My thoughts on how Cotto can use the tools at his disposal to beat Mayweather

A few points:

1. Cotto's jab is paramount, he needs to land it consistently to set up his attacks. But Mayweather may outjab him or just beat him to the punch with faster hands or counter his right over Cotto's jab

2. A body attack is very much key, which has to be set up off the jab

3. There's an assumption Mayweather will be running, he's only really been ultra negative against Castillo 2, DLH and Baldomir (broke hand). He prefers to stay in the pocket and pick his punches or walk his man down as he did against Ortiz/Corley/Judah.

4. Cotto's defence and error minimisation is key, any of his silly moves like trying to shoulder roll or switching southpaw will be punished.

5. I certainly don't think Cotto trying to box with Floyd or going on the back foot will do him any good. To have success he needs to back Floyd up with the jab and force exchanges at mid range while focusing on good intelligent defence and punch picking.

I don't think Cotto is quite capable enough to pull off the gameplan above, I don't think his jab will getting going the way he needs it to, I think Floyd beats him to the punch and once that starts happening regularly it's game over.

 

Quality thread right here. These are rare to find on ESB these days.

I agree with the TS on all the points he made regarding Cotto's ability. One thing I hope Cotto does not do is pose when he lands a couple good shots. It looks cool when you are fighting an overmatched opponent, but he's got to drop that **** fighting Floyd and save the posing for the end of the rounds, if he happens to land a good shot or two.

He's got to be all business in there with the sole intention of winning and not trying to put on a show (unecessarily). There are times and places to do that, but not in a fight that is this important for Cotto.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHNIalMWvo8&feature=youtu.be

 

You know Cotto had surgery soon after that right? Because his shoulder was still messed up from his car accident years ago?

 

Not even close...nice try tho.

 

:deal Floyd will walk Cotto down, mark my words.

 

You'll see:yep

 

I wouldn't be so sure of that homie. Henry fights just like Cotto...this is another schooling from Floyd on May 5th.

 

Floyd's defense in the pocket is phenomenal so I don't see Cotto getting anywhere with his body attack. In fact I think that Floyd will make him pay. What troubles me is that Cotto's defense consists of running and that he has stamina issues. I don't think that Cotto has the skills to win the fight or go 12 rounds with Floyd.

 

QFT - First page at least. I'm at work, so that's all I have read.

 

I think adjustments will be the key. If Cotto comes out with a great game plan, lets say the one the TS stated. PBF will adjust...Can Cotto?

Just a few things I wonder about this fight regarding Cotto.

Can Cotto control the range? If not what can he do b/c he does not have the hand speed or foot speed to box with PBF. PBF is a master of distance and has the longer reach.

If he finds away to get inside....Will Cotto be cut up by uppercuts. Cotto has never defended well against uppercuts on the inside. Floyd has a mean uppie on the inside.

Will Cotto's face hold up? I don't know if it's the drinking or what but why does his face cut/swell so easily?

To say Cotto dealt with Mosley's speed so he will be able to time PBF...that seems wrong to me. I seen Mosley and he is no PBF.

Cotto has a great jab. But will PBF take away the jab with his pull counter?

If PBF carries him at a fast pace will Cotto gas?

Just not that excited for this fight. It's a good 3 years too late.

 

Later in the Margarito fight, Cotto was bending too far forward on the inside. Same stance as he had with his uncle and Santiago. And even though he didn't appear bothered by Margarito's uppercuts and chops to both sides of his ribcage, he was getting hit a bit too much for my liking.

 

Nice thread Bogo. A technical explanation of how he CAN influence the fight makes a welcome change from the usual "Cotto is getting destroyed". I especially liked your point about throwing carefully chosen, relaxed combinations when on the attack against Floyd. Cotto's usually very adept at that, he rarely lunges in and gets carried away just throwing wild bombs. However I think he'll have to put in the performance of his life to get anything from this fight. He can have some success if he executes, but the odds are against him, clearly. I personally think he'll fade late and be stopped in the 10th or 11th.

 

Hey Bogo,

Nice thread.

The thing about the Hatton fight was that PBF is not as strong as he is now. Consider this, Mosley was able to push Margo around the ring in the clinches. PBF looked to be the stronger fighter in the ring with Mosley and held his ground against 165 pound Ortiz. And when Hatton did get inside he got punished by body shots and uppercuts.

Cotto for all his improvements started to get caught with the same uppercuts on the inside from Margo in the 2nd fight. And Margo does not have great hand speed.

The thing about Floyd leading is that Cotto does not have the defense to pull this off. Floyd is faster of hand and foot with the reach advantage, but the real problem imo is Cotto blocks the right hand with his face. Floyd laser straight right will hit often imo. and cut his face up as Cotto's face always cuts.