By Manuel Perez: Felix Trinidad (42-3, 35 KOs) has always been one of my favorite fighters, a warrior that never gave an inch, even in losses to Winky Wright, Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins. After seeing Miguel Cotto (32-1, 26 KOs) twice take a knee against Antonio Margarito in their recent fight on July 26th, I could only imagine would Trinidad must have been thinking when he saw it. Believe me, Trinidad would have never taken a knee. He might have lost to a fighter as fierce and determined as Margarito, although I’m not so certain that would happen, but I can’t see him ever taking a knee once, let alone twice like Cotto did.
Trinidad in his prime would have rather gone down swinging rather than to yield the white flag of surrender and submit by taking a knee. I know of course that people will say that Cotto didn’t actually quit, that his trainer waived towel signaling for the fight to be stopped, but taking a knee two times is as close as you can get to surrendering in battle. Trinidad fought his heart out in every fight, winning some and losing some, but with him you always felt that he would go down swinging and that he wouldn’t just give up when things got rough in the ring. If it had been Trinidad in the ring with Margarito, he would have fought until the very last ounce of his energy was gone, and made Margarito take him out the old fashion way - with his fists. Perhaps this is the new generation of boxers or something, because I don’t understand it myself.
Trinidad, for all his defects as a fighter, he was never lacking in courage and never tried to take the easy way out. He also never ducked an opponent. Heck, he’d go out of his way to fight the toughest opponent he could get. Case in point, him moving up to the middleweight division to fight Bernard Hopkins. I would also include Hopkins as a fighter that I can’t see ever taking a knee in a fight, although he does go down when hit low. Trinidad was just seemed to live by a credo of wanting to fight as hard as he could, and if he had to lose, you can bet it wouldn’t be because he was taking a knee and signaling that he didn’t want to take anymore punishment.
I think that once a fighter starts taking a knee, it becomes easier the next time they get in trouble to take a knee again, so that they can avoid a tough situation. Sometimes you just got to face your problems head on, and take what’s coming to you whether you like it or not. I think that’s something that Trinidad exemplified in his brilliant boxing career. I just hope that maybe a little bit of Trinidad can rub off on Cotto, because he needs recapture that never say quit attitude that Trinidad used to show in the ring.
August 11th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Trinidad got smashed by Hopkins and went to sleep on the canvas. Cotto was a smart fighter and if he’d have got counted out it could have hurt him more in the long run. Winky is hardly an animaland Jones let Trinidad off the hook big time. To suggest Cotto is gutless is just the opinion of a trinidad nut-hugger who hates the fact their is a new boy in PR town.
August 11th, 2008 at 9:39 am
I’ll draw attention to David haye v Enzo maccarinelli. If Enzo had been sensible enough to take a knee when Haye caught him, he might have seen the end of round two.
It’s not dirty in the same way as a low blow surely is and it still counts as aknockdown so there’s the obvious point deficit you incur, too.
It’s the last defence of the brokwn fighter and it’s understandable. I remember doing three rounds as an amateur and praying for the bell to end it - had I done ten rounds with Antonio margarito I’d have dropped to both knees and invoked the virgin mary.
August 11th, 2008 at 9:51 am
personally, i think cotto needs to train harder. he ran out of gas. some fighters train harder than others. when a fighter tires out in the 7th or 8th round, something is wrong physically or he did not train. some of these new young guys could never fight 15 rounds. as far as taking a knee, it can be a good tactic if you are overwhelmed and need space. cotto needed space. he just needs to train harder. do more anaerobic work.
August 11th, 2008 at 11:06 am
He already took a knee against Jones.
August 11th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
i think he wassent ready for the fight he underestemated margariot but trust me in the rematch cotto is gonna f@#$% up margarito i cant wait
August 11th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Cotto tried but failed miserably.
He will never be the same after that beat down. He was broken down from head to toe and does not deserve a rematch, he may want to go back and fight jr. welters again.
August 11th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
This must be the official site for Cotto haters.
August 12th, 2008 at 9:36 am
talking about the trinidad and margarito matchup trinidad is the only puncher who had a chance of breaking down margaritos jaw and if trinidad would take his career more seriuos than the last few years that fight probably would be happening.iIT WOULD BE A GREAT FIGHT!