Do you think it negatively affects fighters who avoid, or have avoided the toughest competition in the division when they finally step it up? Example: Cotto has faced some tough competition. That being said we've also seen him beat on some lesser than great. Is this a good thing? It's my belief that when a fighter spends a lot of time fighting weak opposition, it is only going to hurt them when they finally fight the good guys. Think about when Cotto was fighting good guys, and surprised everyone by outboxing Shane Mosley, then destroys "contender" Gomez afterwards. Next thing you know Cotto gets savagely beaten up by Margarito. Another example of this syndrome Oscar De La Hoya. In his heyday he was amazing, but he takes so many "warm-up" fights against poor opposition, it's almost like another sparring session in the gym. What I'm trying to say is that if a top fighter continues to fight the best, it is risky, but will ultimately make them a more complete fighter down the road. If you look some guys who have lost early in their career (Marg, Soto, Hopkins.....) they essentially overcome those losses to become great fighters who then become avoided themselves. What are some other examples?
Having a "0" on your loss column all your career can be bad. A lot of them may develop less than perfect mental strength. You've never known how it feels to get up after being knocked down. You've never known how it feels to fight back hard when you're being dominated. I remember George Foreman once said that when he fought Ronnie Lyle, and Big George got hurt plenty of times, got knocked down and was almost KTFO, he said that the thing that made him wanna stand up after being knocked down hard, and keep on fighting back, is because he remembered how he felt when he got KO'd by Ali. That's where he got his strength to come back and win the fight. He didnt wanna feel that bad feeling of losing again.
Cotto's management has been incredibly shrewd and clever about matching Cotto throughout his career - aside from the Margarito setup. He's never even been in the ring with someone with all the advantages he's had at the time, even against Margarito. And they've still made it to look like he's conquered mountain after mountain in the eyes of most observers. They've babied him brilliantly.
Well I think each fighter is an individual case. Think about Vargas. We will never know how he would've panned out if Main Events didn't throw him through the gauntlet of elite fighter after elite fighter. World champ by 21, shot by 26. Maybe he reached his full potential and achieved everything possible, maybe he was rushed. Each fighter is different in terms of how quickly and how well they respond to their first taste of adversity.
it's crucial for the fighter's handlers to know their stars capabilities and mental state. They have to groom them with precision. A lot of it is psychological preparation. The boxer can be extremely fast and hit hard with great ability, but their confidence is shot.
I don't remember Oscar de La hoya taking many tune up fights. Recently there has been, Forbes, and then you go back about 6 years to Campas. Then you go back another 5 years to perhaps Patrick Chapnetier.
Yeah well the layoffs kill De La Hoya. If Mayweather stays out of the game too long, or becomes an oscar "one fight a year" guy, he'll just regress, as oscar did.
In his ending years before he "retired" he did JUST that...take a fight or two a year being spread TOOO far apart...
I think using Cotto as this example is still too early...we'll have to see what he does with Jennings and with the rematch and after the rematch... Most people assume Jennings is gonna get murdered within 8 or 9 rounds...i think 5...but if he loses or gets shy, that loss really ****ed with him...if he kills him within 8 or 9 he's ill-prepared for the re-match If he pulls out of the rematch with the W...then what you're assessment of Cotto just said about him is bull****...if he dies again then its still not the end of the story because some boxers just have your number...Seeing if he does well against top tier opponents again would help greatly in looking at what happened to MC You say he got "savagely" beaten...but forget that Cotto was putting on a masterpiece of a show in the first 6 rounds...and even fighting as hurt as he was managed to make the fight somewhat noteworthy of heart and courage...I just think Margarito was too much for him...notice how Cotto was never KTFO just simply put down to his knees...from pure exhaustion...he took a beating but I can barely call it savage... I think your assessment and Rafa's of Cotto being pampered is too early and harsh...He's faced MUCH harder competition than most give him credit for...I think everyone just focuses on Margarito's slew of competition and thinks that's the way to go...Who else has done any of that? (Face Cintron, Clottey, Williams, then Cotto)...No one...Not any of the forementioned...I blame many promoter's for this ****ing problem of not giving us the fights we wanna see. Arum is starting to get on my last nerve of babying his fighters...first with Margarito vs. Williams...now with Cotto... I hope Cotto makes the money he needs to give Arum the bird and go on a self-promotion spree and fight the absolute best to show the world his worth...
Your words are worthy of publishing, although, the words seem to have been forgotten by 70% of trainer, manager, promoters in this day and age. There is far to much unwillingness to expose a fighter to any form of risk, even though the outcome would be of granite rewards. The schooling of modern fighters is a distance from the techniques of the fighters dating back to the 70s even. Its become a riskless game, with poorly executed championship bouts. The credibilty of the game is far more questioned, than in former years, and the future of the game is without any bright lights which will enlighten the darkened situation..... regarding the promotions and governing monopolies. Its all money, and money is inspired by greed and illagitimate businesses, or actions. Closing in on 40 y/o, Im sure the worst is still to come, and not a great deal will improve in my lifetime.
Did people not see the Cotto Margarito fight? Some people make it seem like Margarito walked in there gave Cotto a good look, and Cotto collapsed. What I saw was a damn good fight. One in which Cotto proved to have the superior skills, but Margarito was able to absorb a heck of a lot of punishment. Cotto was blasting him with fast and furious combinations, and Antonio just kept coming. That aside, I agree that putting a fighter in with too much weak competition they are in for a shock when they finally face someone who is not so weak.
yeah he was doing well... early. you can still fight an even fight and get beaten. margarito took a beating but cotto obviously had the worse of ah the beats. it was a great fight nonetheless.
Keeping a young fighter winning without over protecting him is a balancing act that must be handled on a case by case basis. Look at Pavlik. He fought cans for about 25 fights. Dunkin also matched him with guys like Anthony Ivory and Ross Thompson because he felt they could make 8 rounds with Kelly, but not be a threat. He fought freaking nobody up until Zuniga. After Zuniga came McKart, Zertuche, Miranda, and finally Taylor. You can see a nice progression there against a variety of styles. That's the right way to bring a fighter along.
