Miguel Cotto: Tested, Tried, TRUE

By Boxing News - 03/29/2012 - Comments

Image: Miguel Cotto: Tested, Tried, TRUEBy Jermill Pennington: Miguel Angel Cotto (37-2-30ko’s) will do battle with Floyd Maywheather Jr. on May 5th in what most are calling a 1 sided affair. But this writer happens to be in the minority, because if history has taught us anything, it is never to count Mr. Cotto out. There is good reason for people to think that this fight will turn out bad for Cotto, 1 being the competition he’s faced in his past 3 fights.

Yuri Foreman on a bad stick, Ricardo Mayorga, some would call a cig smokin brawler, and Antonio Margarito, Famously known as the fighter who was caught with plastered hand wraps. That’s not exactly elite competition, and what skeptics point out as the reason he will be exposed come May 5th. Having regained his winning image after avenging his brutal lost at the plastered hands of Margarito, Cotto is now full of confidence. Some say the slight match making was just another masterpiece put together by ex-promoter Bob Arum. Whatever the case may be, he will be stepping his game up immensely come May 5th in what many have called Miguel’s finally stand, but what this writer calls it, another chance for Cotto to show the world what he is made of.

Cotto over the years has shown what many give Mayweather kudos for being able to do, adapt. Dating back to 2005 when he faced a then solid challenger in DaMarcus Corley, who I thought at the time would give Cotto problems. Miguel was able to overwhelm Corley with a body attack, and do away with the savvy vet in 5rds via TKO. In 2007 he then faced another guy that I was certain would give him problems in Zab Judah. Certain that Zab’s faster hands, slick boxing style, and power punching ability would push Cotto to limits he had never had to reach before. Cotto impressively boxed early, and eventually methodically took Judah to the deep end, and drowned him in 11, via TKO. In that same year, I was once again certain he had finally meet his match, this time in Shane Mosley. Positive the hard punching vet would could either outbox, or simple slug his way to victory. Once again, I was wrong. Cotto in that fight earned my respect, showing the ability to outbox a championship level boxer puncher in Mosley. Winning a 12 rd decision not only showed great boxing prowess, but the mental toughness needed to be champion at the highest level in boxing.

So if I have learned anything from watching Cotto over the years, I’ve learned never to count him out. He’s tough as nails, mentally strong, and can adapt mid fight as well as any. Another thing that I have learned is that I’m often wrong in fights involving Cotto. I do pick Mayweather to win the fight, so if history once again repeats itself, I won’t be surprised if we see Cotto with his hand raised at the end of the night come May 5th.



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