Cotto vs Margarito: Emanuel Steward Out as Cotto's Trainer Due to Scheduling Conflict
by Scott Christ on Oct 4, 2011 12:26 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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In a pretty big surprise move, Emanuel Steward is out as Miguel Cotto's trainer for his December 3 rematch with Antonio Margarito, and Pedro Luis Diaz is in as the new lead man in the Puerto Rican's corner. From a Cotto press release:
I met Pedro Luis as an amateur several years ago and had the opportunity to share time with him in several international competitions. I was instantly amazed as to the vast boxing's technique and conditioning knowledge that he transmitted to his fighters. I feel that together with Phil, Pedro Luis is a perfect fit to bring my best potential for my next fight in December and lead me to victory!
I want to take this opportunity to express my wholehearted gratitude to Emanuel Steward, who I consider a friend and mentor. Because of calendar conflicts and other matters, we were unable to work together for this next fight. He is one of the best trainers I have ever met in boxing, and I will be forever appreciative for the two fights we worked together. We have both kept the doors open to maybe join forces in the future if the circumstances and timing are adequate.
The timing issue is likely that Steward will be working with Wladimir Klitschko for a December 10 fight against Jean Marc Mormeck in Germany, and Wladimir is currently Steward's prized fighter, his top dog whose needs come before those of other fighters in Steward's care.
This does mark the second fighter in the last month to drop Steward from his corner, though. Chad Dawson and Steward couldn't work out differences in location for Dawson's October 15 fight with Bernard Hopkins, and Dawson replaced the Hall of Famer with John Scully and Winky Wright.
It's not much to do with Steward in either case, so I don't think you can look at this as Emanuel falling in the training game. The Dawson thing was Dawson's decision; he didn't want to go train at Kronk, and Steward didn't want to go to Connecticut. The Cotto case is more likely just the Klitschko interference, and it wouldn't be any surprise to see Cotto working with Steward again in the future, unless he and Diaz really mesh well. Steward and Cotto seemed to be working together pretty well from most standpoints, though wins over Yuri Foreman and Ricardo Mayorga were expected and probably could have been achieved with or without Steward's tutelage.
Does this change your outlook on Cotto vs Margarito at all? Do you think this hurts Miguel's chances at victory?
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it’s not exactly mid-camp. There’s two months left for the fight. I guess it all depends on their chemistry.
Anything’s better than Cotto training himself or Joe Santiago. I don’t know this new trainer, but he certainly has the credentials.
Bob Arum would promote Lucifer himself if he could put asses in the seats.
I don’t, but Cotto mentions his credentials in the letter: http://www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/MC-NewTrainerOct2011.jpg
Bob Arum would promote Lucifer himself if he could put asses in the seats.
Steward said it was that he was supposed to report to camp prior to Oct 7 and he couldn’t because of the Andy Lee fight. I would understand the Klitchsko fight, but the Lee fight, really? Lee fought without him last time and, well, it’s not like he’s a big cash cow or anything.
Bob Arum would promote Lucifer himself if he could put asses in the seats.
Lee is trained and managed by Steward. Manny says they’re closer than any fighter he’s ever had.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
I understand the priorities here, but Doc Lewis from Punch-Out!! could train Klitschko to an easy KO over Mormeck. Three days of pulling his bicycle around would be enough.
by El Destruyo on Oct 4, 2011 2:14 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Still don’t know why they haven’t put in the hall of fame. His credentials are good enough, dammit.
by The Twillness on Oct 4, 2011 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't understand the final realization of the conflict
This fight has been in play for a good while now.
I think it’s more that it’s an official replacement now. They probably knew for a while that it probably wasn’t going to work out.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
probably probably probably probably
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
“It’s kind of surprising. Everything had been in place for me to train him,” Steward told ESPN.com.
Now I’m confused again.
Yes, that Rafael article confused me more. It seemed quite simple before: Steward had other priorities, Cotto decided to go another way. But after reading this clip, I’m not so sure anymore. From Steward’s version it seems like Cotto’s people had been planning to replace him for a while.
My opinion is that Cotto may have wanted Steward’s complete and utter devotion for the entire camp because I think Cotto truly believes he MUST win this fight at all costs. His promises in the press conferences were a bit different from what he normally says. He’s usually confident, but this time he was saying: “I swear I will do everything in my power to win”. If Steward was unable or unwilling (it says in the ESPN article that even if he didn’t have the Lee fight, he still wouldn’t have been at camp this week) to do this, Cotto thought he needed someone else who would, and quick.
Bob Arum would promote Lucifer himself if he could put asses in the seats.
More details: http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7059152/miguel-cotto-replaces-trainer-emanuel-steward
Bob Arum would promote Lucifer himself if he could put asses in the seats.
Now Manny (Steward) can call the fight from ringside.
I loved how he made the call early in the last fight that despite his winning the early rounds, Cotto was the one who was uncomfortable being pressured by the bigger taller pressure fighting Margaritio.
We’ll see how he handles the pressure this time….and is Margarito’s chin (and eye) can handle any more punishmment.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
Even though I abhor Margarito in regards to him being caught with red hands trying to load up on the Mosley fight…
He was the person to show the world that Cotto was beatable and that his trainer was only being carried by his boxers boxing ability.
It was bound to happen.
However, Margorito didn’t help his case with the wraps and the hydroxycut issue (an issue I prob started in my head which I feel is what was giving him the stamina he was known for, notoriously slow started only to pick it up with such great enthusiasm in the end).
Either way, I am sold on the fight but it would have been greater had the rematch took place before each fighter took on different opponents.
Boxing politics suck by the way.
I'm not convinced Cotto can hurt Margarito
and he may have to because 12 rounds is a long time.
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