Technical summary of how Canelo won.

Golden Boy Promotions.....






Jk



I've been meaning to post this since Saturday. This is how I overall saw the fight. Cotto's game plan was to use motion because of Canelo's flat feet. I think Cotto was too short and didn't have the reach to pull of the game plan; Cotto 5'7", 67" reach compared to Canelo 5'9" and 70.5" reach. Canelo is more of a counter-puncher and he likes range to get off his combos. Cotto used effective motion to keep Canelo's output and accuracy low, but he was still dancing in Canelo's range and kept his hands too low on the outside and a couple times too high on the inside covering his periphery vision and couple times getting nailed by upper cuts. He also didn't set up his shots. I think if he would have feinted more he could have drawn out Canelo's counter and then came in for the attack. Cotto's overall motion kept Canelo guessing, but once he came in for attacks he fired off 5-10 punch combos and stood in front of Canelo too long and then he backed up straight a couple of times. Canelo on the other hand does not and will not pressure. He was comfortable chilling back at a distance. I think he employed the correct defense by keeping his hands up high and blocking many punches with his forearms and elbows (main reason I think he won the fight from a technical standpoint). However he'd block the first 3-4, think he was done and Cotto nailed him with the 5-6 punch a couple of times on the way out. I think the mid-rounds were his most dominant as he got comfortable with timing Cotto's attacks, using his reach and just sniping from the outside. Around rounds 8-10 I think Canelo got a little to comfortable and his punch output went real low. This is where I believe Cotto stole some rounds with being a bit busier and making Canelo chase and miss him. I think another difference here was the effect of the punches. Canelo rehydrates past 170 most fights, I'm guessing Cotto was at 160. In a couple of the rounds where the punch out-put was similar Cotto's punches did not seem to make Canelo budge, where as Canelo made Cotto pause on a couple of occasions. Given Cotto's previous performances I think Canelo still becomes a player at 160. Cotto can win a belt at 154 if he wants to, but at the end of the day he still is a guaranteed hall of famer and can retire with his legacy in tact.

I will be watching the replay on Saturday given some of the following controversy from fight fans and even Mexican media. The score-cards were too wide, but I thought it was still a good competitive technical fight. I think what upsets most people is that with the scorecards so wide it brings to question the objectiveness of the judges. Had the Cotto dominated the fight he still probably wouldn't have gotten the decision.

 

I also got this online:
Julio Cesar Chavez sr and Marco antonio Barrera had Miguel cotto winning by a wide margin, this is the unofficial scorecard of the Mexican broadcasting. Team.... They had cotto winning 9-3
When the official announcement was announced Barrera said and I quote "cotto has been robbed"

I def. want to watch the Mexican commentary now and see what they saw. However, I will say this, I would not rule out some bias here. Canelo pretty much had the pathway paved for him with big paydays and lots of promotion. Chavez, Barrera, and Marquez had to fight for s****s and work their way up. Let's also not forget Chavez Jr. and Alvarez were both promoted in much of the same light, so Chavez Sr. could be skewed by that. I also think considering the high level of technical expertise there and them being legendary father figures critiquing the apparent "heir" to the Mexican boxing throne. If you look at the fight from the perspective of what Canelo did wrong technically then there is a lot left to be desired. However from what Canelo did technically correct I think that is what won him the fight. I don't like being forced fed a manufactured champion, but when a guy wins a fight then I have to give him his props. I would also say from all things indicated GBP and HBO are the ones propping up Canelo, but he himself is rather humble and recognized fighting Cotto was a huge honor. I still think Canelo is technically deficient as an offensive fighter and with his footwork. I don't think that changes unless he switches trainers. However given that Cotto took out Martinez and Geale, I think Canelo is a live underdog against Golovkin. I don't think he beats him, but he takes away the aura of invincibility. I think GGG has been manufactured by HBO to some degree as well.