Impressed With Cotto, Mayweather Remains Undefeated

Last night, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas saw Miguel Cotto face off against Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the WBA junior middleweight championship title. At the beginning of the fight, that title was owned by Miguel Cotto. By night's end, it became the newest possession of "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather. 

When the fight was made, the result in the minds of many was a foregone conclusion that Mayweather would emerge victorious. This fight like many others, was seen as a prelude or a recluse to a fight with Manny Pacquiao. In my own prediction here just a few days ago, I picked Mayweather to win for an assortment of reasons. And while my prediction proved correct, the path to victory for Mayweather was no walk in the park. 

Floyd Mayweather was guaranteed to earn $32 million dollars before any pay-per-view was bought. Cotto for his troubles would take home $8 million before all of the $60/$70 dollar orders were brought in from homes around the world. And while this fight was the biggest single pay day of Miguel Cotto's career, he didn't fight like someone there for a check. 

Cotto started early working behind the jab, trying to find his range and eventually got Mayweather pressed against the ropes. He worked to the body and then went upstairs and down. Early on Cotto was able to land with the jab, along with a couple of grazing hooks. By the fourth round he had Mayweather's head touching the back of his neck and blood trickling out of his nose for the duration of the fight. 

What impressed me even more than the jabs that Cotto was able to land, and the work to the body, was that he made Mayweather fight. Mayweather is notorious for fighting going backwards, seemingly enjoying his back against the ropes. He did that and employed his shoulder role and right hand parry. However, Cotto was relentless in throwing combinations against Mayweather even though he might have missed eight out of ten times. Cotto's pressure, and his improved stamina and endurance forced Mayweather to go on the offensive. He forced Mayweather to dog it out and everyone in the arena was pleased to see Mayweather in a bit of duress. 

Yet, there was one problem in the strategy of Miguel Cotto. There was another flaw in what he allowed Mayweather to do. At certain points in the fight, Cotto looked to bounce on his toes in the middle of the ring and box with Mayweather, but stopped jabbing. Big mistake. This is where Mayweather easily took control of the fight, shooting jabs and straight right hands between the gloves. The fatal flaw was continuously allowing Mayweather to crack him over the side of the head with a clubbing overhand right. Cotto caught a considerable amount of those big right hands on the gloves, but that's all he did. After the first round there was a little strawberry over his left temple and by fights end, his entire left side looked like a strawberry topped cheesecake. Cotto didn't try to parry the punch or slide out of the way. From the looks of it, he punched himself in the face more than Mayweather did by just putting up his glove. 

If Cotto would have stuck to simply trying to press Mayweather into the ropes and hammer him to the body and land whatever, whenever he could. The decision might have been closer, or he might have even been able to squeak out a victory. I know a win for Cotto seems like a long stretch, but he hit Mayweather more than anyone has since Zab Judah. Mayweather called Cotto a tough competitor and applauded Cotto saying that "he came to fight." When asked about the punishment he took, he mentioned the fans saying, "this is what the fans want to see." Adding that, "I'm older now and putting on a good show is important."

Whether Cotto's success was attributed to his own skill and determination or Mayweather's allowance of action, I choose the former. It was a great fight and makes a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight all the more intriguing. Mayweather decimated Juan Manuel Marquez, a fighter who seems to have Pacquiao's number because he's never really looked good against Marquez. Manny Pacquiao did however beat the living daylights out of Cotto, making his face look like a piece of raw meat beaten with a bat, while taking far less punishment from Cotto than Mayweather did last night. 

Will we see Mayweather vs Pacquiao? I'm not sure. From the money-splits, to issues with Bob Arum, blood testing, Mayweather's June 1 date with prison, and Manny's admission of retirement sooner rather than later. We can take a little solace in the fact that this fight was awesome. And at this point, there's really no legitimate reason why Pacquiao and Mayweather shouldn't be scheduled this fall or early 2013. 

Until next write...

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Mayweather Vs Cotto: Prediction

A Little Background

In just 2 days, on May 5, 2012, Floyd Mayweather Jr. will take on Puetro Rican star, Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mayweather will be moving up in weight (154lbs), to challenge Cotto for the WBA junior middleweight title in this pay per view event. This fight has been made in place of a bout with Manny Pacquiao; an often called "fight for the ages," between the Phillipino star and Mayweather ranked #1 and #2 on The Ring's pound for pound list respectively.

In "Money" Mayweather's last fight he took on rising star Victor Ortiz for the WBC welterweight championship on September 17, 2011. Mayweather got the win by a legal, but controversial 4th round knockout of Ortiz. Totally legal, because referee Joe Cortez (one of my favorites) called the bout back into action. However, it appeared that Ortiz was still apologizing for the vicious headbutt that he delivered to Mayweather, that Ortiz was penalized for. Seizing the moment, Mayweather landed an awesome left hook-right hook combination that floored Ortiz and he was unable to recover. The events that led to the end of the bout culminated into a verbal confrontation between Mayweather and famed ring side commentator Larry Merchant, who pulls no punches. This isn't the first time the two squared off and neither was at a loss for words. See it all here in this video.

Miguel Cotto is coming off of a 10 round TKO victory over Mexican star Antonio Margarito on December 3, 2011, due to Margarito's right eye swelling shut. Cotto's victory in this rematch was among the sweetest of his career because in the first fight he lost by TKO in the 11th round to Margarito on July 26, 2008. It was said that Margarito's gloves were packed with illegal plaster wrappings and made the difference in the fight. Though Cotto led on most of the judge's scorecards, he was unable to withstand the damage done and eventually caved in.

24/7

Cotto's win in December coupled with Mayweather's and Pacquiao's continuous inability to come to terms for the biggest fight in the last ten years has brought us to Mayweather vs Cotto. Starting on April 14, 2011 us boxing fans, watched the drama as it unfolded, following Mayweather and Cotto on HBO's documentary style series 24/7.

Over the first three episodes you can see Mayweather reunite in his own way with his father Floyd Mayweather Sr., who taught him and his uncle/trainer Roger Mayweather the game of boxing. During training for his fight against Victor Ortiz the father and son had a huge blowup. Aside from the brief moment of on-camera reconciliation, much is the same in the Mayweather camp. The motto "hard work, dedication," reverberates through the gym, expensive cars line the driveway of Floyd's home and gym, along with an abundance of trash talk, one hundred dollar bills, and rap superstar/best friend 50 Cent.

The Cotto camp is of course a polar opposite of the flamboyance of the "Money Team." There is a quiet relaxed sort of reserved feeling that you get from the humble Cotto and those around him. Much time outside of training is spent with family; those of blood and those who share the bond of unconditional love. In the gym there is a more serious almost cerebral tone that is a contrast from the loud bodacious gym in Las Vegas, Nevada that Floyd Mayweather Jr. calls home.

See the last episode this Friday, May 4, 2012, on HBO at 8:00pm.

Cotto Keys To Victory

Miguel Cotto is going to have to borrow a bit from the book of Oscar De La Hoya and fight behind the jab as much as possible. De La Hoya was able to win the first 5 rounds on the judges cards against Mayweather. However, De La Hoya had the advantage of being two and a half inches taller than mayweather with a 1 inch reach advantage. Cotto has a 5 inch reach disadvantage (72-67) to Mayweather. Therefore, along with a jab, Cotto should employ what made him a dangerous fighter and pressure Mayweather and try to put as much body work in as humanly possible. Constant pressure and a stiff jab will give Cotto the biggest opportunity to cash in on the scorecards. He doesn't necessarily need to land clean blows. De La Hoya landed mostly glancing blows against Mayweather. Cotto simply needs to be as active as De La Hoya was for those first five rounds by pressing Mayweather to the ropes and digging to the body, landing whenever and wherever he can. Only difference is, Cotto will need to do it for 12 rounds. Of course, he'll have to defend against the precise accuracy by moving out of range when Mayweather launches his own assault.

Mayweather Keys To Victory

Mayweather needs to be the fighter he's been for the last 42 fights without a defeat. His punches need to be precise and as accurate as they always are. He needs to make Cotto miss and only allow a few glances blows like most of the fighters who've faced him before. Mayweather should slip and counter any jab Cotto decides he wants to utilize in their fight on May 5th. And if there's any opponent he'll want to stay off the ropes against, it's Cotto. If Cotto presses him to the ropes, he's more likely to focus his attack on the body unlike most fighters who look to land punches to Mayweather's face and fail. They don't call him "Pretty Boy" for nothing. But body work over 12 rounds often slows even the most conditioned fighters. Mayweather should definitely employ his superior foot work, hand speed, and more often than not over his opponents, excellent conditioning. These factors are more likely to ensure his success, and that is the oldest strategy in the game. Hit and don't be hit, the epitome of pugilism.

The Prediction

Without being a betting man, my money's on "Money". Mayweather physically has the advantage. He's taller, with a longer reach by five inches, superior quickness, and better boxing skills. Cotto fought and won a unanimous decision victory over Shane Mosley, a fighter who is nearly as fast as Mayweather and hits harder. Mosley's the only fighter since Castillo to give Mayweather true trouble. Mosley gave us all a glimpse into the humanity of Floyd Mayweather when he buckled him with two good right hooks in the second round of their fight on May 1, 2010. However, Mayweather was able to weather the storm and white washed Mosley following that second round winning 11 rounds to 1 on two judges scorecards, and 10 rounds to 2 on the other.

From what I've seen, Cotto doesn't have the kind of one-shot stopping power that nearly ended Mayweather's perfect record. His ability to bounce back is a testament to his intense training and conditioning. A lesser man would have gone down. And while everyone has a punchers chance, I think Mayweather is in a league that Cotto is not. While Cotto is a lot quicker than he looks on television, the pin point precision accuracy of Mayweather's punches do a lot more damage than is seen in the gym with his trainer Roger Mayweather. And perhaps the biggest obstacle Cotto is facing is Mayweather's will. In order to beat him, he'll have to break his will and I don't see that occuring. But for Cotto fans, find solace in the fact that stranger things have happen and he's the younger man by 5 years. This is boxing after all.

Until next write...

Comment and check out my debut novel, The Virgin Surgeon