Up until the Margarito fight, many peeps kept sayin after every fight "And the scary part is, he isnt even in his prime yet!" Now Im reading a lot that Cotto is on the decline. So which is it and if hes on the decline at the age of 28 around when was he at his prime?
He looks worse now than he did a few fights ago, and I think the location of that scar is really going to haunt him the rest of his career. I wouldn't have thought it, but I think he's a little past prime now.
IMO. He peaked in the Margarito fight. Similar to how Meldrick Taylor peaked in the Chavez fight. (Both of them peaked that night)
Its hard to say, when a fighter fights better competition, or a fighting style that does not make them look as good doesn't mean he is not in his prime, I mean alot of people thought Mosley was on the decline after Mayorga then he destroyed Margarito. Their are so many factors that come into play.
No idea. Cotto in that fight was at his peak I think. The speed, power, upper body movement and variety of punches were all incredible over the first 6 rounds. Margarito was an ANIMAL that night. Unbelievable chin. Just unbelievable. Damn Margarito and his cheating ways. I still think Cotto is one of the best in the world. That Clottey fight didn't tell us too much I think - Cotto won but the cut really messed things up.
I think a combination of poor matchmaking i.e. Alfonso Gomez, the clouded result with Margartio, meaningless fight with Jennings and cut against Clottey makes it impossible to say, even if he had peaked we might not have noticed in those circumstances...
Taylor was just as good, if not better, against McGirt. He was really on his game that night. Excellent performance against a very good fighter in McGirt.
Cotto might be on the decline, but I'm not willing to write him off yet. Some say he looked less fluid against Clottey, I see some truth in that. That could be because Clottey is faster though and a good defensive fighter. Cotto was fluid against the very fast Judah, but Zab's style is different than Clottey's anyway.
On the decline, surprised so many say in his prime but he is only 28 so maybe he could peak again however he just doesn't seem right mentally since the Margarito fight.
Look at Tyson, the Douglas fight sent him on his decline at the age of about 24, not at all shocking that Cotto is at 28.