battle with Cotto, Cotto is too solid to be pushed around the ring.

 

I'm really wondering how the fight will play out, both are pressure fighters. Yet despite Cotto being the better boxer I don't think he will fight backing up like the Moesly fight. More over I'm actually curious to see how Margarito handles Cotto's pressure and footwork. In all I have a feeling its gonna be a great fight.

 

No, I think Cotto will try to keep this as much a boxing match as possible. He will get in and out of the pocket using angles to keep Margo off ballance. The more he trades with Margo the better chance he has of getting caught and droped. If he boxes Margo he should cruise to a wide UD

 

Exactly. If anything, being shorter and stockier will make him stronger in the clinch, and harder to be pushed around.

 

Cotto won't need to raise his workrate...he will use his jab to keep Margo off balance and make Margo reset himself over and over again. No one have ever tested margo's body, like Miguel will do...Clottey or Williams were head hunting throughout the entire fight and basically abandoned the body attack, allowing Margo to comeback in the later rounds...that **** won't fly with Cotto.

 

Cotto's always had a good workrate. He'll throw between 50 and 70 punches while continously working. However he always sneaks rests by covering up, bouncing away etc The question is can Margo use these moments to make Cotto pay...

...OR will Cotto be tearing Margo up so much that Margo uses those moments as time to recover himself.

 

I doubt it, more punches thrown means more openings for Margarito to exploit. The best thing for Cotto to do would be to reduce his workrate and pick his shots, while using his superior foot/hand speed to control Margs. Cotto is a very intelligent fighter and I expect him to stick to his gameplan throughout the fight (meaning he won't trade punches too much).

I expect a clear Cotto victory.

 

Definitely agree with you here. He will need to be smart, efficient, and know when to engage or back off. Cotto brings skills and power whereas Margarito is probably looking only for the knockout. He may want to Cotto to bring it but I think Cotto is too smart to give Margarito what he wants. Plus, I don't think Cotto is 32-0 26 KOs for nothing.

 

I agree that raising his work rate may not work to Cotto's advantage. He risks going into unknown territory and gassing out late. we all know Margarito has been in that territory and doesn't mind easily throwing over a 1000 punches a fight. He needs to throw smart and be good defensively. A strategy that proved to be successful against Margarito is the one displayed by Joshua Clottey. Unfortunately for Clottey, he was only able to apply it for 4-5 rds. But then again, that is Clottey's forte. Picking his shots with explosive bursts of punches (counters) coming off a high guard. In Cottos case, he will have to pick his shots and get out of the punching zone, as in circle around and keep Margarito off balance. If you come straight forward against Margarito and stay there, he will eat you alive.