Better Boxing Skills - Pacquiao Or Cotto?

You missed the train of thought. That is in reply to a statement wherein he stated that those who voted for Pac had only seen hatton and ODLH fight. This is the replky to that.

Now, beating supposedly skilled fighters on a consistent basis (consistent because this is not an aberration wherein you could say that he got lucky with a single punch in a single fight) can not be done without skill. You can not be lucky for several times. If you have not identified it, then there must be some skills that is undefined. failure to see that skill does not mean it does not exist.

People tend to individualize skills - like counterpunching, slipping, defense, in a certain fighter. What we tend to forget is the TOTALITY OF THE PACKAGE. Let's take Pac. Using your conventional description of a skilled fighter (which I presume is in the mold of JMM or Mayweather), he is probably unskilled.

Let us take one learned skill - counterpunching. Pac seldom counterpunch because it is not his style of fighting. He initiates the action by throwing punches even in weird angles. That is a skill - although not a counterpunching one -but a skill which is not present in JMM or Mayweather. The equation of Efficiency has to be taken in the equation as well because although initiating action is not the sole realm of Pac but many fighters, how many are actually effective. Efficiency or effectivity is part of the skill equation.

Pac has offensive skills that is second to none. That is a skill that could be innate (one born with) or learned.

Pac has the package to be actually an effective counterpuncher because he has fast hands and feet, plus he sees punches very well and times opponent very well(this are essential for effective counterpunchers). Infact, in the second fight, the one that caused the Knockdown and the one that caused JMM to stumble at the 10th round are counterpunches.

 

Boxing skill is equal to fighting skill. It is the style that is different. Boxers or fighters ar loosely classified as defensive or offensive figters, technical or crude, etc,etc.

We tend to be biased in categorizing fighters who are very technical as skilled. For this reason, those that have extensive anateur experience would end up being classifed as skilled (which is probably a misnomer) simply because they have the form, the moves we equate to a "skilled" fighter. The proper term would be "technical".

When we mention skill, effectivity or efficiency is a large part of the equation. A painter who has those technical skills is just a painter unless he can equate it to people appreciating his art.

A boxer who has only 3 or 4 moves, example jsut straight lefts, yet throws them at so much speed and power that he KO's supposedly more skilled fighter is actually skilled because he is effective with that skill, albeit you could argue a limited one.

 

He's also been counterpunching for a longer time than many believe. He's slipped jabs and countered with an uppercut to the body (Ledwaba and Morales II immediately come to mind) or to the head (De La Hoya), he's also scored knockdowns with counterpunches (JMM II 3rd round, Ledwaba by parrying a jab into a straight left).

 

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Manny is a better all around package . Cotto is a bit over-rated fighter IMO. Manny has 2 hands where Cotto only has a left hand. Manny has better footwork. Speed isn't a skill but Manny wins there too. Manny has more angles. Better head movement . Another non skill but gift in the power category. Stamina which isn't a skill also but shows Manny has more work ethic . Manny also has better defense due to his willingness to "learn" and evolve . Cotto's jab only worked for the 1st round. After that Manny actually started to time Cotto's jab with his lead left. People over-rate Cotto because they think he's a warrior .

I was watching Cotto/Margarito last night and was surprised that after the first round Emmanuel Steward said he doesn't know how Cotto will do after the 4th and 5th round because of his stamina . Lampley was getting pissed right there. Also by the 3rd round Cotto already had a bloody nose and a cut over his left eye. All Cotto would do is throw left hands. Same when he fought Manny . I've also seen Cotto sit on ropes more than any fighter I've ever seen. I don't understand why people equate "heart" to getting an ass whooping in the ring and not quitting (Cotto quit on a knee.Submission is not what a warrior does). True heart is displayed in "preparation" for a fight which is where Cotto lacks big time in. He comes in usually around 155 to 160 pounds for most of his fights. He's a nice little fighter and will be a HOF but not an ATG. He falls short and folds "under the bright lights". Even Bob felt he was always green. Only benefit of the doubt I give him is he lost to 2 potential cheaters.

 

Cotto is massively overrated.


Pacquiao matched Cotto jab for jab. Pacquiao would have beaten Cotto even if he didnt hold all the athletic advantages.

 

Quite a statement.

 

There are two attributes that have to separated in boxing :

Defensive skills and offensive skills.

Take defensive skills :

Cotto has an average defense, not exactly a thing to desire. He does not know how to clinch, does not move his head, and other shortcomings. Pac's defense is movement or anchored on his physicality. But I would still give that to Cotto slightly.

On offense, Cotto throws more textbook looking punches, effective, while Pac throws unorthodox, weird angled punches. The other difference between the two is that Pac also has very good distance closing skills, meaning he can unload anytime he pleases then dart out. Pac is better offensively.

That is just my take of this thing.

 

:good, fixed.

 

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