Did You Guys See Any Changes from Cotto?

i think steward can help quiet alot more, they only spent 8 weeks together, steward needs to drill that right hand into cottos head, he has a really good one but hardly uses it.

 

I used to feel that Cotto would lunge in when he threw his jab and hooks. That after his punches were thrown he was very open and vulnerable and out of position.

Not anymore. Everytime he threw something, he got right back into position, keeping his opponent right in front of him. It seems like a major improvement.

 

Yes he boxed more relaxed, fought taller, used his jab quicker, didnt lean forward and fall in with his punches, and fought more strategicially, less wasted punches.
Exactly what I expected from Emanuel Steward, but I still think Cotto looked a little too "hittable"

 

plus he actually learnt how to block ussing a full guard

i know you like steward alot but do you think he was the right choice for cotto?

 

He used his height, showed improved footwork, and jabbed more. One flaw I still noticed is that he still pauses for a few seconds while doing the philly shell.

 

Yeah definitely because Cotto has a lot of good boxing skills, he can punch hard and hes got a big heart. His biggest problem is approaching fights properly from a strategic standpoint. Steward is the best at that. He can get Cotto to do the things he sees in opponents to take advantge of their weaknesses. Its a big improvement. That being said, I think we will see a different Cotto once hes in there with a puncher. Thats when its a lot harder to follow a gameplan, when it becomes a rough fight, so it will be interesting to see whats next. It was a good first fight for the two to work together. Foreman was very nervous and it showed in his performance. He was lost in there last night.

 

has steward worked with anyone like cotto before except for chavez?

hes best fighters are tall rangy guys.

if cotto didn't pick steward who's the next best trainer in your opinion?

 

He worked with Hamed. For these guys that are experienced good fighters, any of the trainers who are really good at strategy and fight plans. Tommy Brooks, would be next choice.

 

Steward also devised the gameplan for Evander Holyfield to beat Riddick Bowe. Holyfield was not a tall rangy guy. Oliver Mcall was very limited in the skill department, and he did a great job with him, just taking advantage of Lennox Lewis mistakes and having Oliver time him perfectly. Doesnt really have to do with height or fighting style, just how to expose the opponents shortcomings. Steward just prefers working with offensive guys, because he likes exciting fights. Thats why he chose cotto over Foreman. He had a chance to train either guy.

 

yeah tommy brooks is a great coach too, he was one of futch's guys was he not?

what kind of style does he work well with? he did very good with holyfield, meldrick taylor and had a good run with mike tyson.

where is he now? last i saw him was in a corner of one of yuri foremans earlier fights.

 

Still has what I consider the best jab outside Wladamir Klitschko.

 

Yes, plenty.

For starters..his jab. Cotto's had that piston-like jab from day one, but he always had a tendency to take a huge step to get in range and get it off, which Steward actually alluded to in the Judah fight. This often at times left him off balance and vulnerable for counter shots. Manny seems to have corrected this flaw, and instead of one huge step, he has Cotto taking two shorter steps with a jab in between in each step. Cotto really was doing a good job last night of doubling up on the jab. Jack Loew would have been proud.

Second thing I noticed was more feints. In the second round, he buckled Foreman with a right hand. Seconds prior to the right hand, he flicked out a jab that was seemingly a set up shot, and followed it up by feinting another jab, which directed Foreman's focus to his left hand. Cotto immediately followed the feint with a right hand through Yuri's guard that he never saw coming and had him rattled pretty good. Incidentally, Foreman landed a big right hand over the top using similar tactics in round four.

Another thing I noticed was the head movement after countering. This was something he did well earlier in his career, and seemed to get lost somewhere along the way. Last night Miguel would counter a Yuri shot, and slip under Foreman's reply. In other words, he didn't "admire his work" as Teddy Atlas would put it.


All in all, I think the Steward/Cotto merger has been a good one. But I'd still like to see him not hit with as many right hands, and apply a more dedicated attack to the body. There were at least two instances last night (particularly one right hand to the pit of the stomach) early in the fight where Cotto went to the body and Yuri was visibly effected. With a more concentrated body assault, he possibly could have ended matters earlier. Originally, when Steward was mentioned as a possible trainer for Cotto, I had my concerns. But I was really impressed with the amount of changes Manny could implement in such a limited amount of time.

 

He was more fluid, stuck with the jab and the plan, kept his height without any wasted movements. Those are all good improvements. They've only had one fight together so I expect things to get even better because Cotto seems to be willing to listen an apply what Manny is telling him.

 

Hes worked Holyfield last two fights. Valueav and Botha. Argueably two wins. Brooks did work with Futch for a while, but also Benton and Duva. He is married to Lou Duvas daughter.

 

that used to **** me the **** off

he would land a right hand and be all proud about it like he saved the world or something.