Miguel Cotto Certain He Could Defeat Manny Pacquiao If Given Rematch
by Scott Christ on Dec 6, 2011 8:38 PM EST
in Boxing News Analysis
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Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto believes that if he's given a rematch with Manny Pacquiao in 2012, he would this time defeat the Filipino icon, avenging his 2009 shellacking at Pacquiao's hands:
"I have no doubt about it [that I would beat Pacquiao in a rematch]. With the right encouragement and with the people that are now in my team, we have no doubt that," Cotto told Esteban Pagan.
We've discussed this idea in brief on the site, and I said then that I'm in favor of the rematch under the condition that a fight between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr cannot be finalized.
[ Related: Latest on Pacquiao vs Mayweather ]
I would pick Pacquiao to win. He was that much better than Cotto (37-2, 30 KO) in 2009 that it's tough to see a different outcome this time. Plus, Miguel hasn't made the 147-pound limit since that fight, and while I have no doubt he could do so without much problem, there's the chance that the last two or three pounds could turn out to be more hassle than I expect.
But I like the fight still. I was a bigger fan of their first fight than most, and I've always wondered what might have happened in that fight if, when Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KO) turned it up after four rounds and completely took over the fight, Cotto would have had someone in his corner who knew what they were doing. Joe Santiago was Cotto's trainer for that fight, and wasn't really his trainer. That was just his title.
Santiago is not a boxing trainer. He did Cotto no favors against Joshua Clottey, where only Clottey's own mental mistakes lost him the fight, and less than no favors against Manny Pacquiao. It's not that I'm trying to insult Santiago here, you understand, just that a total novice should not be leading the corner for fights on that level, ever. Miguel Cotto deserves better than that.
And he has that now in Pedro Diaz, who helped Cotto get into great shape and come up with a good game plan, and also kept him sticking to that game plan in the rematch with Antonio Margarito last Saturday.
If Juan Manuel Marquez wants too much, if the Mayweather fight can't be made, I'll take a Pacquiao vs Cotto rematch any time. It's got a great story, in which Miguel Cotto tries to get his win back from Pacquiao, now the only man that Cotto has faced as a pro and never beaten. I'd definitely like see Pacquiao vs Cotto II if the other option is Pacquiao against Timothy Bradley.
Let's assume it's Cotto or Bradley: Who do you prefer?
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Cotto and Marquez are friends. He should ask him to give him some tips =)
I think Pac will still beat Cotto, but like Scott, I’ve often wondered what would happen if Cotto had a real trainer.
And finally, I will take a Pacquiao rematch over a fight with Chavez Jr. anyday. I REALLY don’t want to see Cotto against Chavez Jr. He will not be able to make a dent in him and Chavez Jr is really way too big. Today Cotto said he hasn’t completely eliminated the possibility of going up to 160. He looks chunky and tiny at 154. I really don’t think he should be going up.
"He's still a very strong fighter, but I am way better than he is" - Miguel Cotto
No win for Cotto figthing Manny...
I think it will be a replay of Mosely/Manny, where he thinks creating distance is enough to win rounds, but it won’t be, at some point Cotto will have to trade shots with Manny. Its clear he wants another big pay day.
Its clear he wants another big pay day.
#TheMoneyTeam
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
All’s I’m sayin’ is everyone wants another big pay day. Or their first.
Floyd should have someone hawk that site to buy the domain if it happens to expire, BTW. That’d be funny.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
I’d watch Cotto fight either Money or Pac Man. I think he’d have a better shot avenging his loss at this point. Manny has not looked like the force he was in the ODLH-Hatton-Cotto run.
Yeah... but
Styles still make fights and I dunno if Cotto changed enough to land more and harder punches than Marquez did against Manny.
I am happy to see Cotto use more defensive tactics but i still don’t think its enough to escape Manny’s ‘windmill attack.’
Yeah
The difference is Floyd can actually win his fights, I’m just wondering what are Cotto’s actual motivations in going after Manny. I mean Manny looked bad against Maquez, but Cotto can’t fight like Marquez. And the way Cotto beat Margarito is in no way a litmus test against Manny. I think he knows that.
Cotto fought well and inspired and clearly won and all that this past Saturday. But, he also spent half the fight on his bike, big time. He’s fought that way for a while, but Saturday was an extreme example of him doing that, in my opinion. I don’t think he’s soft or weak or anything like that, but I don’t think he has the mental fortitude to even be competitive with Pac. Marquez is made of something special, he’s got an iron will. Cotto’s a tough, determined SOB, but he doesn’t have the physical or mental “fuego” to be competitive with Pac at this point.
"While he may strike hard blows, he is not at liberty to strike foul ones." J. Sutherland.
I think Cotto would lose the first few rounds competitively...
but as he tired, Manny would stop him. Still a good fight, though, I think.
GET FUCK THE OUT!
"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."
by Oli Goldstein on Dec 7, 2011 6:21 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Manny seems to be regressing to me and Cotto mostly looks like the same guy who fought Manny plus a competent trainer. Cotto was already highly competitive until he was hurt badly in the fourth. I think this would be a more competitive fight than most would expect, though in the end Pacquiao would probably triumph again.
I agree
I think it could be a good match up. Cotto lost because he tried to stand and trade with Manny and got hurt early. Cotto is a very good boxer. The problem is that in most of his big fights, he only starts really boxing once he’s been hurt in some way. I think with a “boxing first” game plan, similer to Marquez, he could give Manny a good fight. I think it’s a good alternative if the Manny v Floyd fight doesn’t come through.
I think Pacquaio will still finish him like last time. Cotto watched that Marquez fight and thinks that he’s gonna apply that same counter-punching strategy, and moving back the whole fight, waiting on Pacquaio to initiate the action the way he did in the last couple of rounds against Pacquaio. I still had Pacquaio winning those rounds just because Cotto was the bigger stronger guy, but he was the one running in fear to survive, not using a strategy to win.
One question…..Maybe its already been answered, but why aren’t people calling for Cotto-Martinez? I heard Sergio called Cotto out and Cotto declined the fight.
"Winning is Everything"
Failure is not an Option
If you're not first, you're last
martinez too big
lampley said it at the end of the broadcast saturday and kellerman pretty much laughed it off
"After this, I'm gonna kick Bob Arum's ass."
-George Lopez
by Eddie Gonzalez on Dec 6, 2011 10:16 PM EST up reply actions
154 is a good weight
"Winning is Everything"
Failure is not an Option
If you're not first, you're last
I mean, if Cotto jumped at the opportunity to fightYuri Foreman at 154, why not fight Sergio at 154? If Martinez is willing to go all the way down to 150 for May or Pac, I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to meet Cotto at 154.
"Winning is Everything"
Failure is not an Option
If you're not first, you're last
I was trying to just italic, Yuri's name
"Winning is Everything"
Failure is not an Option
If you're not first, you're last
because sergio martinez is no yuri foreman
"After this, I'm gonna kick Bob Arum's ass."
-George Lopez
by Eddie Gonzalez on Dec 6, 2011 11:07 PM EST up reply actions
Except that Martinez is the exact same size as the guy Cotto beat last week
They’ve bought Bob Arum’s party line, which I guess is fine since the fight would never happen anyway. I doubt Cotto would be competitive against Martinez though.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
I think most people agree that the best, most competitive options out there for Cotto are among guys who are still at welterweight or are at 154. I’ll be absolutely shocked if he never ends up fighting Pacquiao again given the promotional ties and the fact that neither guy is likely to retire before they themselves are retired. Both are also at their present commercial peak, so were a Mayweather/Pacman fight to happen and not end in a draw or overwhelming controversy, the followup Cotto fight for the winner would be a huge, huge deal and probably inevitable.
by VirtualBalboa on Dec 7, 2011 2:02 AM EST up reply actions
I don’t know why anyone would say they’d rather see Manny fight Bradley. Cotto’s a better fighter and Pacquiao-Cotto II is a better fight.
But I still don’t see Cotto winning. It’s not like the first fight was close and we’re all wondering if a few punches had landed differently. It was competitive-ish in the first few rounds, but then Manny just chainsawed Cotto’s face off for the rest of the fight. He won by a wide margin and I don’t think the gap between the two has closed that much.
In a semi-interesting bit of news, Cotto told Puerto Rican media that he would continue his relationship with Top Rank but wouldn’t sign a contract extension.
http://www.elnuevodia.com/cottonodescartasubiralas160libras-1137548.html
"He's still a very strong fighter, but I am way better than he is" - Miguel Cotto
Yeah, Bob says he’s totally happy to work with a handshake agreement like he had with Hagler. Unless it’s Mayweather, I don’t see Cotto fighting outside of the TR banner.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Dec 7, 2011 12:09 AM EST up reply actions
Apparently only two people read these posts to the end, only one person even answered the question and mentioned Bradley..
I think if we’re talking first half of next year I vote Cotto, otherwise after Bradley gets a couples fights in at Welterweight, I’d rather see that fight.
I think we saw a Cotto that really came out to fight Margarito and that:
1) in reality Margarito sucks and has sucked for some time now
2) Cotto won’t look that good ever again, even with this new wonderful trainer
I think we’re all underestimating Bradley here, he’s smart smart fighter and has already done decent at welterweight once, although not against someone of Pacquiao’s stature.
http://fistonchin.com http://brightlightssports.com
No disagreement here.
Bradley will war with anyone.
That said, My problem with him is his lack of power.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
Eh, it’s not first to knock out. I don’t think he’d win but we’ve already seen the Cotto mess.
http://fistonchin.com http://brightlightssports.com
I agree.
Cotto Pac is a repeat with a faster finish.
Bradley is fresher meat.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
he’s smart smart fighter and has already done decent at welterweight once, although not against someone of Pacquiao’s stature.
That’s overrating Abregu.
I should say I don’t have much active interest in watching Bradley fight anyone. I’m the same way with Ward. If they retired tomorrow, my greatest reaction would be, “Oh. Drag.”
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Dec 7, 2011 12:11 AM EST up reply actions
For Cotto
This was a life changing win. But it was not a game changer.
His victory was not just sweet but I might argue critical, psychologically and otherwise, for him to move on with his career. He should savor avenging his worst loss as he fought a much smarter fight this time.
But thinking he can avenge his other defeat because of his performance last Saturday is just frankly, not gonna happen. Manny is stylistically a nightmare then and a nightmare now. Miguel simply does not have the speed to compete. He was tattooed with punches in bunches from angles and places that he himself said he never saw.
How is that going to change.
The fight on Saturday looked a lot like the first fight with certain exceptions already discussed here ad nauseum. Some had to do with Miguel. Others with Margarito. But the fact is Miguel has not nor will change that much; he just learned from his worst mistakes ….and made enough adjustments to win.
Bottom line. The first four round will be competitive. Otherwise, the same result every time.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
Cotto II over Bradley anyday of the week. I dont see the Bradley fight being all that close. He has realy good skills and speed but not enough power to get to Pac and after few straight lefts to his shiny pointy dome he wont attack in flurries and almost freeze in a gun fight. Least with Cotto you get a realy good fighter with good amount of speed and bang. He can out muscle and rough up Pac and with a good trainer/camp would be a bigger challenge. I say Pac beats him by UD and probably stops Bradley mid/late.
"A hero has faced it all: he need not be undefeated, but he must be undaunted." - Andrew Bernstein
I of course agree that Bradley is featherfisted, but Pacquiao repeatedly said that Cotto did not hurt him at all during their fight. Count me in the minority that finds a Bradley match somewhat more intriguing than a Cotto rematch if only because of his ring IQ and the fact that we haven’t seen it before.
i would like to see that fight. i don’t think he is just looking for a payday when he says he wants manny. he looked good and sharp against margarito. he even had the mentality to throw the left hook to the body but not often because of the height difference. people have to understand that cotto had took a beaten to margarito before manny fight and everyone said he hasn’t looked the same since. i think the margarito win was what he needed mentally to even to begin to be cotto again. cotto looked physically and mentally strong against margarito. think it would be a good fight if they don’t weight drain him AGAIN.
ok myself being a self-confessed fan of miguel cotto i loved seeing his performance against margo at the weekend, he was more fired up and in a form that was just exceptional, the first thing i said to my brother was it would be interesting to see him rematch pac if he can recreate that form. seems some here may disagree but i thought the first fight was exciting and the most competitive of that run of pac’s dominance, obviously pac was the better man on the night and in a rematch maybe would be again, but i think it certainly makes a more interesting match than the first in my opinion
Pedro Diaz
seems to have a very good relationship with Cotto. You could see it in the 24/7 show. I thought he fought a very smart fight in a situation where no one would have blamed him if he had been emotional or lost his composure considering all the bad blood from the first fight. Meanwhile, Manny looked vulnerable in his last fight and may have divulged the plan to beating him. I wouldnt put money on Cotto, but I think it would be much closer than 2009 and he would have a chance to steal it, especially if the fight were in MSG.
May Doug Marrone bless you and keep you.
Anyone can win on their day.
Their last fight was amazing,It was a great bout to watch,Sometimes its better to see a great fight than argue abd talk about a winner or a loser.I would love to see this fight again.Cotto and Pacquiao are my favourite XD.
DSBP
by DreanSBP on Dec 14, 2011 7:21 AM EST via mobile reply actions
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