Maturity does not allow a man to go backwards. This is the new and improved Cotto and he's going to stay that way. He's going to savor the victory and probably won't think about boxing until the new year. Cotto is a good guy and I'd love to see him match up against some good opponents next year. He's the best guy at 154 and I'd like to see him get matched up against a new opponent he's never fought before like Kirkland, Lara or Alvarez. I would favor him over all those guys.
But, to be fair, that Cotto had all of the bad habits/weaknesses which bought about the loss to Margarito.
This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected
Cotto looked like he worked on some things in last night fight and made some improvements/adjustments in strategy as well as technically, but he's not the body-destroyer he used to be. I miss that Cotto. The one who would dig in viciously with left and right hooks and throw precise inside combos.
Just watched the the first few round again and Cotto actually did threw some vicious left hooks in the early rounds. He throw them in combos and as single punches. At 1:35 of the first round, he landed a classic Cotto hook to the body. 2 punch combo to the body at 1:17. In the 2nd round, he landed another vicious left hook at 2:38. He threw less as the fight went on, but he threw them. The HBO team seem to have missed every one of them.
Plus - Footwork was much better. Left hook was as crisp and accurate as ever. Jab was nice and tidy. Right hand was much stronger. He stayed off the ropes. Minus - He didn't go to the body like he used to. He was fighting a zombie (a ****ing tough zombie, but still a zombie.)
That fight is not going to happen.. Floyd is smart as he always says. He knows that cotto, margo and pac are worst styles for him :good
The biggest change that steward introduced was to Miguel's stance. He doesn't square up like he used to. That, along with the little side-steps meant margo's uppercuts were largely ineffective. Diaz made one big change which was the movement at close range and the pushing.