Oscar de la Hoya and Miguel Cotto meet in Puerto Rico
by SC on Jul 10, 2009 12:37 PM EDT
in Rumors
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According to Primera Hora (link in English via BoxingScene.com), Golden Boy Promotions head Oscar de la Hoya and Top Rank superstar Miguel Cotto got together for a round of golf in Puerto Rico, where both live. Cotto claims it was a "chance meeting," and that there was no boxing discussed. Many in the press down there aren't buying it, as Cotto's Top Rank contract is reportedly expiring in six months. You may recall earlier this year he was greatly upset by the company's decision to defend Antonio Margarito after he was caught tampering with his gloves prior to a fight with Shane Mosley.
I'm not buying "chance meeting," either. I mean, sorry, but Oscar de la Hoya and Miguel Cotto probably don't just turn up at the same golf course at the same time and decide to play together. There is also no way boxing wasn't discussed. Like Oscar might not at least say, "Hey, when you fight Manny Pacquiao, don't stand there and let him hit you in the face a trillion times. Did not work for me. All I'm gonna say."
But the conspiracy theories? Hell, they're valid. Even if Cotto has no real intention of leaving Top Rank, a man in his position would have to look at all the options, and only Golden Boy is a worthwhile option other than ArumCo.
In the short term, it probably means nothing, but it could mean a little down the line.
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I’m sure that Bob Arum’s freaking out right now.
by steak_knife on Jul 10, 2009 12:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Just a simple deal at the gold coarse.... I mean a simple game
I doubt it, but I cannot wait to hear what the Bob Father might come out and say.
"Penelosa is not human." -Max Kellerman on Gerry Penelosa during the Juan Manuel Lopes-Gerry Penelosa bout.
by Sickle on Jul 10, 2009 1:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I mean golf course…. but now that I think about it gold course does have some ring to it.
"Penelosa is not human." -Max Kellerman on Gerry Penelosa during the Juan Manuel Lopes-Gerry Penelosa bout.
by Sickle on Jul 10, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
hmmm...
Probably a smart move by Cotto. Let’s just say, and this is purely hypothetical, Cotto himself feels he’s on the slide, he’s going to want to position himself to get the most money in the least time possible. A move to Golden Boy might get that for him. I’m guessing that the folks in Top Rank might be willing to unload Cotto if he loses to Pacquiao anyway, should their relationship continue to go south. Cotto has lost a bit of luster over his last couple of fights (I thought the Clottey affair was a draw, personally) and probably knows that he hasn’t got any negotiating leverage with The Bobfather. Oscar on the other hand is running out of elite fighters in his stable, what with the recent Victor Ortiz implosion. Miguel’s probably saying “Look man, I can be that marquis guy.” If I was Oscar though, I’d think really, REALLY hard before signing potentially damaged goods. Not saying he IS damaged goods, but there’s no denying he’s hit some rough waters later.
by Areglado on Jul 10, 2009 2:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree with you across the board except I think Clottey won that fight.
by ultimoshogun on Jul 10, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree with you across the board except I think Cotto won that fight.
Boxing is the beginning of all sports. I'm willing to bet that the first sport was a man against another man in a fight. (Omar Epps)
by Chaos100 on Jul 10, 2009 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t agree that Cotto’s stock has dropped at all. The Margarito fight is now seen as a farce, he mowed down Jennings, and he fought a hell of a battle with Clottey. Now he’s lined up for an event of the year caliber fight with Manny.
by SC on Jul 10, 2009 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There are more visible chinks in the armor now than there were after the Mosley fight
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by Brickhaus on Jul 10, 2009 7:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well that was bound to happen. I mean did people think he was unbeatable or something?
by SC on Jul 10, 2009 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes...
Some people did. I didn’t, though I did think he was very, very good. He isn’t one of my favorites, but I’ve always thought the guy was the goods.
And I don’t really think Cotto’s stock has dropped necessarily. I’m pretty old school myself, so I don’t dismiss fighters just because they’ve got a couple L’s (or in Cotto’s case, one L) on their resume. I am saying that the aura of “greatness” has somewhat faded around Cotto and the guy hasn’t looked sensational lately. If this was 1983, I don’t think people would make too big a deal of it. But Cotto was massively hyped and was being touted as the heir apparent of Tito Trinidad. Now, not so much.
Yes, the battle he fought with Clottey was a great one, but recognized as such mainly by hardcore boxing fans who know just what kind of dude Clottey is. But let’s face it, Cotto struggled against a guy most people have never heard of. If that fight was the first Cotto fight I watched, I’m sorry, he wouldn’t have really turned me into a fan.
He’s being lined up against Manny because of the Latin fanbase behind him as we all know. But for how long will he command that following?
I think Cotto is still fairly on top of his game, but I envision him at the edge or a precipice, where one wrong move might send him over. And for some reason, I think he feels this way too — about his career, about his physical state. So I say, he’s just trying to cover his bases.
by Areglado on Jul 11, 2009 4:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He’s being lined up against Manny because of the Latin fanbase behind him as we all know. But for how long will he command that following?
I’m guessing quite a long time. He’s a warrior and a tremendous fighter and he’s willing to fight the best. He’s also being lined up against Manny because he’s a great opponent for him.
Yes, the battle he fought with Clottey was a great one, but recognized as such mainly by hardcore boxing fans who know just what kind of dude Clottey is. But let’s face it, Cotto struggled against a guy most people have never heard of.
This is going to sound bad, but most people have never heard of most fighters. Boxing is neither dead nor dying, but it is also absolutely not a mainstream sport in America by any stretch of the imagination. Neither is MMA. Hardcore boxing fans are the vast majority of the audience. Cotto-Clottey was a tremendously “quality” fight in all respects.
But I do get what you’re saying, I just, I dunno, I don’t see fighters that way usually. I never once thought Cotto was unbeatable, but then I don’t think anyone is unbeatable. I didn’t really expect Cotto to go down as an all-time great either, though I think he certainly could. He’s a top 10 P4P fighter, arguably the best welterweight in the world today, and he’s about to fight the No. 1 P4P guy in the world. I just don’t see him as close to that edge, but then I have surely been wrong before.
by SC on Jul 11, 2009 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
“He’s a warrior and a tremendous fighter and he’s willing to fight the best. He’s also being lined up against Manny because he’s a great opponent for him.”
Yes, absolutely. Cotto is a warrior, and a fantastic fighter and matches up really well against Manny. But I do think that there’s lot riding on this performance based on how Cotto has been hyped and the “global” nature of this fight. It’s a massive stage. If Cotto somehow gets blitzed (I doubt it), then well, I think he’ll still have his share of supporters but he will be relegated to the margins of the sport’s elite. If he loses but makes a serious fight of it, I think the negative effects on his career will be fairly minimal; people will just balance it out with Pacquiao’s greatness and say “helluva a job, Miguel.”
Now, say he wins: Manny’s reputation is such that even if Cotto ekes out a decision he will reap the full rewards of victory. Manny would be the 2nd hall of fame fighter over whom he has a win (Mosley being the first), and the first P4P champion he defeats.
Heck, I think even a draw would would be great for Cotto. But let’s pray that doesn’t happen.
by Areglado on Jul 11, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
obviously...
…I meant “rough waters LATELY.”
by Areglado on Jul 11, 2009 3:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wonder if he showed him a briefcase full of cash….
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
by Zocalo on Jul 10, 2009 7:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Not surprising...
I think he’s a pretty big fighter right now especially with his upcoming battle aginst Pacquaio. I think he will give Pacquaio a good fight and ingrain his image into a lot of fans heads.
People calling him damaged goods or citing it as a real possibility are blowing things out of proportion though.
He hasn’t shown any real chinks in his armor.
First time he fought Mosley people said he was exposed a little and yes he was but thats Mosley we are talking about he is just that good.
On the other hand the Marg fight probably shouldn’t count and he battered Jennings.
He he a tough fight with Clottey but Clottey is a fantastic fighter and very under rated and he couldn’t beat Cotto even with Cotto having to change his usual strategy due to the situaiton with his eye.
I think he will give Pacquiao a war. I don’t think he will win but his performance in that fight will be noted.
by MannyPacquiao on Jul 10, 2009 8:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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