By Michael Lieberman: I think I’m speaking for a lot of boxing fans when I say I’m more than a little displeased with which the way WBA Miguel Cotto (32-1, 26 KOs) went down twice in the 11th round, both times taking a knee himself rather than letting Antonio Margarito (37-5, 27 KOs) pound him to the canvas the way things are normally done in boxing. I don’t know about other people, but that seemed like a quitting move to me, something which is more than a little off putting. I never would have imagined Cotto losing in such a manner, especially in the case of the second knockdown in which Cotto took a knee without even being hit by Margarito.
I know, he was bleeding from his nose and eye, but come on; you got to go out on your shield and not by taking a knee. If he had done this only once, I suppose I wouldn’t have minded so much. But he had to go and compound it by taking a second knee when Margarito came running at him to try and finish him off. It was like he wanted to take away Margarito’s ability to finish him, thus preventing him from gaining the satisfaction that he might have had if had actually taken Cotto out with a punch and planted him on the canvas. Earlier in the fight, around the 9th round, I thought I saw signs of Cotto wanting to take a knee at that time as well, because Margarito was coming on at that time, applying a ton of pressure on Cotto.
Or, for that matter, what if Ricky Hatton did the same thing in a bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr? What would boxing fan’s opinion be about that? It’s only obvious, they would give both of them nonstop hell, questioning their courage constantly. I don’t what Cotto was thinking when he took the knees, perhaps something like ‘the heck with this, I don’t want any more of this punishment,’ but whatever the case may be it looked bad from my perspective. I think Cotto should have gone out like a true champion, like a captain of a ship, and let Margarito finish him with his fists rather than submitting to him and bowing to one knee.
I hate submission fights, and always have, which is one of the reasons why I hate MMA fights. By Cotto going down to one knee on both occasions in the 11th, he ruined my image of his as a fighter. I had previously thought he was invincible, or darn near that, although I knew some day he would lose to someone. I just thought that when the day would come, he’d go out in a blaze of glory rather the way he did go out - in a whimper.
July 28th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Atleast Cotto had the BALLS to fight Margarito
July 28th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Cotto is not a quitter, he fought a very tough fighter in Margarito. He should take some time, train harder and request a rematch.
July 28th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO SEE MARGARITO AND WILLIAMS
July 28th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
You run your mouth from your computer.He was bleeding from every hole in his face.Boxing fans wanted to see a great fight and that’s what we got.We don’t need a goofball like yourself putting down a warrior like Cotto.He was beaten and we all know it.As if you couldn’t tell by his mangled face.I think your the coward for even implying that he should have kept going.Let me pound your face in and see if you dont take a knee.Moron
July 29th, 2008 at 6:27 am
You have obviouly never climbed through the ropes yourself so what made you think to write an article as ridiculous as this? I bet youve never took a dig in your life either. This writer has made himself look a proper fool.
July 29th, 2008 at 7:24 am
bullshit article.
July 29th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Are you actually a boxing fan? Or someone who likes to watch people being beat up on you tube? I cant even bring myself to point out what is wrong with your article except to say you know nothing about boxing!
July 29th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Terrible article! No way is Cotto a quitter! Are you seriously saying he should have stood there and waited to get knocked out! he was taking a beating, look at the picture in your own article! Cotto didn’t quit! his corner through in the towel, and rightly so! Margarito is carved out of steel!
July 29th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Are you serious??? Cotto had the balls to take the fight in the first place against a BIGGER fighter - it would be interesting to see what weight they both entered the ring. I think Magarito could campaign at JMW to MW. Cotto was taking some big licks - maybe with better conditioning he could have performed as he did in the first half and maybe won .
I bet you never been drilled once let alone repeatedly!!!!
July 29th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Michael Lieberman is a keyboard fighter… that’s the only thing you’re beating up. You’d rather a fighter risk his life by continuing to take those brutal shots, than to take a knee, (twice), and live to fight another fight! I think we’d all love to see you take one of those punches and see how you try to walk away from it. BOXINGNEWS24… please do not let this guy write for your site anymore.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:03 am
mike, i don’t know if you have ever fought, amateur or pro. there comes a time when you have nothing left. you have no idea the pain cotto was experiencing. it is easy for arm chair fighters to comment. he went 11 hard rounds. if you call cotto a quitter, which is wrong, then what would you say about pryor vs arguello II, or morales sitting on the canvas after manny pounded him. i hear people say, oh that was nothing. though they have never felt a punch with full force. get in there and experience it. these guys are true warriors.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
ALL OF PUERTO RICO AND BOXING FANS ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE WAITING FOR YOUR APOLYGY MICHAEL.BE A MAN AND ADMIT YOURE ARTICLE WAS CRAP AND AS U SEE NOBODY LIKED IT.HOW ARE PEOPLE GONNA WANT TO READ YOUR ARTICLES LIKE THIS?
July 29th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I can’t believe the BoxingNews24 lets this stuff get posted - i’m sending in my resume
July 29th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Cotto fought a wonderful,i think the writer doesnt know what hes talking.Why dont he get in the ring with Cotto and see who quits.Its easy typing things about a fighter.It was a great fight Cotto fought bravely .
July 29th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
I don’t think Cotto is interested in a rematch. Those types of fights are damaging to a fighter. We first have to see how he habndles defeat. he appears to be the type who have to have his confidence restoyed. i guess now he knows how Zab Judah felt, except Zab didn’t quit he fought to the end a man.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Is Cotto a quitter? A better question would be ‘Is Michael Lieberman older than 16 years of age?’. Because, this article sounds like it was written by someone with no grip on the real world and its harsh realities. Someone too young and to untested in life to objectively put themselves in someone else’s shoes and too willing to make ridiculous judgement calls. I’m a little surprised that boxingnews24.com let this article up also. I mean, it’s not like articles aren’t regularly biased to varying degrees but this is not a case of bias. It’s a case of outright stupidity. I fully expect baseless sentiments like this on youtube but not a ”legitimate” boxing website article.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
He Liebs! Guess what, I agree with the rest of the commentators here. Better yet, I bet I could get YOU to take a knee, better yet 2 knees with 1/2 of the beating that Margarito gave Cotto. You know the look of death when you stare in it’s eyes? If you have’nt seen it, come and play in the jungle sometimes Mr. Pen and Paper. I’ve seen it my friend…
July 30th, 2008 at 5:32 am
i think you should quit writting articles yourself you obviously are too hot headed and bad tempered to be critisizing fighters like that
July 30th, 2008 at 5:37 am
Is Miguel Cotto a quiter? Yes. He quit because at that moment he knew he couldn’t beat Margarito. At that moment he realized the truth.
Cotto was an HBO made fighter. At the time, boxing needed a fresh new face and HBO decided it was going to be Miguel Cotto. I remember watching his fight with DeMarcus Corely where he was almost knocked out. The only reason he wasn’t laid down was because Corely stopped hitting his head. If you watch the fight look at Corely’s reaction when he wobbles Cotto. One word, “Fear”. Corely had a look on his face that said “Oh Crap… what did I do?”. I admit Cotto had gotten better since that fight but I am surprised that so many people actually thought Cotto had a chance against Margarito.
I was amused by the HBO commentary though. Lamply kept saying that Cotto was landing the more “Effective” punches. Cotto was landing the cleaner punches, true, but not the more effective punches. Cotto’s punches had no “Effect” on Margarito so how in the world could they be “more effective”? Again HBO “Hyping” Cotto to the bitter end.
What was really funny was even after all of HBO’s hype through his career, Cotto couldn’t even grant them a post fight interview. Talk about Frankenstein’s monster.
Good things to learn here for Cotto. Don’t believe your own hype because it’ll bite you in the behind and don’t bring your young kids to your boxing matches. No one wants to watch their father get the crap beat out of him. I don’t know who was worse, Cotto for bring them or HBO for showing it. It was sad and not worth the ratings.
July 30th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
cotto is not a quitter he was still punching when he had nothing in his tankand all tire .li hoe u get into a fight like this in the street and see how u last ADemon.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Stop Making Excuses Cotto Fans. The Boy Straight Out Quit. He Could Not Hang Period. Move On Losers!
July 31st, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Cotto fought with honor and he lost. Someone has to win and someone has to lose. No need to kick a guy in the balls when he’s down, unless you’re absolutely ignorant like this writer.
August 17th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Forget that your a cooto fan…From a boxing perspective only….When you take a knee (TWICE) And just want out “BADLY” wink over to your corner to get you out of this demolition…THAT IS CALLED QUITTING…Cant make excuses for the obious…Move on!
November 11th, 2008 at 5:13 am
I don’t understand u boxing fans. U guys
trash my man cotto and call him a quiter u guys don’t know anything about the sport. The guy went up in weight to fight margarito is not like margarito went up. So give my man credit he stud there with the biger guy and fought like a champ. Margarito was bigger and stronger then he was and cotto fought with him for 11 rounds winning the 1st half of fight don’t forget that. I don’t understand why would Lieberman call cotto quitter let me put u in the ring with Tyson and see how long u last. And as for margarito u don’t get no points for that win u fought a little man with a big heart and it took u 11 rounds to finish him come on. Why dont u fight some one youre own size like poul Williams or better yet Danniel Santos I want to see go you up again 154 oops I forgot u aren’t ass strong at that weight. By the way que viva Mexico !!!