Roach thinks Martirosyan can beat Cotto – News

By Boxing News - 07/25/2010 - Comments

Image: Roach thinks Martirosyan can beat Cotto – NewsBy Chris Williams: Freddie Roach made a shocking revelation recently when he said that he thinks that unproven junior middleweight contender Vanes Martirosyan (28-0, 17 KO’s), who Roach trains, can beat World Boxing Association (WBA) junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (35-2, 28 KO’s). I’m no fan of either of these two fighters, but I think Roach is off his rocker if he believes that the 24-year-old Martirosyan can beat Cotto. Having seen Martirosyan fight against Kassim Ouma and Joe Greene recently, I think he would be knockout bait for Cotto.

And I’m no fan of Cotto, but I think he rips Martirosyan to pieces if they were to ever fight. In an interview by Brad Cooney at 8countnews.com, Roach says “I think Vanes can beat Cotto. When you’re 28-0, you should be ready for anyone in the world. I told Top Rank to stop babying this kid. Vanes is calling out these guys, and he thinks he can beat Paul Williams, so let’s take one of these guys. I am all for it.”

I think Roach is kidding himself if he believes that Martirosyan can beat Cotto. And I think Martirosyan needs to stay far away from Paul Williams. I think he would give Martirosyan a real pounding if they fought. In Martirosyan’s fight with Kassim Ouma in January of this year, Martirosyan looked terrible, taking punishment from a fighter that is no longer at the top.

I had Ouma winning that fight by at least two rounds. Martirosyan ended up winning it by a 10 round unanimous decision, but he still looked really average in that fight. And in Martirosyan’s win over Joe Green in June, he didn’t look much better. To be sure, Martirosyan clearly won that fight, but he didn’t look like a future champion to me, and he sure didn’t look like he could beat a fighter like Cotto.

I think if Roach wants to see a slaughter, then he needs to push Top Rank to have them match Martirosyan up against Cotto. And while they’re at it, they need to then put Martirosyan in with Alfredo Angulo in his fight after that. My guess is Martirosyan would have to knockout losses to show for his trouble in those bouts. And I don’t think Top Rank will get Martirosyan anywhere near Cotto, Paul Williams or Angulo. I see them continuing to groom Martirosyan until they see a beatable fighter to put him in with. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. would be perfect, only he doesn’t have a title right now.



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