SaddoBoxing Writer’s Predict: Miguel Angel Cotto vs. Mohamad Abdulaev.

June is the showcase month for the light welterweight division and current IBF champion Ricky Hatton began it by setting the standard bar almost insurmountably high by overwhelming ring legend Kostya Tszyu. On June 25, we have the showdown between Arturo Gatti

and Floyd Mayweather for the WBC title, as well as a chance to gauge WBA champion’s progress under Emanuel Steward’s guidance. Before all of that, WBO champion Miguel Angel Cotto returns to the ring in defense of his championship, and his reputation, having lost an Olympic bout to eventual Gold Medalist Mohamad Abdulaev. Cotto’s ascension to championship level seems barely as crucial as does his future potential and it is felt that amateur nemesis Abdulaev may have the answer for Cotto’s style. Both fighters have great technique and fight-ending power, and as a new era begins in the division, the pressure is not merely to win, but to do so in a fashion as to bolster one’s image in the eyes of the boxing world.

As always, SaddoBoxing will bring in-depth analysis of the fight in its entirety, but as we round up our pre-fight build-up, we bring you our staff writer’s predictions.

Lee Bellfield: A great month for the 140-pound division continues. Cotto has certainly looked the part in his unbeaten professional career. Rather than being a heavy one-punch hitter he relies on good technique and a cumulative effect of his punches. Cotto is flawed, evidenced by being shaken in his 140-pound WBO title winning against Kelson Pinto. Abdulaev on the other hand already holds a victory over Cotto en route to Olympic Gold in 2000 so he certainly has the style to beat Cotto. He has just the one defeat on his record and holds a win over former lightweight champion Phillip Holliday. Although many favor Cotto, in this bout I certainly feel that this is not a foregone conclusion. To be successful I feel that he will have to fight using speed and movement, although Abdulaev also has good power. He will have to try to break Cotto’s rhythm, not letting the Puerto Rican get into any kind of groove. I also think he needs to hurt Cotto early. Cotto needs to establish control from round one and dictate the fight pressurizing the Olympic Gold Medalist. This I think will not be easy and I feel that Abdulaev could open a handy lead on the scorecards. With all this taken into consideration, I am tipping Abdulaev to spring the upset on a very tight split decision. I cannot wait for this fight

Jonny Townsend: Abdulaev will win via split decision. Cotto will be a great one day but will fade down the latter half of this one and finally move up to welterweight.

James MacDonald: I see Cotto grinding out a decision over Abdulaev. The psychological factor of knowing that Abdulaev holds a victory of him shouldn’t be a huge problem for Cotto, as his performances as a professional, by and large, show a greater maturity. Abdulaev, although hardly a pushover, hasn’t made quite the same progress. Could still be a very close fight though.

Rich Saavedra: What an awesome month for boxing fans! This Saturday night at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York City, it is going to be another action packed card as junior welterweight up and coming star Miguel Cotto will be squaring off against the man who last beat him, Mohamad Abdulaev. In the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia was when Cotto, then only nineteen, lost to the more mature Abdulaev who was around twenty-four. I believe that in 2000, Cotto was still in the shadows of being a man and had to learn the hard way by blowing the chance to earn a gold medal for his country at the Olympics. Five years later, and Miguel Cotto is undefeated in his first twenty-three professional boxing matches along with nineteen knockouts, is the junior welterweight’s next big thing and for damn sure has become a man! A man who has changed since five years ago, a man who has improved his skills and power in each and every outing, and foremost, a man who DEMOLISHED Kelson Pinto who is a good prospect and the only other man that had beat him back in the day. Don’t get me wrong, Abdulaev is another up and comer as his record speaks for itself (17-1), but I think Cotto is going to do the exact same thing he did to Kelson Pinto, avenging his loss by destroying his old nemesis. When Miguel Cotto fought DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley, he showed me he has what it takes to be a champion by surviving the adversity that got handed to him that night by Corley. I don’t know how he survived that third round, but he did and that’s a sign of a champion. I see Miguel Cotto knocking out Mohamad Abdulaev by the fourth round.

Shaun Rico LaWhorn: Miguel Cotto (23-0, 19 KOs) will be facing a tough challenger in Mohamad Abdulaev (15-1, 12 KOs). This fight can definitely display a fine match-up with boxing skills and selective counter-punching from both boxers. Cotto could be approaching this fight on two angles, one being personal, being that Abdulaev defeated him in the 2000 Olympics. Cotto’s other approach could be a business minded train of thought, activating his determination realizing that Abdulaev is in his way in meeting some high quality opposition such as Floyd Mayweather Jr., Ricky Hatton, and Arturo Gatti. I am sure Abdulaev is sharing this same thought, as he thinks Cotto is in the way of him landing the same powerful match-ups. Cotto will come out, trying to feel Abdulaev, they both will respect one another’s power, leading to a very strategic and patient punch exchange from both fighters. Cotto will land some of the bigger shots and out-point Abdulaev with a unanimous decision.

Jim Cawkwell: A lot depends on Cotto’s weight here, if he is having problems in preparing for his fights, as well as the fact that he is fighting at a weight class beneath his ideal weight, he may have a problem in this fight. Abdulaev is very good technically and has legitimate power. This fight could tell us a lot about the kind of fighter Cotto will be in the future and I expect him to have some shaky moments but to pull out the decision in the end.

Edwin Gonzalez: The stage is set. Tonight we will see what Miguel Cotto is made out of. With Miguel fighting on the eve of the Puerto Rican day parade, Madison Square Garden is expecting a crowd of over 14,000. Believe you me, the Puerto Rican flags will be in abundance tonight. This will be bigger than any Felix Trinidad fight in New York for the simple fact that the parade is the following day. This is so big that “Daddy Yankee” will walk Miguel Cotto to the ring. All of this is great, but there are distractions. You cannot forget the weight factor too. What weight will Miguel come into the ring this time? Last time it was 157-pounds and as you saw, that was no good. This is a huge burden for Cotto to be carrying on his shoulders. But again, like I have always said, time will tell. I feel that this is a great fight for Cotto. And I give Abdulaev all the credit in the world for taking a fight of this magnitude so early in his career. I feel that this is going to come down to who wants it more. Which out of the two wants to be the best junior welterweight in the world? This fight is going to be a lot more competitive than what people think. Mohamad Abdulaev has a great shot of pulling off the upset. Will it happen, I don’t think so. I am expecting Cotto to struggle early but to turn it around in the middle and late rounds. Miguel Cotto is a left hook happy guy, so as soon as the bell rings Cotto will be throwing them and Abdulaev will be countering them with straight rights to the chin and body. Abdulaev has a great chin so I don’t think he is going to get knocked out. Although anything is possible, because I don’t know how well he takes punches to the body. So my official prediction is Miguel Cotto winning a majority decision in a very close and good fight. Thank you guys for allowing me to run my mouth. Enjoy the fight.

Jim Cawkwell can be reached at jimcawkwell@yahoo.co.uk