By Babatis Banda: A lot of people will tune in just to, hopefully see Floyd lose to Cotto. While this is an unpredictable game with possibilities happening, it is only remotely possible that Cotto will beat Floyd. There is so much that has happened in this sport, just as much as that which has not happened.

By this I mean the previous Cotto bout against Manny that is yet again meant to serve as a measure of how good Floyd really is, apart from the fact that Cotto will not be fighting at a catch weight, but his comfortable weight at 154. What has not happened of cause is the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight and in my opinion, the best thing yet.
The Mayweather versus Manny has not happened, and the delay is the best thing that has happened before the matter is settled.

People have developed illusions as to how close Manny is to Floyd. Personally, and I admit, my very personal view is that Manny is the only boxer remotely close to Floyd Mayweather Jnr. If this fight had already taken place, I doubt this sport would be alive the way it is today, with Manny’s position re-defined.

Here is one thing, and please remember this after this fight happens. Cotto coming forward and trying to pressure Floyd will be in Floyd’s favour. If Floyd decides to pressure and back-up Cotto like he did Ortiz, then it is all over for Cotto. What this means is that, any which way, Cotto losses. What I am not too sure is how much the aging factor is going to affect Floyd in terms of his reflexes and speed.

Cotto is a decent boxer, but I think he has serious problems when he is getting nailed. He has a habit of resting his head on his shoulder when nailed instead of actual head movements. Floyd will nail him again and again, if he does this. I see Floyd picking his shots as usual, he is so matured that he will not go into a brawl with Cotto. He will occasionally score with a combination here and there, circle Cotto and make him eat straight right hands over and over. By the middle rounds, all will be so defined and Floyd will outclass Cotto to the Finnish.

Cotto’s only hope is to attack the body of Floyd, hoping it takes him off his game, but again Floyd has a shell of a defence system. He uses his arms and elbows to protect his abdomen in such a way that it is difficult to hurt him enough to cause any worry. Many boxing novices, who watch too match action movies would call Mayweather’s fights boring.

Any boxing fan who understands boxing will know that it is the art of boxing that Floyd brings to the table. It is not only the spattering of blood, or the knock-downs that make boxing exciting, but the thinking part of it. Floyd does not like being hit, so he hits his opponents instead and it is usually one sided and it only normal that haters will not love it.

For the real boxing lover, watch this fight and see how good Floyd is, and why he is the most skilled boxer of this era, and the face of the sport.