Mayweather fights on May 5th

[JD]

Fitz Wrote:

JD Wrote:A couple thoughts...

This Cotto is nowhere near the guy that fought Mosley. He doesn't have the same reflexes, timing, speed, willingness to get hit or instinct...can we agree on that?

Cotto is a one-handed fighter, he has been his whole career, and random use of the right against a one-eyed Margarito does not a two-handed fighter make.

Re-watch Mayweather - Castillo, I don't think you will come back with the notion that JLC was slower than this version of Cotto.

Cotto switching to southpaw would be a disaster, Floyd would jump on him and light him up with lead rights.

Cotto isn't a pressure fighter digging that left hook downstairs anymore, that guy is gone.

The Judah fight looked the way it did because Zab had the faster hands for 6 rounds, fought out of a stance that forced Mayweather out of his comfort zone, and he fought the best 5 rounds of his life. Cotto will be afforded none of those advantages.

If Cotto sits back he will get torn up, if Cotto pressures he will get torn up.

I read everything you wrote there, but I am not coming away with any understanding how Cotto could do it. I honestly do not see one advantage Cotto would have going in, and that even includes things we often give to Floyd's opponents like chin or youth.

Sorry man, I am just not seeing any common ground with you here...but that's why they fight the fights.

Let's just agree to disagree.

About Castillo, I didn't think he got robbed anyways. I don't think either fighter did enough to take the fight clearly. Cotto looked slow against Jennings and Clottey and maybe another fight inbetween, but he had some speed back in his last fight (and no, it didn't have anything to do with Margarito being that slow, Cotto was punching better).

I'm just mentioning that Cotto had more than his left hand in his last fight, and was using his right more than usual. Cotto has made adjustment in time, he has jabbed more, boxed more, he now clinches.....why is it so unbelievable that I saw him add something else to his arsenal, when he has in so many other areas?

Cotto never clinched before his last fight, and used to run and had no idea how to hold. Cotto never clinched in his whole career, and all of a sudden learnt to do it in his last fight. Surely you don't think I should dismiss this aspect of Cotto because he only did it once at random times in his last fight?

I have seen Cotto learn and add new things to his game plan like using the jab more, knowing when and how to clinch etc. I have seen him make these adjustments, and I saw his also use the right hand in his last fight. I'm not saying that his right hand is lethal, or that is what's going to make the fight close, but I did see it in his last fight.
I'm just not going to dismiss it because he used it once, he used the clinch in one fight as well.

Cotto isn't physically the same as he once was, but I think he is in a better place mentally, made changes etc. Some guys aren't the same physically, but can be just as successful with change.
Look at George Foreman, he was not the same physically, but many think the older George Foreman was better, and smarter. I have seen positive signs in Cotto, even if I don't think he is the same guy physically.

I think Cotto may have appeared faster, but I didn't see a sudden marked improvement in handspeed...I do believe his opponent had something to do with looking faster.

Cotto may try to use his right hand with a bit more frequency, but doing so against a one eyed come forward brawler will be worlds different than trying something new out against an all time great defensive fighter and terrific counter puncher. I mean, Cotto is still a one-handed fighter. Learning to clinch and learning to effectively punch with the right hand are two very different things...and in fairness, he clinched because he was exhausted and realized it was his only way - clinching isn't exactly a skill, you know?

As for being in a better place mentally than he was when he fought Mosley for example is something I cannot agree with. At that time he was an undefeated machine running through people and showing that he could get up from whatever he was hit with to bang his opponent out...now, he admits that he doesn't need to take the punishment anymore. Cotto in his own words thinks it is stupid to take the "die in the ring" approach and is only willing to go far enough to win without having to go through hell; if it gets too tough - he is out. He has shown a willingness to take a knee or to basically run like he did against Pac; to me that is the sign of a deteriorated mental state as a fighter. Sure, it translates well in the real world, but boxing is fought in a ring, not the real world.

I think where we differ here is that you are basing your view of the Mayweather fight on Cotto's ability to potentially add new wrinkles...for me, adding new wrinkles against the #1 or #2 fighter in the world is a recipe for disaster when you are essentially an old dog at this point. Moreover, when we look at George Foreman he had a couple things going for him that Cotto will not: 1) Incredibly heavy hands, 2) Michael Moorer was a reluctant champ with OK defense and a chin that was nothing special, 3) Foreman was not fighting a heavyweight version of Floyd Mayweather.

Cotto is what he is now...and unfortunately that is not similar to what he was.

Now just to reiterate, this does not mean I am saying Cotto is undeserving of the fight. To be clear, Miguel Cotto deserves an opportunity to fight Floyd and that is not debatable...I just see that opportunity as more of a ticket to an absolute dismantling than anything else.

Lastly, I think Miguel Cotto has had a terrific career and was a truly excellent fighter with one of the top resumes in the sport, I just think Floyd will absolutely dismantle him at this point in time...styles, and this is a bad one for him.