(PHOTO CREDIT: Gene Blevins – Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotion) By Allan Fox: Emanuel Steward, the ex-trainer for WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto, sees Floyd Mayweather Jr. as having a really tough time on Saturday night against Cotto. Although Steward believes that Mayweather Jr. will likely come out on top in this fight, he thinks that Cotto has a good chance of beating him because of his power.
Steward told Sylesmakefights.com about this Saturday’s Mayweather-Cotto fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas: “Cotto is definitely one of the best punchers in boxing, particularly with his left hook. In fact, everything is with his left hand. Very seldom does he punch with his right. I think it’s a very competitive fight. I have to favor Floyd, but Miguel is definitely a live opponent. I think Miguel Cotto is the toughest opponent Floyd will have fought in the last 10 years.”
That’s a big compliment for Cotto coming from Steward, because Mayweather has been in with a lot of good fighters in the last 10 years that some boxing fans would say are better than Cotto.
Here are the fighters that Mayweather has beaten since 2002:
Victor Ortiz
Shane Mosley
Juan Manuel Marquez
Ricky Hatton
Oscar De La Hoya
Carlos Baldomir
Zab Judah
Sharmba Mitchell
Arturo Gatti
Henry Bruseles
DeMarcus Corley
Phillip Ndou
Victoriano Sosa
Cotto may or may not be as good as the Judah that Mayweather beat in 2006 or the De La Hoya he defeated in 2007. I have a hard time seeing Cotto as being a better fighter than Juan Manuel Marquez, even now that Marquez is about to turn 39. I think Marquez would beat Cotto if they fought. Cotto lacks a right hand and is easy to hit. Even if Cotto came in over 160, I still see him losing to Marquez.
I think Cotto is one of the best fighters that Mayweather has fought in the past 10 years, but definitely not the best or the second best, not at this point in Cotto’s career after all his ring wars.
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