In the last 2 years what has cotto actually done to instill so much faith??

What faith are you talking about? Most of the posters here have margo winning again. Still, can you name a better fighter @ 154?

 

Become the best 154 lb fighter today.

 

Maybe because since that Pacquiao defeat, he's been preserved pretty well. 2010 was a quiet year where he only fought a Yuri Foreman in a fairly easy fight. Then against Mayorga, he got a good set of 12 competitive rounds under his belt. Margarito, however, has been in the midst of inactivity and brutal beat-downs. Maybe that’s what everyone is banking on. Out of the two, he [Margarito] appears to be the more damaged goods.

But I disagree, though. After suffering two sets of equally damaging losses – Margarito’s against Mosley/Pac and Cotto’s against Margarito/Pac – I think Margarito remains in better working order. Mainly because he’s always been tougher to begin with (mentally and physically), and if they’re pitted in another brutal war, I’d bank on him to come out on top. Not to mention, he easily benefits more from this higher weight.

Cotto deserves massive props if he wins this.

 

For me, there was a noticeable difference in Cotto in the Yuri Foreman fight. Dude looked like he had been sharpening his boxing skills. I remember his footwork was impeccable. He outboxed the boxer in Foreman.


People seem to forget that Cotto was actually schooling Margarito badly before Margarito started wearing him down. I admit that originally I thought that a second fight between these two would produce the same result, but now I'm not so sure. I think that this time around, Cotto will be much better prepared to handle Margarito's pressure. And I don't think Margarito will ever be able to outbox Cotto.

 

I disagree with all of those mate.

Williams maybe, due to styles and size, possibly Lara who would be worth a sleeper bet on. The rest are either too green, too one dimensional and lacking in skills or not approaching Cotto's level.

 

Don't forget he was out for a long time after shoulder surgery.

Foreman was a fight a lot of people thought he would get outboxed, just a shame Yuri's knee was ****ed, can hardly fault Cotto for that. Cotto would have won anyway.

 

That knee probably saved Foreman from a more sustained beating. Cotto was boxing the bejeezus out of him.

 

I would argue that Cotto has improved his game. The only fight since Tony where Cotto did not look good to me was Clottey...And I don't understand the criticism he got for the Mayorga fight. Mayorga is a big, dangerous dude and that was the best Mayorga we've seen in a long time. Mayorga is a harder puncher and has better skills than Margarito. And Cotto beat him.

 

He hasn't done a damned thing! However, I hope he beats the **** out of Margacheato! Getting rid of Steward does not instill me with confidence, but his new trainer is no slouch either. http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content10929.html

 

Kirkland would be a toss-up. Cotto is far more polished but Kirkland certainly has the power to stop him.

Angulo would never touch Cotto, just like he never touched Cintron.

Lara would look get early but pull a Jermain Taylor and allow Cotto to distance him down the stretch

Williams would show Cotto everything he had in the first round. Cotto would figure out his pattern and win a lop-sided decision.

Wolak: Really? I think Cotto stops him.

Canelo: This one I don't know. Have yet to see him at this level.

 

When watching the Foreman fight, Cotto was boxing well and applying some serious pressure, working behind that piston jab. Foreman trying to move constantly mixed with the inevitable wet spots on the canvas caused him to hurt his knee. If Cotto simply boxed and let Foreman come to him, that injury most likely would not have occurred.

 

You're right, Cotto had refined his footwork under Steward and was using that Latin type on your toes bounce to keep pace with the ever moving foreman. (Similar to what Oscar employed in the Tito fight.)