I like Spence and think he is a good fighter but prime Cotto was an animal and is all wrong for Spence
Cotto, for me, smaller but the more skilled of the too, better jab, better movement. Maybe Spence can try to do what Margarito did and slowly grind him down, but I don't think he can walk through the shots Margarito did. I think it's competitive, but in the end Cotto edges it.
I've answered this before. And seeing the Crawford fight, my prime Cotto wins answer is even more concrete IMO Also answered Spence against a post prime current vs. current (at the time question)
Cotto was awesome but he gets overrated. Idk... would have been a super competitive fight. Cotto didnt like big guys with heavy hands that applied pressure. On the other hand, Spence is hittable and hurtable. Would be a very fun and competitive fight... idk.
When i was debating this topic last year before the Crawford fight i said this so this tells you i haven't jumped on the bandwagon because Spence lost i always favoured Cotto. Cotto lost to two ATG's in Pacquiao, Mayweather, two fighters that Spence would certainly not beat. And Cotto actually gave Mayweather a very competitive fight aswell. Cotto's loss to Margarito which he revenged BTW has a huge asterisk over it which I won't go into. His other losses were at Jr Middleweight and Middleweight whilst being past his prime and one of those losses was to a prime Canelo in which he went 12 rounds. Spence's best win is barely scrapping by Porter who is a B level Welterweight who's lost all his biggest fights. You sure do put alot of stock in two wins over Porter and Ugas. Yet you dismiss wins over Clottey, Judah, Mosley, who are better than those two fighters by quite some margin. Spence has not shown me as of yet he can beat a prime Cotto and no barely beating Shawn Porter is not good evidence of that either.
You also got to remember he was undefeated until he was hit over the head with plaster for 10 rounds, probably took a hell of a lot out of him.
Certainly very possible, or maybe even probable. But I can only judge him by what hes shown in the ring. Slightly pre prime he was going life and death with ricardo torres. In his prime he barely edged out a past prime Mosley. Slightly past prime Cotto was barely getting by the likes of Clottey. Not saying spence beats him, but it would be a great matchup, imo. Stylistically, Cotto is vulnerable to what Spence brings to the fight.
Cotto was the closest thing I had to a favorite boxer growing up. I find having a favorite hard cause theres inherent bandwagony involved. But while I voted Cotto I would be worried if he was taking that fight. Not enough to pick Spence but I would be concerned.
