Cotto vs Yuri Foreman next....

cotto at 154
will look like meldrick taylor at 154

NOT GOOD

 

He should take the tune-up as phase one of his two-phase plan because his best option for a swansong is IMO a welterweight title shot (not junior middleweight, where his chances of winning plummet even though both Berto and Mosley are tough matchups...it's simply too big for him...140 was just a few pounds too small for him, 147 is just right, 154 is too big...). It's maybe a less financially lucrative plan than booking two big-name/title bouts at Junior Middle, but it's the more sensible and far-sighted from a legacy standpoint.

He certainly shouldn't remain inactive waiting to take on the winner of Berto vs. Mosley - that would be a lot of rust to shake off. But he shouldn't do anything to jeopardize his chance (see Jones vs. Green).

Someone like a Castillo, Forbes, or Matt Hatton...a harmless showcase to stay sharp and maybe provide him with some highlight-reel stuff to enhance the hype for his showdown with either Berto (already a good seller - battle of the young guns with wins over Mosley) or Mosley (the rematch will draw fan interest like moths to flame).

 

I still tend to think that when it's all said and done (Arum making him an offer that he can't refuse) Cotto will inevitably end up facing Margarito. That fight could very well take place at 154 considering Margarito has been griping about being weight drained against Mosley, not to mention the year long layoff.

Foreman imo is not a formidable foe for Cotto even at 54, especially when compared to potential opponents like Mosley or Berto even at lesser weight.

I could envision Cotto becoming a titlist at 54 by defeating a weaker champion and then subsequently defend the title against his nemesis in his career finally.

 

hrohoho... Bobby Greedy... He's going to take every last bit. Cotto made a deal with the devil. Twice.

 

Interesting fight and one I see Cotto winning comfortably on points.

 

I agree with this. Cotto could get by a Foreman, who is a light puncher, but what would he do next? Go for Martinez or Williams? Any of those two guys would dismantle Cotto.


Cotto has one huge problem. . .as much as I hate to admit it, his chin isn't that good. It did not hold against Pac and it sure as hell wouldn't hold against PW's relentless assault or against Martinez's crisp and tricky punching (whose punches do have some power: look at PW's face after the fight).


If your chin aint that good, it's suicide to move up in weight imo.

 

:nod

He looked vulnerable at 140...many times...and while moving up a class did improve his durability some, he never looked unbreakable. Of course he went to war with a big hitter in Mosley, but he stayed busy enough (and boxed intelligently enough) to keep Mosley from ever loading up and landing any bombs with major tonnage on them. Other than that he was always visibly shaken at least a little by almost every top-level welterweight he faced, whether their power was average or above. Any legitimate junior middleweight punch - even one a bit below average - is something he needs to stay the hell away from. People citing that Foreman isn't a big puncher need to stop and remember just how much bigger he is than Pac - or Cotto. To put the proportions in perspective, he has five inches of height and reach on MP; and about the same (4" height) on Cotto. Zuri Lawrence is the weakest p4p puncher in the sport, but I'd certainly pick him to KO Cotto. :yep

Foreman might not land a picture perfect hook that leaves Cotto crumpled on the mat unconscious as the ref abandons the 10-count; but he can certainly cut Cotto's face up with accurate punches (we have no reason to assume Cotto will be able to move as gracefully as Foreman and match pace wearing the extra weight) and possibly stop him via TKO that way...or he could just hit him over and over again en route to a UD (some feel these are the worst beatings someone can take in terms of long-term health risk).

Cotto will be slow, vulnerable, lacking confidence coming off a savage beating (and without the salve of chalking it up to plaster), and I don't see him adding any significant power (much as JMM packed on useless muscle when he overstepped his physical boundaries). He'll be as much the new sissy on the cellblock at 154 as JLC at 147.

 

Some of you all are overrating Foreman badly.

How is Foreman going to beat Cotto, Supreme boxing ability? Cotto's now weak resistant chin? Foreman's Speed?

65/35 fight in favor of Cotto

 

Cotto's faced 1 other guy that was 5'11".

That guy was way slower than Foreman.

Foreman's no Pacquiao by any means, but next to Tony he'd sure bear a resemblance. :yep

You give Cotto a guy that towers over him, has close to the reach advantage Mosley had, and can actually move and box some? He's going to have a bad, bad night. He could win, sure. I don't know about confidently favoring him, coming off a brutal loss, without so much as a tune-up.

 

Cotto needs to change some habits if he's going to keep fighting at the championship level.

Get another brain in his camp. Someone who isn't afraid to tell him where's he's messing up.