Cotto-Margarito: I hope Cotto is getting his knees ready for this fight

By Boxing News - 11/25/2011 - Comments

Image: Cotto-Margarito: I hope Cotto is getting his knees ready for this fightBy Dan Ambrose: It was sad to see Miguel Cotto (36-2, 29 KO’s) choosing to take a couple of knees during the final bitter moments in his fight against Antonio Margarito (38-7, 27 KO’s) three years ago in a bloody 11th round TKO loss to the Mexican Tornado.

Cotto was pressured continuously from the 1st round on, and by the 10th, he was showing signs that the pressure was simply too much for him. In the 11th, Cotto dropped to one knee on two occasions to escape punishment. The fight ended after a second knee.

Now three years and four wins later, Cotto is ready to face Margarito in a rematch on December 3rd at the Madison Square Garden in New York. Cotto badly wants to win this fight to avenge his loss and believes that Margarito defeated him with plaster in his hand wraps despite having no evidence to prove any of those thoughts.

Cotto just can’t for some reason come to terms with the fact that Margarito was the better conditioned athlete in that fight and he simply wore Cotto down with an all-out nonstop attack. Margarito, of course, was greatly helped by Cotto leaning forward constantly and inviting Margarito to throw his powerful uppercuts.

Cotto’s style of fighting was perfect for Margarito, because he loves to throw uppercuts and Cotto has a bad habit, which he still has to this day, of leaning forward when he fights. Cotto comes in at a crouch, and his head is right there for Margarito to connect with his uppercuts.

I suspect the same outcome will happen in their fight on December 3rd. Cotto will do well for a little while until Margarito’s pressure starts to take the strength out of Cotto. Margarito will then catch up to Cotto and batter him with uppercuts along the ropes.

Cotto, in a self-preservation move, will then drop to one or both knees to escape the beating. He may or may not get up. It doesn’t really matter because we’ll see the same thing from Cotto moments later with him dropping to a knee again to escape Margarito’s withering attack.



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