Is Cotto Damaged Goods?
July 30th, 2009
By Dave Lahr: ESPN analyst Teddy Atlas made mention of Miguel Cotto looking like damaged goods last Friday night during the FNF telecast, remarking on how Cotto didn’t look good in his fight with Joshua Clottey in June and looked ready to quit during the later rounds. Atlas raised a very good point about Cotto. He doesn’t seem to be the same fighter he was before his fight with Antonio Margarito last year in July.
Although Cotto didn’t really get hit all that much in the fight, the punishment he did take in both the 10th and the 11th rounds, left his face a mess, making him look as if he had taken a severe beating in the fighting. It’s unclear how much damage that Margarito did internally to Cotto’s brain.
Cotto wasn’t really hurt by any of Clottey’s shots in their June 13th fight, yet Cotto looked like he was there for the taking during several of the later rounds. Cotto looked like he was ready to quit again for awhile there. Clottey, however, didn’t have the work rate to finish Cotto off and ended up losing a close 12-round split decision.
But the way that Cotto looked in the later rounds, he seemed to be confused, worried and giving up on himself. It was like looking at a replay of the 10th and 11th rounds against Margarito. Cotto looked like a shell of himself.
It’s very lucky for him that he was fighting Clottey rather than a more active welterweight like Shane Mosley, Margarito or Andre Berto otherwise I think Cotto would have lost the fight. Could it be that Cotto haunted by the Margarito fight? Is this the lingering effects of that fight or is a neurological problem?
With the way that Cotto looked against Clottey, it’s not a good thing that he’s now fighting Manny Pacquiao on November 14th. Cotto really needs a couple of fights against easier competition to build up his confidence and see whether he has a chin problem that’s lingering from the Margarito loss. We learned nothing from Cotto’s 5th round stoppage win over Michael Jennings in Cotto’s first fight after his loss to Margarito, because Jennings, a light puncher, barely laid a glove on Cotto that night.
But, we did see Cotto struggle badly as he went life and death with Clottey last month. That fight left a troubling feeling in my mind about Cotto. He doesn’t look like the same fighter he used to be and probably is making a huge mistake in fighting Pacquiao at this time.
I think Clottey actually won the fight, but Cotto, the more popular fighter, got a gift decision on that night. It might have been better had Cotto lost the fight, because at least he’d be rebuilding his career more slowly instead of rushing from his poor performance (his second in his last three fights) against Clottey into a fight with Pacquiao.
It’s too bad, because Pacquiao won’t get the credit that he’s seeking if he beats Cotto, because Miguel simply doesn’t seem to be the same fighter mentally that he was before his loss to Margarito. This is why the choice of opponents for Pacquiao was pretty poor. I can understand why his promoter Bob Arum pushed for Pacquiao to fight Cotto, since he also promotes Cotto. But it may be a fight where Cotto had wished that he didn’t take at this point.
Tags: 35 Responses to “Is Cotto Damaged Goods?”
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The entire article is an excuse to discredit a pacquiao victory which as of now is even an uncertainty!! haha. wow.. excuses even before the fight happens.. People, cotto didn’t look good against clottey because clottey is a quality welter.. he would given any top welter a run for his money. i promise you that. if margacheato has done any damage to cotto, it would have been more psychological rather than physical.
Jeeeez!
How many more times do we need to over the same ground??!!
Any man who has concrete in his gloves is gonna do some serious damage! Margacheato could have easily gave Cotto brain damage last July, however i don’t think it has had a knockon affect.
In his fight with Clottey, anyone who can fight with a burst eye for the majority of the fight is showing true heart.
November 14th is gonna be a very interesting date, and i think Pacman is gonna have a lot of problems…..
why not check his personal life. a chronic problem with your wife can take a toll on a man’s behavious that may affect also his performance.
a happy family is such a big inspiration to fight even better!
this fight with simply call to floyd mayweather, mayweather beat marquez then pacman beat cotto, then a much awaited mayweather vr pacquiao , what about that, this article is nonesense
YeS, COTTO will be a Damaged goods if he face Pacman on Nov. 14!!! His face will be damage by Pacman punch…Hahaha
Teddy Atlas sucks. He predicted Hatton will beat Pacquiao. I don’t think Cotto is damaged goods but he will lose to the Pacman with cut stoppage or TKO due too many unanswered punches. The Pac will nail him down with incessant punches that at the end of the 2nd round he will get cut because he easily gets cut. Mark my words.
I DON’T THINK THERE WILL BE AN EXCUSE THERE WILL BE JUST THE TRUTH WHEN EVERYBODY SEES THE FIGHT.IF PACMAN KILLS COTTO AND DOESN’T EVEN GET MUCH OF A FIGHT FROM HIM THEN COTTO IS DAMAGED GOODS BUT IF COTTO MAKES A STAND AND GIVES PACMAN A RUN FOR HIS MONEY BUT PACMAN STILL WINS THEN I THINK WE CAN ALL SAY THAT COTTO WASN’T DAMAGED AND PACMAN WAS JUST THE BETTER FIGHTER.IT JUST ALL DEPENDS IF THE MIGUEL COTTO THAT FOUGHT A GREAT FIGHT WITH MARGARITO COMES TO FIGHT OR THE NOT SO IMPRESSIVE COTTO THAT FOUGHT CLOTTEY COMES TO FIGHT. OR COTTO COULD SHOCK EVERYBODY AND WIN THE FIGHT
and whom do u want pacman to fight with, shane mosley? hey, is that u richard?
What the hell.. They really don’t want to credit PACMAN for getting this fight. You know what even PACMAN win this Fight. Their are 2 alibi will come out.
1.If pacman win this in 145 lbs.. they say Cotto is so DRAINED.
2.If Pacman win this in 147 lbs.. they say Cotto is already DAMAGED GOODS.
This ALIBI.. for sure will come out after PACMAN killed Cotto.
PROMISE……….
This clearly discrediting Pacman before the fight even happens. Already making excuses! When would pacman get the respect he deserves?
IF COTTO CAN GET TO THE BODY THEN HE CAN SLOW MANNYS PRESSURE AND SHIFT HIS MOMENTUM HIS WAY THIS WILL BE A GREAT FIGHT.MIGUEL FOUGHT A GREAT FIGHT AGAINST THE 24 7 PRESSURE OF MARGARITO,IT JUST DEPENDS IF COTTO CAN COMEBACK FROM A TERRIBLE PERFORMANCE AGAINST CLOTTEY.IN HOPES FOR A GREAT FIGHT I HOPE HE DOES.
Cotto is not yet a damaged good. In fact, I think he is still peaking. Boxer’s losing a fight doesn’t automatically mean that they are way past their primes. Take Pacquiao for example. After the loss to Morales, almost everyone thought that Pacquiao has been exposed and is overrated. Now he is the P4P king.
This website has writers who criticize Pacman, then praise Cotto and then, question Cotto. Wow! Thanks for the confusion.
I’m a Pacman fan but I will defend Cotto because I think he is the legitimate welterweight champion – he beat Mosley, who defeated Margarito and I’m not counting his loss to Margarito because I believe he got cheated on that fight. I hope Margarito doesn’t ever come back. (No room for cheaters in boxing.)
Anyway, back to Cotto – he had issues going on with his Uncle, who was also his trainer. I know he can say that it wasn’t a “distraction” but I believe that affected the way he fought Clottey, who by the way, showed a lot of heart when he fought Margarito even though he lost that time.
IS PACQUIAO DAMAGED GOODS ? AFTER HAVING WAR WITH BARRERA 2X MORALES 3X MARQUEZ 2X AND GOT KOED TWICE IN HIS YOUNGER CARREER WOW PEOPLE REALLY HATE PACQUIAO LOL GOOD THING FILIPINO LUV HIM WHY MAKIN DA SAME EXCUSE OF HIS OPPONENT ALL THE TIME GIVE SOME CREDIT WHY BECAUSE HIS FILIPINO AND HIS OWNING BOXING RITE NOW U DONT WANT TO GIVE HIM SOME PROPS POOR MANNY! BOXING STILL ALIVE BECAUSE OF HIM:(
Although the article seems to be about Cotto, it’s really more about preparing an excuse to discredit Pacquiao’s accomplishment if or when he wins.
A damaged good? Cotto fades in later rounds. Its not because he is a damaged goods, its because he lacks the resiliency to fight 120 seconds very round of a 12 round fight.
Being a combat sport, bloody face is normal in boxing. You look at Arce in his every fight and its always like that. You look at Gatti in his every figt and its always like that. You look at Katsidis in his every fight and its almost always like that.
Cotto lost to Margarito in a questionable fight but won over Clottey who is a world class fighter. If a damaged Cotto can win over Clottey, then what would that make of Clottey?
People have so many opinions, observations, speculations and all sorts thinking they are in authority to believe upon just like here in this subject where Teddy Atlas made this ‘damage goods comment’ about Cotto. They are devaluing the credibility of Cotto as world champion because of past defeat and injuries. But this happens to all boxers including the PaCman who receives previous beatings from his past fights but no one say he is a damage goods like the way they project Cotto! PaCman was knocked out before but no one discuss that as he is a damage goods and he was even beaten 3x in his career and only one defeat of Cotto and yet Teddy Atlas says he is now damage goods. So if the PaCman beats him up they will tell the world now that he is indeed a damage goods. What an excuse before the actual beating by the PaCman and so no credit again for the PaCman once he beat this guy! So pathetic a comment like this by Atlas to reconditon the minds of boxing afficionados! Let us give credit where credit is due please and stop speculating things up!!!!!!!!!
CANT WAIT TIL COTTO RIPS MANNY A NEW AYHOLE AND ONCE AGAIN PROVE THESE SO CALLED EXPERTS WRONG …AGAIN!!! COTTO WILL K.O THE PACBOY BY THE 7TH VIA BODY SHOTS!! GUARANTEED!!!
ur a fool a funny one but stil a fool.
cotto is not damaged goods- he was always like this – he was and is overated- clotty is just a tough guy he would give any top guy trouble- all cotto has is power , nothing else , hes not that fast his defense aint that good, he is not the best ,manny is the best out there!
cotto was head butted in an early round resulted to a nasty cut to his eyelid. so, don’t under estimate him during his fight with j. clottey. reflexes are more affected when your blood pouring to your eyes. so, can’t blame cotto in his last performance.
Im tired of this! Who has Pacquiao fought??? He lost twice to Marquez, he beat an extremely over rated Hatton, and an old head in dela hoya who killed his body to make weight. I give him credit he beat the last two way more decisively then the OVERRATED Mayweather. Yea thats right go ahead and hype up Mayweather he took his money from the Hatton and Dela Hoya fights and ran like the coward he is. This will be a great fight but please dont under estimate Cotto who has given it to every fighter with exception to Margarito who has one hell of a chin and has shown the heart of a true champion. Get real people, lets not continue to hype up these fights as something they are not. Pacman gets his credit, Mayweather needs to fight true wealterweights like Cotto, Mosley, Margarito, even Clottey. He might not win another fight if he fought these guys.
U GUYZ HAVE TO SEE THE FACT THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A HELL OF A FIGHT. PACMAN IS A GREAT FIGHTER BUT SO IS COTTO. THEY NEVER BACKDOWN FROM A FIGHT ESPECIALLY COTTO. MARGARITO WAS LOADED AND DE LA HOYA WAS DRAINED. THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE FOR THE AGES.
Cotto Is not damaged goods at all,He has beaton great fighters,I dont get it.Cotto wins round after round in the margarito fight,but gases late in the fight and took 2 knees and it was stopped.It wasnt like he buckled and went to the ground,And Im sure Margarito has been doing the hand wrap thing probably since he faced Andrew Lewis.So how is he damaged goods from 2 rounds of possibly plastered hands?Tell me that
I think he is there to be beaten cotto is good and good to watch but he is not great.I think manny stops him with speed and power.
Sinky= Your just blind, dumb, and ignorant! You obviously know nothing of heart…so keep your stupid remarks to yourself!
FREDDIE ROACH= Limited fighter? Ask Mosley if he was a limited fighter when Cotto switched it up on him and boxed. Clottey was also stated as saying that he didnt throw punches cause he was basically afraid of Cottos power,now lets see if this pinoy can withstand the assault put on his little body…I dont think so.
i really think the margarito fight took alot away from cotto,but clottey is a strong durable fighter and would give anyone a tough time.i’ve always said i fancy pacman over cotto,but that don’t mean it’s gonna be one sided coz cotto’s definatley gonna be in with a chance.this will be a cracking fight you wait and see!!!
cotto has no heart
clottey definitely won the fight gift decision for cotto. cotto will look awful against pacquiao, hes a very limited fighter who wont stand the pressure that pacmann will put on him
If “damaged goods” is the result of loaded gloves in one fight and a nasty cut from a headbutt in another, then I’ll take a “damaged” Cotto over 12 rounds with any welterweight in the world.
Admittedly, Pacquiao’s hand speed and pop will give Cotto fits. But Pacquiao has never faced a natural welterweight in his prime, let alone a powerful body puncher like Cotto.
And if JMM can stun Pacquiao at 135, I give Cotto more than a puncher’s chance at 145.
david you have to be legally blind or mentally challenged.. cotto had a cut on his eye, cottos lucky they didnt stop the fight,even do he was still fighting and clottey please you have to throw punches to win a fight.the last rounds went to cotto.i want to see you fight with a cut like cotto had and be able to fight.
Anyone that thinks that Clottey won that fight has to be insane. Cotto was the obvious winner although not by a lot. Also you have to look at the fact that Cotto suffered a severe cut, and that at the end of the 4th round he could have quit and gone to the scorecards and won the fight easily as he was clearly ahead in the scorecards at that point. You have to value his courage in wanting to keep fighting when he could have won the fight in a way easier manner. Against Pacquiao I don’t know whats going to happen, but I’m sure it’s going to be a great fight.
this figth with pac will be the one to break the camels back for cotto. this boy cotto aint got a chance, 1st-rnd mercifull ko it will be fast and quick. so cotto can retire without having to suffer a further brutal beating.
“KILL’EM PAC!”
hehehehahahahaha….
I for one, don’t think Cotto is damaged goods, as his last fight, he was only fighting with one eye for the last nine rounds. People are under estimating Cotto against Pacquiao. Hopefully Pacquiao doesn’t under estimate him because this could end up being the fight of the year if not the decade.
An article criticizing Cotto, right after the Manuela Perez article? I’m confused.