Antonio Margarito beats anyone around just now at 147. I include Cotto in a rematch, and De La Hoya, and Williams in a rematch... and yes, definitely Floyd Mayweather. Does Margarito have the best chin in boxing? I'd say he is definitely up there with James Toney. Cotto hit him with some dynamite combinations, and I genuinely didn't see Margo flinch once. I expect many people on hear to criticize Cotto for the way the fight ended, but I do not agree. I think was right to go down both times. From the seventh on he was taking a lot of shots, and I think Margarito's punch hurt. Cotto was spent, standing up just to get badly KO'd would have been a futile, pointless and dangerous gesture. I think Miguel can be proud, he fought brilliantly for the first 6 rounds, but the truth is he lost to the better man, and there is no shame in that when he gave his all. If I was Cotto, I would not chase a rematch. I'd fight De La Hoya for the cash then retire, as I honestly do not think he has the size or the strength or the power to beat Margarito. For Margarito? Hunt Floyd Mayweather, hound him, chase him, keep calling him out in the press, get him in the ring. Margarito WOULD beat PBF at 147. Although many people on here have said Margo's style is tailor-made for PBF to box rings around him, that may be so for a couple of rounds, maybe even a bit more, but Margarito is too big and too adept at cutting off the ring and closing it off for PBF to be able to dance and box throughout the final, exhausting rounds. Margarito should fight like De La Hoya did v Mayweather, but the difference would be that Margo's superior punching power and bodypunching, superior chin, and (relative to DLH) youth, freshness and stamina, would see him stop PBF. Imagine Floyd trying to lie on the ropes and deflect the thousands of wicked punches Margarito would throw? There's no way Floyd could win that fight. And I think Floyd knows Margo would be too big and too powerful. He won't risk it. And there's no way DLH will want his last fight to be versus a Mexican. I think Margarito will fight Williams, and win, and go looking for Pavlik (if Pav beats B-Hop like I expect him to). Thoughts/opinions?? And this is how my own pound-for-pound ranking now looks: 1.Manny Pacquiao 2.Juan Manuel Marquez 3.Joe Calzaghe 4.Israel Vasquez 5.Antonio Margarito 6.Ivan Calderon 7.Kelly Pavlik 8.Bernard Hopkins 9.Cristian Mijares 10.Miguel Cotto
I agree, but if Pavlik gets by Hopkins, and there's no DLH or Mayweather fight for Margo, money will talk. If Paul Williams was up for Pavlik, Margo will be. Hey, we're living in an age where a former flyweight world champ (Pac) may fight a former middleweight champ (Oscar)!!
Styles make fights which is why a lower class fighter in Margarito managed to stop a classier Cotto. This exact same concept of styles make fights is why PBF is all wrong for Margarito - over the first half of the fight, Cotto was making Margarito look second rate in terms of making him miss and countering. I think a lack of stamina hurt him.. my opinion would be Floyd comfortably by points or cuts stoppage if Margarito cuts (i dont know if he does or not!). Converesely, i think Cotto gives PBF a far harder fight then Margarito due to the style.
I agree with a lot of what you're saying. One thing though, I don't think Margarito is a lower class fighter, just a different style. In the total picture, Margarito's toughness, chin, and heart more than evened things out. I agree though that thinking Margarito would steamroll Mayweather the same way is wishful thinking. Cotto fought a brilliant fight but his style of leaning forward and trying to catch punches and slip other put him in range for many uppercuts. Margarito's incredible workrate overcame this strategy. Cotto blocked and slipped a lot of punches but against a guy who can throw 130 a round, that means he got hit with a lot too. It was his downfall. I'm not sure what he could do differently in a rematch. His punches don't seem to hurt Margarito, and he doesn't appear to have the stamina necessary to stick and move the whole fight. Mayweather would not become stationary on the ropes and eat all those uppercuts. To me, Margarito is a bigger, stonger, more durable Diego Corrales. He'd give Mayweather a much tougher fight than Chico did, but if I had to pick, I'd pick Mayweather by decision. Mayweather is not Cotto.
p.s. I did pick Cotto by tough decision, just getting in line for my plate of crow. It was a great fight though.
Mayweather would defeat Margarito easily in a boring fight. He's too elusive. Margarito has little chance against that style of elite fighter. He also wouldn't have much shot against Pavlik, as the long jab would neutralize him, and he isn't going to benefit from moving all the way up to 160. Agreed with the above that Cotto represents a greater challenge to Mayweather than Margarito. As does Williams, who at least has some handspeed.
Im a big fan of Margo, but i'll admit i had Cotto to wiin yesterday, i just thought he would be too skilled. SuzieQ may remember my prediction? Also, i think Margarito is like the GriimReaper how he comes for you and there's nothin you can do about it!!!!
