Is Cotto a Shot Fighter? – Boxing
August 31st, 2009
By Dave Lahr: Although Miguel Cotto is still winning his fights, he didn’t exactly impress in his last fight against Joshua Clottey in June. There are people who feel that Cotto hasn’t been the same since being beaten by Antonio Margarito last year. To be sure, Cotto didn’t look like his old self in defeating Clottey by a 12 round split decision win. Cotto fought as if he was unsure of himself after getting cut by Clottey.
Some of that appeared to be Cotto being worried about the cut, but the other part looked as if Cotto was tiring out and on the verge of quitting.
Pacquiao is in the prime of his career and is looking better than he ever has. It would seem that Pacquiao are going in different directions right now. Cotto may be sinking at small angle, but he appears to be a bit on the downward slide.
Whether that was just a momentary appearance because of his tough fight with Clottey is unclear. But Cotto’s going to have to look more impressive than he did against Clottey if he wants to come out victorious against Pacquiao on November 14th.
Cotto will have to be prepared to fight his heart out if he wants to win this fight because he can’t afford to slip mentally in this fight or be concerned about a cut. If he gets cut, Cotto is going to have to be prepared to fight that much harder if he wants to win the fight. The good news is that Pacquiao doesn’t hit as hard as Margarito with every punch.
Pacquiao can punch plenty hard when he puts all his energy into his shots, but he can’t fire off one big shot after another with the same kind of power that Margarito can on a consistent basis without tiring out or leaving himself open. Cotto will have to be better at covering up and making sure that he doesn’t get nailed by Pacquiao’s right hooks and straight left hands.
Cotto likely won’t be able to change his stamina problems too much for his fight with Pacquiao. But Cotto can work on his defense and try to block some more shots. I don’t know that Cotto is a shot fighter, but I think he didn’t react well when he was taking punishment at the hands of Clottey in his last fight.
Cotto lucked out in a way in that fight because Clottey stopped punching as much in the later rounds and gave Cotto a break to get his act together. Pacquiao, for his part, probably won’t lessen up on his attacks and will keep Cotto under a constant level of pressure.
Freddie Roach will be able to detect whether Cotto is tiring in the later rounds and will give Pacquiao instructions to go after him. Pacquiao is quite adept at following instructions from his corner and will tirelessly follow whatever advice that Roach gives him. This is why Cotto will have to pace himself and cover up well so that Pacquiao can’t batter him to pieces late in the fight.
As for whether Cotto is shot or not. It’s still too early to tell. He’s certainly not fighting at the level he was before his loss to Margarito, I can say that much for him.
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Tmoney201 is a moronic fanatic not a fan who hates Cotto.You should do the real fans a favor and YOU go away!
well let us see the fights folks,don’t talk to much
I think this could be a pivotal fight for both guys. I have a feeling that pac-man is going to be shocked by Cotto’s tenacity. He just keeps coming until he breaks your will. And he has the power to put your lights out. Its possible that Pacman could play it smart and get the UD but, he has to be careful. He can’t run at Cotto like other opponents. Cotto is way too strong for that wild charging style.
I don’t agree with Manny have tougher opponents. Barrera, Oscar, & Morales were past there prime & Hatton is over rated also degrated by Floyd. Cotto faced undefeated Carlos Quintana (who came off a Pual Williams win), Pualie Maliagina (decent boxer, P.S. broke his orbital bone), Zab Judah (better boxer). Than theres the avoided opponents in Sugar Shane Mosley (fast, powerful, tough never being knocked out & Manny didn’t want a part of at 140 lbs), Margarito (great chin, high work rate, powerful bricks or not, & a big fighter with a nice reach), Clottey (impressive defense, compinations, decent speed, only knocked down by Cotto). Don’t get me wrong Manny’s a good fighter but give Miguel credit for not ducking & being a good fighter as well. Is he battered, mentally shot, over the hill? I’d like to think no but of course boxing takes its toll but it does seem his heart is still in it after seeing Clottey fight & how hard he’s training. I couldn’t be happier that these two fighters are going at they deserve each other skill wise, mentally, & physically. The big advantage I’d Pac-man besides speed & movement is momentum & his corner. But once some one gets hit some times it all goes out the window we shall see a amazing show come November 14th.
Look at that picture of Cotto!! that was Margaritos plaster and the man still wasen’t knok out and you Pac fanatics think tha Pac is going to knock him out? come on!! man I like Pac! I won a lot of money with him but there is no way he’s going to knok Cotto out no way and vdog couldn’t be any more right with his comment
Uksandoff i second that, Clottey is a tough customer for anyone.
lol, keep underestimating Cotto. Clottey is a tough fighter & hard puncher than a lot of fighters won’t even get in the ring with.
Cotto has fought Clottey, Mosely, & Margarito in the past 2 years. A MUCH more impressive resume than Pacquiao in the same time span.
How do you think Pacquiao would have faired against those 3 opponents? Not very well. He’d be lucky if he got one win against those three. Cotto on the other hand would have easily destroyed Ricky Fatton & a washed up De La Hoya.
I’ve seen Cotto’s fight against clottey. He is entirely sucks the whole rounds. And if you think that he’s got speed, think again because he moves like a turtle to me. He was all energy drained at a latter rounds. And if he fights like that against Manny..he’ll go down in 7th round.
what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i get it.
I also feel that Cotto fighting Clottley before Pacquiao was a great move. Great move. Clottley fights likes Margarito, and the fact that Cotto withstood a cut and a fighter who puts the “margarito pressure” on you, is a great sign that Cotto has a sound mind, and not a broken one. Pacquiao does not pound away like Margaritio, so I don’t think Margarito flashbacks will come seeping in come November 14…… P.S….. Pacquiao is in trouble, who was the last fighter he fought with any merit??? The pacman is coming into this fight looking very stale in my eyes.
Wow, the author of this article is coming across like a bit of an imbecile. To say that Cotto looked like he as going to quit is comepletly non-sensible. I was praying that Cotto, his corner, and the Doctor would stop the fight. And was kind of cursing Cotto for being so stubborn and continuing. But Cotto is a warrior and despite the nasty cut, and the fact that he could hardly see from one eye, kept fighting. No one who saw that fight can say Cotto is a shot fighter. There is no way one can find a reason not to commend Cotto for his courage… Did clottley make some mistakes, sure. But this is boxing: style’s make fights. Sometimes you just can’t execute your game plan…. Why did Cotto not go to the body against Margarito?? or more importantly, why did someone from Cotto’s camp not check Margarito’s gloves.
Completely disagree with that article – I watched the fight and at no time did it seem like Cotto was on the verge of quitting? Where was that coming from? I think he tired towards the end and starts to back pedal slightly but he stuck it out with a nasty cut and a very dangerous opponent in Clottey. Clottey is a big welterweight who is strong and durable and would be hard work for anyone in that division.
To say Cotto is shot is ridiculous and is baiting the fanboys as usual from this site.
Cotto is not shot at all…
I am hoping he loses against pacman tho. But not because i dont like him, because i do , normally i would rather cotto beat pacman.
BUT!!!!!!!!!!
Kell Brook is fighting Jennings in the UK soon, and if he destroys jennings quicker and in better way than cotto did…. then Kell might fight cotto (he would lose right now, but i know they want the fight).
A very nice article. I’m a big Paquiao fan, I like the way he go back and forth penetrating the guard and run away from the enemy’s weapons. I think he has a great mind and he never give up.
I also like Cotto, but I agree with you: since the controversial (cheating/ not cheating)bout he has lost something on the way.
BUT I’m sure their fight will be worthy to be seen.
Is Clottey a bum? Not in anybodys book, How impressed did Dave Lahr want to be by Cotto?
It really is gettin to the point now if a fighter doesnt completely dominate and knock his man out then he must be shot for making hard work of it,
Ant is correct. Clottey is a very good and very underrated big welterweight. Cotto won.
Cotto is a machine, he can take more punishment then pacman can dish out to him and pac has never felt the kind of power cotto can unleash. Cotto fought clottey with one eye and came out on top, cotto could have given up after that headbut and won the fight on points but he keept fighting like a true warrior. Roach can only do so much ultimately it is pacquiao who will stand alone in the ring nov 14 and deal with cotto’s power.
Clottey is not an easy fight for anyone, but I do think that Cotto needs to improve his stamina issues or Pac is gonna run him down. If he comes in top shape and prepared to go 12 Cotto can win.
Close to being shot yes. I second that tmoney201
Cotto is not a shot fighter…He is one of the best in boxing I’m quite sure Margarito hand wrapped his hand for that fight I don’t respect that cheating mexican fighter he is a bum and for clottey he is scared to get hit you know why he lost to cotto cause he played defensive more than fighting cotto. Stop talking smack and you lace up gloves david lahr……PACMAN is going to lose by KNOCKOUT……..
Utter bollocks. How can you possibly suggest the Margarito fight made Cotto a shot fighter, when the guy has had 2 fights since, and only one of them competitive? It’s far too early to say Cotto’s shot, it’s far too early to say Cotto’s back. It’s that simple. This website has produced some of the dumbest articles I’ve ever seen.
What f-ing was this writer watching? wtf is with people saying cotto didnt look good against clottey? considering, he had to fight with one eye and contantly wipe his eye because he had a horrible cut man in his corner i think he did pretty good against a fighter i betyou Pacquiao wont dare to even face.
Cotto had alot of easy fights(a.k.a BUMS)in his early days, this made him not ready for punishing guys like Margo or Clottey or Mosley. Those 3 fights softened him up for Pack. I would be surprised if Cotto does not get K.o.d by Pack. Cotto will lose I.M.O.
What grounds do people base this Cotto is shot comment. When Cotto fought Jennings, Jennings was seriously destroyed/overmatched to the point were Cotto look like he could do what ever he wanted. If the Clottey fight is being used for a measuring stick, please. Clottey would give anybody trouble, much less a one eyed Cotto. That cut wasn’t your average cut, any other boxer would’ve bowed out especially when he (Cotto) was ahead after 4 rounds. Everybody says Clottey stop punching, but why can’t it have been that Cotto didn’t allow him to punch (call it running), I call it BOXING. As for the mental aspect after the Margarito fight. Cotto might have had doubts but IMO, after the plaster issue came out. I strongly believe doubts were erased, it’s like weight being lifted off once chest. Unfortunately Cotto was not able to prove his worthiness with Mr. Ghana, but I do believe Pac will allow Cotto to prove not that he is not shot but that he is the WW today.
I admired Miguel Cotto and i like Pacquiao performance. Manny has all the difficult opponents than Mike Cotto, while Cotto has only Margarito and Shane Mosely. I like Cotto for being a clean fighter, he can only destroy Pacquiao with knockout.
Pacquiao is too fast for him, Floyd M. is the good match for Pacquaio, the only problem is! Floyd is a running boxer and afraid to be hit. Marquez is not a training fight for Floyd. For me Cotto is a good boxer and Pacquiao is good also and fast. More power to Cotto and manny.
I was a fan of Miguel Cotto and got angry of Margarito when he cheated Cotto in the fight by the gloves padding. Cotto Vs. Manny is really a hard fight for Cotto. Miguel is huge and strong, but slow for Manny. Pacquiao is speedy, strong and can dance in the ring and intelligent boxer too. Lucky if Cotto will hit Manny by a big lucky punch, if not! then Manny will win to the last round.
My prediciton! Cotto should knockout Manny to win, he cannot beat Manny by points only, but Manny can knock him out or win by points. Goodluck to both fighters and God Speed.
Cotto has had only 2 fights since Margarito. He destroyed Jennings with ease and then had a tough fight with Clottey. Clottey however would give any of the top Welterweights a hard time.
So that 1 tough fight to me doesn’t say that Cotto is shot… it tells me he fought a good fighter. Pacquiao is NOTHING like Clottey so do not expect the same kind of performance from Cotto.
You say Cotto was lucky against Clottey because Clottey stopped punching towards the end. This is not luck, if you know anything about boxing and Cotto’s style of attack then you know that body punches slow down a boxers punch volume. Cotto put in his work early on Clottey, thats why Clottey coudn’t finish Cotto– even with a huge cut. Are you a Pacman nuthugger? Cause by reading this article the case can certainly be made that you are.
In my view, cotto was cautious and kinda changed his style a bit. But that cut he had in the clottey fight would affect just about everyone. Did you see how big that cut was? The cut marquez had against pacquiao in their 2nd fight was like nothing!!!