Before you hustle me, I had Canelo winning 8/4 During the fight I was trying to figure out if Cotto had improved his chin or if Canelo just didn't hit that hard. After watching the fight again today, I noticed a lot of the hooks where blocked and some of the upper cuts where partially blocked I think the idea they landed it because of Cottos defensive hand positioning and Canelo's weight advantages that pushed Cotto back regardless of him blocking the punches. To be fair, a lot of Cottos body shot where caught on Canelos shoulder I had Canelo winning off of thunderous body shots and nice right hands!
Canelo's punches didn't seem to have the steam on them like they had with Kirkland and Angulo. People who were watching the fight near me were saying that Canelo wasn't punching with full force because he didn't want to punch himself out over the 12 rounds. Also Cotto had his chin down near his chest and most punches were landing on the side of his head. Cotto must have a hard cranium because he took them well. There were times when he was stopped in his tracks but never really wobbled much.
Canelo could have pulled a "Mayorga" and let Cotto tee off on him! That's how little effect Cotto's punches had. In the end he was just too small. Too small to fight on the outside and not strong enough to hold his own on the inside. That's pretty much means the fight is lost!
I think he hits hard but he does not throw enough combos to be effective as he really could be. If he had a Margarito work rate he would be dangerous.
For certain he was never high work rate. Also he still doesn't quite cut the ring off well. If you go back and watch the fight against Mathew Hatton and compare it to this past weekend his ability to cut the ring off hasn't improved much.
Canelo is not a stalker. In his mind he believes that he is a slick boxer and always has. All of his fights besides Mosley and Lara he tried to prove that he was a slick boxer with head movement and a little footwork here and there. He was riding the ropes trying to do that with Kirkland but Kirk started hitting him and he had to drop the hammer on him. He did it to Angulo and looked good and he worked Cotto when Cotto would stand there and trade.
So is it fair to say that when Canelo reaches his peak and into the future he will be known as a classic boxer puncher.
I can see that. He seems to be learning every fight no matter how debatable the outcome, he learns. He seems to be studying his Father Mayweather Jr. more and more, plus he ducked that left hook from Cotto for 36 minutes so he is watching tapes.
