This is a fight i wanted to see at 147 both in their prime undefeated 2008 and both were champions. Miguel Cottos good counter punching good footwork. Boxer puncher. Left hook to the body Vs Paul Williams long jab with volume punches with power and slickness . Who would of won?
Williams had physical advantages with his dimensions but not sure he was a physical as a prime Margarito. Being tall doesn’t mean they have a similar style. I like Cotto in this fight. Williams activity would mean that Cotto has to work more in rounds than he maybe likes, but a combination of his timing and counter punching ability, coupled with his powerful left hook makes me think he has the tools the win.
Prime Cotto was 140 ppounds.i don't view Williams a slick at all and cotto is the better pfp fighter for me but it's hard to see him beating a guy with that much size and that kind of workrate
Honestly its a tough call. Initial feeling is that a primed Williams has simply too high of a workrate and applies too much pressure for Cotto to overcome. But... Williams is prone to being countered and outboxed, and Cotto certainly has the skills to do it. While people will draw the Margarito comparison, I think Margarito might have had a bit more physical and higher iq pressure than Williams. Its hard for me seeing a prime Margarito get outboxed all night by the likes of Quintana, like Williams did in their first fight in his lackluster performance. Genuinely a toss up for me. If I had to absolutely choose one and I knew he was going to be on his A game on the night Id probably lean towards Williams to win a decision with his workrate and Cottos propensity to retreat and give up rounds late to durable big pressure fighters.
Perhaps you should take a closer look at boxrec... Paul beat THE prime Margarito, his performance that night was sublime
I like this fight, there are so many variables. I can see Williams workrate and activity level troubling cotto but cotto's left hook to the body was no joke and the height differential might make William's liver a prime target for annihilation. I think cotto's ring iq and counterpunching ability are severely underrated and he would certainly find ample opportunities to counter but i'm not sure he can do enough to keep Williams off him if he strictly head hunts. I'm not sure why he abandoned throwing the left hook to the body with such viscious intent later in his career but I believe he would need to work the body and slow Williams down to pull off the win.
Idk I would imagine Cotto outboxing Williams in similar fashion to Quintana but we also know fighters with a high work rate is a bad matchup for Cotto.. Triangle theories rarely work in boxing and I wished the fight would have happened.. If I had to choose I would picked Cotto by TKO 11th rd after punishing Williams rib cage with a consistent left hook to the body..
Bodywork takes its toll on Williams due to Cotto's habit of punching low when his skills doesnt get it done. Man those shots Judah took earned my respect. I like Williams to win, but Cotto will hit low if has to . SD for Paul?
Williams by tko. Too much pressure for Cotto to keep up, at some point he'd have to stand his ground and that would mark the beginning of the end for him.
