What was the purpose of the Mayorga fight?

The ol' "Mayorga 154 Litmus Test". :yep

 

Money and to improved cotto's resume. It's not a bad thing to have a former champion on your resume. Also to keep cotto busy.

Now make cotto vs margarito rematch.

 

Exactly, and Cotto passed. Mayorga just kept coming until the last round when he quit. Mayorga is passed it, but making him QUIT is an admirable accomplishment.

 

Bob Arum wanted a payday from HBO. Unfortnately that didn't work out.

 

Has anyone gotten Emanuel Steward's comments on Mayorga as an opponent for Cotto at this stage of his career?

I'm very curious to hear what Manny though, both before and after last night.

Not "how he thought the fight would go" (which is of course going to be the same before & after :nut) but more how valuable a learning experience or dangerous a proposition he saw this for his new charge, both in advance and hindsight.

 

BOB ARUM:


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63kRUCWstCo[/ame]

 

The only thing I've heard is that Manny said Mayorga was far better conditioned than he expected.

 

Did you catch pre-fight Steward is asked about game plans etc, and Manny said "for the first minute Cotto is gonna feel him out....and after that it's up to Miguel".

Meaning whether or not Cotto was gonna box or rumble with Mayorga. I mean I don't know, but if that's true and I was Cotto, I would maybe feel like "hey Manny, your services weren't cheap, and I could've done what ever I wanted by myself!!"..

I know this isn't no answer to IB's question, just interesting **** pre-fight.:good

 

money

 

It would be hard to figure Mayorga out in advance because he is so wild and unorthodox. However, I liked some of what I saw in Cotto. More consistent with the jab, better right hand, used his height better, and stayed away from sustained brawling. That has all happened under Steward.

 

Steward generally improves most fighters, no matter their extant style.

The only times it doesn't work out is when the chemistry just isn't right (ie with Jermain Taylor).

 

Reasonably big name that hasn't got much left to help build Cotto's back up after losing to Pacquiao, possibly with Arum having the idea of throwing him in again for another beating soon.

There was a reason that Arum refused to put Cotto in with Martinez, he's as good as done as a top fighter and will be exposed when he fights one.

 

Cotto showed some serious discipline when Mayorga invited him in to the corner and dropped his hands. He measured a few scoring blows, but didn't take the bait. Nor did he back off. Would have been exactly what Manny would have wanted him to do.

 

Fine points there.

True, I suppose especially in Cotto's case, the plan was largely gonna have to revolve around what Mayorga' is doin'. Just seein' Mayorga had lost wieght and come in shape is no real measure of what Mayorga was gonna bring once the bell rang.:yep

Mayo brought some serious sustained heat to the table too. Props to Cotto for stayin' cool and not fallin' into any traps.

 

:yep