PREVIEW OF MIGUEL COTTO-FLOYD MAYWEATHER CLASH!

April 30th, 2012 By John Signorella

"Ring Kings"

“SUPER FIGHT” BOXING FINALLY RETURNS!

New York, NY- Millions around the world will be in anticipation of an intriguing battle when WBA super middleweight (154) champion Miguel “Junito” Cotto (37-2-2, 30 KOs) engages top ranked “pound for pound” elite pugilist Floyd “Money” Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) in a proposed 12 round showdown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV, Saturday at 9 PM ET, on HBO PPV.

BAPTISM UNDER FIRE

After Miguel was violently stopped at the (suspect) hands of Antonio Margarito (L TKO 11), unlike most young fighters who administered a terrible beating at the highest level of the sport, a galvanized Cotto rebounded with two impressively fought wins. Just 16 months removed from the Margarito affair, in effort to reclaim the number one “pound for pound” status he was close to capturing before his setback, Cotto agreed to fight one of the sport’s best combatants: Manny Pacquiao. In a commendable effort against Pacquiao, Miguel competitively stood “toe to toe” with the Filipino superstar for as long as he could. Due to the relentless assault reigned upon him, mixed in with the “catch weight” he agreed
 to fight at (145 lbs), Cotto eventually broke down and was stopped by the hands of  boxing’s most committed banger (L TKO 12). In the aftermath, Miguel had only fought two times in the past two years. Albeit picking up wins and knockouts in each contest against respectable foes, due to the dull fashion in which these battles were fought, questions (from the public) loomed in regard to how much desire and passion Miguel still had for the “sweet science” when he entered the ring in his most recent encounter; a rematch with Antonio Margarito. In an eagerly awaited oncore against Antonio, Miguel beat on Margarito’s left eye like Jon Bonham (drummer of Led Zepplin) pounding a snare drum in the 70’s awarding Cotto his revenge (W TKO 10).

Cotto (left)

A CLOSER LOOK AT COTTO

Fundamentally, Miguel Cotto doesn’t do one thing great but overall he does everything extremely well. Miguel showcases a hybrid of facets that are important to survive in the pugilistic world. Cotto has the ability to take a punch, has power, decent hand speed, above average foot movement, a savvy boxing I.Q., and greatly timed counter-punching skills. However, Miguel often has a tendency to let emotion dictate his tempo, interrupt his game plan, and allow the war of attrition to take play. This usually is to his undoing and can be extremely hazardous against an opponent such as Mayweather. Conventional wisdom suggests that Cotto will have to call upon his poised brawn in effort of easing his way into convincing Floyd that he is the better man.

LOVE’ EM OR HATE’ EM, NOBODY’S BEATEN FLOYD

Before his first true test at top-level competition against former champion Diego Corrales, Mayweather emerged on the boxing scene destroying his first 24 foes with 18 wins by way of flashy knockout. During his dismantling of the warrior spirited Corrales (W TKO 10), Mayweather commanded the show and demonstrated a virtuoso of brilliant artistic assault. Floyd then went on to easily defend his title two more times before earning a controversial point’s decision victory in a struggle to the finish against veteran brawler Jose Luis Castillo. Immediately thereafter, the boxing public demanded a rematch and Mayweather met and dominated Castillo eight months later (W UD 12). Over his next nine bouts, Mayweather took on formidable opposition, highlighted by a knockout win over gladiator fan favorite Arturo Gatti (W TKO 6). Because of the ease in which Mayweather blasted out his seemingly over matched adversaries, outcry from the boxing world ensued for Mayweather to step up and face a more dangerous and bigger fighter; a demand which brought life to one of the richest fights in the history of the sport. In an intriguing bout on paper, Oscar De La Hoya accepted Floyd’s challenge. The fight failed to live up to expectation, and saw Mayweather win a close boxing exhibition against a seemingly faded once great champion (W SD 12). In the aftermath of the Oscar encounter, Mayweather pursued one of boxing’s biggest attractions Ricky Hatton for a mega fight. In a closely contested bout, Mayweather nailed an overly aggressive Ricky Hatton with a perfectly timed “check hook” which handed Hatton his first defeat and knockout loss (W TKO 10). After a brief retirement, Mayweather commendably came out of a two-year hibernation to easily outpoint one of the sports best competitors; Juan Manuel Marquez. Floyd then went onto to start the “beginning of the end” of the once great “Sugar” Shane Mosley (W 12) and expose naïve former champion Victor Ortiz as a fighter who still has a lot to learn about “protecting yourself” at all times (W KO 4).

Mayweather (right)

A CLOSER LOOK AT “MONEY”

Despite only having fought four professional rounds in the past 2 years, Mayweather brings an enormous amount of attributes to the dance. Floyd possesses exceptional hand and foot speed, accompanied by superb youthful reflexes and tremendous defensive movement. Mayweather’s from a family of decorated fighters and from this he has obtained a brilliant boxing I.Q. that has garnered him consideration to one of the most gifted fighters to ever step into a boxing ring.

PREDICTION:

I do feel it will a competitive scrap for as long as it lasts. However, at the end of the day; speed kills. Even though Floyd is boxing at the highest weight of his carrer, I feel his natural advantage of being the significantly faster athlete in both the foot and hand speed department will separate him for his opponent as it so often does. Mayweather ( KO 7).

AWESOME CO-FEATURE!

Having an unheard of 40 bouts and capturing a major world title (WBC 154) at just the tender age of 22, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (39-0-1, 29 KOs) looks to keep pounding toward world rank supremacy when he faces former belt holder and future “Hall of Famer”, “Sugar” Shane Mosley (46-7-1, 39 KOs) over 12 or less light middleweight  rounds.

Note: The sport needs to have more co-features of this nature in the future! What has taken the “suit’s” this long to put together a very worthy appetizer for ta solid main event?

Stay tuned for more exclusive coverage leading up to this exciting event all week long right here at Ring talk!

 John Signorella

COMMENTS

  1. Floyd fought a weigh drained Corrales and I venture to say a fight with Chico at a higher weight may have turned out different at that juncture. With that said, Floyd has progressed and probably would have beaten Corrales at a later date at a more comfortable weight. And when Floyd faced Sugar Shane I think Shane pulled his foot off the gas pedal once he rocked Mayweather, which to me seemed it has less to do with Shane cramping up and more to do with some sort of back handed deal to let Shane get a paycheck. But what the hell do I know.

    Nick Bellafatto on May 1st, 2012 at 7:15 AM

  2. May is going to be a fan-tastic month for fight fans!!! Saturday’s going to be a lot of fun.

    Cheesey1 on May 1st, 2012 at 7:24 AM

  3. Chico was a friend of mine and was going to jail ywo days later. Can’t knock Floyd cause Corrales was an emotional mess, Knock Pac 4 fighting weight drained guys and ducking Floyd May 5 and Maequez 4, NICK, YOU DON’T KNOW THE INSIDE HERE AND YOU SOUND LIKE AN UNINFORMED FAN. Stick to stuff you know first hand. Shane was losing at the end of the round. One lucky punch. Your lack of acumen is glaring.

    Pedro Fernandez on May 1st, 2012 at 8:33 AM

  4. Sugar Ray Leonard vs Floyd Mayweather
    Both in their primes
    Fought at 147 w/8 oz gloves

    Who wins?

    StickItIn on May 1st, 2012 at 10:48 AM

  5. SRL, naturalyy bigger, faster, hit haeder!

    Pedro Fernandez on May 1st, 2012 at 11:01 AM

  6. Great question…gotta go with Ray

    John Signorella on May 1st, 2012 at 12:17 PM

  7. never would have happened, not until Ray was at least 40 years old!

    KP on May 1st, 2012 at 1:16 PM

  8. Floyd is going to dazzle Cotto with his hand/foot speed and side to side movement and win at least 8 to 4 in rounds.

    punchdrunkfighter on May 1st, 2012 at 6:11 PM

  9. SRL by majority decision..but it is close. Floyd is a lot better than many people think!

    punchdrunkfighter on May 1st, 2012 at 6:13 PM

  10. If Floyd and Hopkins were at the same weight, no worse fight can be made. Both would defend theirselves until boring us to death.

    The Priest on May 1st, 2012 at 8:08 PM

  11. This is gonna be a good fight. On a another I think a prime Tommy Hearns/FMJr would a great fight too.

    Joshua on May 2nd, 2012 at 2:53 PM

  12. Joshua, Tommy Hearns, like Marvin Hagler, both tried to box Ray Leonard instead of bombing him out, Hearns with that powerful right, Hagler with his strength and size. Hearns would destroy Floyd, the fight wouldn’t go four or five rounds. The size difference is so great that Floyd would have needed a laddrer t hit Tommy.

    Pedro Fernandez on May 2nd, 2012 at 4:53 PM

  13. Relating to KP’s article, what I meant by Donaire not big enough for Rigo is similar to the Hearns/FMJ situation. They are the same weight class and both are champions but given that Donaire started two weight classes lower he doesn’t have the frame to compete, he’d be more effective at 118

    StickItIn on May 2nd, 2012 at 7:45 PM

  14. They are both fighting at the same weight! How can you say such a thing?

    Pedro Fernandez on May 2nd, 2012 at 8:45 PM

  15. @anybody

    How about FMJ vs Sweet Pea both in their prime???

    dondon on May 2nd, 2012 at 9:58 PM

  16. These imaginary fights are silly. Whitaker was quick, but not as fast and sharp as Floyd. Although he did kick Julio Cesar Chavez’s booty!

    Pedro Fernandez on May 3rd, 2012 at 12:24 AM

  17. KP, whenever I read your comments about Floyd I get the impression that he stole a girlfriend from you or had a fight with him in a dark alley that didn’t go your way. Floyd Sr was not half the fighter and not a 10th the thinking man that Jr is and Sr, on drugs and a total mess at the time, gave Sugar Ray, one of the best ever, a good account of himself. I believe Jr could do much, much better than Sr. I’d be curious to know the respective ages of their opponents at the same ages, ex what ages Sugar’ opponents were when he was 20, 25, 30, 35 and same for Money.

    What about your boy Pac fighting geriatric, dehydrated and dead men? Still a hero to you, hein?

    todaline on May 4th, 2012 at 2:54 PM

  18. Toda, bad comparison. Ray Leonard fought Sr before he was a world champion, and while his defense gave him problems, he still completely dominated him. A pretty sorry comment from you if you ask. Me. I really enjoyed Floyd early in his career, but he’s more businessman than fighter and he’s said it so himself. I don’t need to repeat myself numerous times. It’s all out there for you to read. I sure he’d give Leonard a good fight, I don’t think he’d beat him, and anyways Floyd’s best days were at 130, I think if he would have stayed at 140 longer he might have proved to be one of the best ever at that weight. His reign at welterweight has had too many gaps of inactivity and seeing that he failed to fight Williams, Cotto, Margarito at welterweight I think his resume lacks somewhat. I give him credit for fighting Cotto now, but I think it may have been a better fight at 147.He’s been pretty selective in his opposition, and I hate the fact that he makes excuses fro not fighting certain fighters yet, will fight Marquez who had two jump two weight classes. He isn’t the only fighter who is cherry picking fights, but since he calls himself the best and toots his own horn all the time, he is just asking to be criticized. If was more humble and honest maybe he’d receive less criticism with his choice of opposition.

    Kevin Perry on May 4th, 2012 at 3:57 PM

  19. KP, so the fact that Sr fought SR BEFORE he was champ means that SR was a so so fighter but as soon as he became a champion he became great? As for completely dominating him, go back to the tape and watch it without your hatred for the Mayweathers and you’ll see the light. Yes he beat him. Completely dominated him? What movie is that? Even Sugar Ray won’t say that, despite his more than massive, sometimes delusional ego.

    What’s wrong with being a businessman? SRL was a consummate one, waiting until the fight and fighter were ripe for the taking. I don’t hear any complaints from you. Pac is the ultimate businessman, asking any fighter perceived as a threat to come in at weights extremely unnatural for them (I heard Bob Arum also tells them to avoid punching Pac too hard, LOL). Where are the complaints? Selective, you say? What about Pac ONLY fighting, as I said geriatric, dehydrated, dead men who ALL happen to be Arum’s fighters. SELECTIVITY at its best, if you ask me.

    Marquez DID NOT HAVE to jump two divisions, he ASKED for the fight. See the difference? Pac FORCES the guys to come DOWN, Marquez OFFERED to go up. UP, in case you don’t know is far less TAXING on your body than DOWN. Fighters usually walk around at much higher weights than the fighting weight, so asking them to shave an extra 2-4 #, or in the case of DLH 8 # is asking them to commit suicide, as all they’re able to lose is MUSCLE and WATER, sapping all the strength, making them so weak that anybody could beat them.

    Another thing, Marquez fought Pac and Floyd at the exact same weight, 142 and Pac 143, 142 Marquez and Floyd 146 (I know Pactards say Floyd ballooned to 198, but then again Pactards believe that Pac is the real son of God, not Jesus). So How come of when he fought Floyd he was a midget but when he fought Pac he becomes a full fledged WW? Selective…

    todaline on May 5th, 2012 at 9:12 AM

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