Who will be the fighter to emerge from the Welterweight division?

[pistonhonda]

Who's it gonna be fellas...Cintron, Williams, Cotto, Mosley.........

http://www.saddoboxing.com/4980-boxi...rgarito-2.html

[CutMeMick]

Who's it gonna be fellas...Cintron, Williams, Cotto, Mosley.........

http://www.saddoboxing.com/4980-boxi...rgarito-2.html

From the ones you listed I'd say Cotto.

To me SSM would be more like re-emerging.

Cintron did not look good in his last outing so I say he gets beat again.

Williams has a really good chance especially if he get's past Margarito that will speak volumes.

[Olympian904]

I'll give an answer after the Cotto vs Zab and Margo vs Williams fights...

[amat]

Here's some thoughts on all those fighters from that list.

Shane Mosley
Already been at the top. Great speed, puts punches together punches well and smarter then any other fighter in the division. But he is up and down in weight constantly, he's 37 years old and you have to wonder how many he has left in him. Honestly though I don't know, I didn't see him face Collazo.

Kermit Cintron
Good fighter with tremendous power but he has been inactive in what you have to think are his prime years. He isn't exactly hard to hit either and he is pretty one dimensional. Straight power fighter. But he works well with combinations. And he has a wide variety of punches, all pack power. I love his uppercuts. I would love to see him fight Joel Julio.

Antonio Margarito
Margarito, for whatever reason, has the wrap as a sloppy wide punching slugger. Couldn't be farther from the truth. A big imposing puncher, always has a jab in your face. Has a very nice right hand and he can reach with his uppercuts. He's slow with left hook and he throws it a lot. That would hurt him against a fast guy with the ability to counter imo. Not hard to hit especially with straight punches but Margarito is a good fighter. I can't wait for the Williams bout, and if he can get past that I'd like to see him fight Cotto or even Floyd.

Miguel Cotto
Of the list, he is my favorite. A real spark plug and a very good all around fighter. A good fighter in transition. About as accurate and as powerful as there is in the division. His fights speak for themselves really. Wouldn't pick him to lose against anyone but Floyd really.

Zab Judah
I think his skills are overrated. He has good speed and pop but a very subpar defense and he isn't right around the edges. You can hit him with the straight right whenever you want basically, he gets hit a lot moving in or out and he drops his hands after every single punch. Most of the time when he is moving out, he's doing it hands down moving straight back. He's such an egotistical fighter and he thinks he can get away with doing all that and he won't get hurt. Then of course when he does get hurt he collapses. You can always count on him for 3 to 5 good rounds, and he has the potential to beat almost anyone, but he isn't going to.


Carlos Baldomir
Baldomir is solid. No other way to describe him. He is solid. He doesn't do anything extrodinary, but he doesn't do anything wrong either. He could be one hell of a gate keeper and even score a few more upsets if he sticks around.

Arturo Gatti
Gatti has no legs. Gatti is still a good fighter imo. I mean he's not bad. He's still got good skills and very good speed and everything but the fact that he can't make 140 should be a wake up call for him. He didn't have much power to begin with but Baldomir took some clean shots and barely blinked. He doesn't have the legs anymore.

Andre Berto
Berto could be the future. He's very good. There is no doubting that. Definitely an exciting fast moving prospect but I'm not so sure if I'm sold on him ett. He still looks like a prospect that's for sure, he's a whiles away from a title imo. I watch him and obviously tremendous all around speed and explosive power. Nice combinations and fairly good reflexes but he still as a couple things he has to work on. First being that wide stance of his, he keeps his legs very wide apart and his right at his back shoulder. He looks open for a left hook, especially a counter left hook because he's not the most accurate with the left.

Paul Williams
Very active fighter. A bit leaky defense, especially in that in between zone but he throws a ton of punches. There are a few guys out there right now who would make him look stupid, but he's a fast fighter who punches in high volume and is for the most part right around the edges. I don't think he's that bad and I think he has a real chance to beat Margarito if that fight came off. He needs to pick his hands up though because while he can slip punches from the outside, he still gets hit a lot, especially with looping shots that aren't fired over or under his arms.

-----------------------------------------------

I guess I didn't answer the question. Cotto right now beats everyone on the list imo. So does Floyd. Especially Floyd. Baldomir and Gatti aren't really going to do anything imo. Especially Gatti. Cintron and Williams aren't really ready for the big time yet I don't think. I'd like to see them take gradual step ups in competition. Berto is a long whiles off. He's just raw right now. Judah is pretty good but he can't make any sort of consistent run at the top. Mosley and Cotto are the class of the list and that's a pick em fight. But Cotto has youth on his side and that bout would be a while off. So I'm saying Cotto in terms of matchup potential.

But if Floyd was on the list then he would be tops hands down.

[Swashbuckling Gordy]

What about clottey , should we not expect more from him ?

[shza]

What about clottey , should we not expect more from him ?

He's already proven he's better than Margarito (when he has both of his hands, anyway).

[amat]

What about clottey , should we not expect more from him ?

He's already proven he's better than Margarito (when he has both of his hands, anyway).

I wouldn't go that far. First off, broken hands are part of the sport. And it was just the first 4 or so rounds and Margarito is a slow starter. Now I am big on Clottey, I like the guy a lot and predicted him to beat Marg but had he not broken his hands, he might have won but he wouldn't have run away with anything. Margarito is a very good fighter. I would like to see a rematch as it wasn't just close, it was a good action packed bout.

[shza]

What about clottey , should we not expect more from him ?

He's already proven he's better than Margarito (when he has both of his hands, anyway).

I wouldn't go that far. First off, broken hands are part of the sport. And it was just the first 4 or so rounds and Margarito is a slow starter. Now I am big on Clottey, I like the guy a lot and predicted him to beat Marg but had he not broken his hands, he might have won but he wouldn't have run away with anything. Margarito is a very good fighter. I would like to see a rematch as it wasn't just close, it was a good action packed bout.

Maybe I went slightly too far. Still, I've never seen anything that's impressed me out of Margarito, or that's made me think he's "very good." Very slow, maybe. Very overrated in terms of power, for sure. And those first four rounds -- while they were just the first four rounds -- were not close. Clottey totally outclassed Margorito until he broke his hand.

[amat]

Yeah I know and I'm not particulary high on Margarito myself. But he is very good, I guess my standards for very good are just lower or something because I agree with you for the most part.

But Clottey is a good fighter in his own right and should have a victory over Baldomir and possibly Margarito. But Clottey is a bit of a front runner while Margarito is a slow starter.

But to get back to the original question, if he can get back in the big fight scene, we should expect a lot from Clottey. Very versatile. An imposing fighter with quick hands and a tight defense, he can let rip with lead left hooks top to bottom. Or he can fall behind his guard and play the role of selective counter puncher. Not the best of fighters from the outside and doesn't have the best of jabs and doesn't really have 1 punch power but he's a boxer who will give anyone troubles.

[meowza]

Gotta keep Mosley atop the list still.
The only knock on him is that you have to wonder what he has left.
But that negative is only based on notions of what a 37 year old fighter is supposed to be.
Yeah, he probably should be deteriorating soon but taking into consideration ONLY what they are doing right now as opposed to throwing in questions of what-ifs, I gotta say SSM beats everyone in the div right now excluding Floyd imo. He didn't look 37 the last time out so I'm not gonna throw the "he's old" negative on him until he starts showing his age.

[shza]

Yeah I know and I'm not particulary high on Margarito myself. But he is very good, I guess my standards for very good are just lower or something because I agree with you for the most part.

But Clottey is a good fighter in his own right and should have a victory over Baldomir and possibly Margarito. But Clottey is a bit of a front runner while Margarito is a slow starter.

But to get back to the original question, if he can get back in the big fight scene, we should expect a lot from Clottey. Very versatile. An imposing fighter with quick hands and a tight defense, he can let rip with lead left hooks top to bottom. Or he can fall behind his guard and play the role of selective counter puncher. Not the best of fighters from the outside and doesn't have the best of jabs and doesn't really have 1 punch power but he's a boxer who will give anyone troubles.

CC #167 amat. I think I tend toward hyperbole when criticizing Margarito -- I overcompensate a bit in the face of so many people buying into Bob Arum's bogeyman narrative.

I definitely agree on Clottey too, and he should get a match-making boost once he KOs Chico next week.

[Kev]

What about clottey , should we not expect more from him ?

He's already proven he's better than Margarito (when he has both of his hands, anyway).

I wouldn't go that far. First off, broken hands are part of the sport. And it was just the first 4 or so rounds and Margarito is a slow starter. Now I am big on Clottey, I like the guy a lot and predicted him to beat Marg but had he not broken his hands, he might have won but he wouldn't have run away with anything. Margarito is a very good fighter. I would like to see a rematch as it wasn't just close, it was a good action packed bout.

Maybe I went slightly too far. Still, I've never seen anything that's impressed me out of Margarito, or that's made me think he's "very good." Very slow, maybe. Very overrated in terms of power, for sure. And those first four rounds -- while they were just the first four rounds -- were not close. Clottey totally outclassed Margorito until he broke his hand.

I disagree about the Clottey fight. First off Clottey didn't win the first 4 rounds he won rounds 2,3 and 4. Margarito clearly took the first round as Clottey was very cautious.

Secondly broken hands don't disguise the fact that Clottey gassed out down the stretch.

It was a close fight but Margarito would have won regardless of the hand problems imo.

Also remember Margarito had a leg injury and had been ill just before the fight, plus was coming off a long layoff.

If they ever do it again Margarito wins again.

[diamonddavestafford]

Here's some thoughts on all those fighters from that list.

Shane Mosley
Already been at the top. Great speed, puts punches together punches well and smarter then any other fighter in the division. But he is up and down in weight constantly, he's 37 years old and you have to wonder how many he has left in him. Honestly though I don't know, I didn't see him face Collazo.
Saw him fight Collazo. He worked him. I expected a more competitive fight because I thought Collazo beat Hatton when he came up and challenged him, but it was one sided. Sugar Shane is most definitely a major player in the welterweight division.
Kermit Cintron
Good fighter with tremendous power but he has been inactive in what you have to think are his prime years. He isn't exactly hard to hit either and he is pretty one dimensional. Straight power fighter. But he works well with combinations. And he has a wide variety of punches, all pack power. I love his uppercuts. I would love to see him fight Joel Julio. I have only seen the fight where Margarito destroyed him but I can't see a B+ fighter like Cintron being seen as the stand out welterweight that emerges as long as A-level Sugar Shane, Margarito and Cotto are in the picture.

Antonio Margarito
Margarito, for whatever reason, has the wrap as a sloppy wide punching slugger. Couldn't be farther from the truth. A big imposing puncher, always has a jab in your face. Has a very nice right hand and he can reach with his uppercuts. He's slow with left hook and he throws it a lot. That would hurt him against a fast guy with the ability to counter imo. Not hard to hit especially with straight punches but Margarito is a good fighter. I can't wait for the Williams bout, and if he can get past that I'd like to see him fight Cotto or even Floyd.I'd like to see more of this guy. He beat Cintron real impressively but I haven't seen much else from him. Missed the Clottey fight. He has a good rep as a champ but what big names has he got on his list besides Kermit Cintron, who is not an A-list opponent really...? He has the size to be a lasting force as champ in the division but his height and reach will be the smaller of the two combatants when he climbs into the ring against Paul "The Punisher" Williams this summer...I look forward to seeing that because it will be a defining moment for Antonio Margarito in my eyes.

Miguel Cotto
Of the list, he is my favorite. A real spark plug and a very good all around fighter. A good fighter in transition. About as accurate and as powerful as there is in the division. His fights speak for themselves really. Wouldn't pick him to lose against anyone but Floyd really. Cotto is a real good horse to bet on in this race too. He's undefeated, has a vicious body attack and makes for exciting fights with his stalking, pressing style. Unfortunately this engaging, aggressive style often leaves him open for counter attacks and it has shown in certain fights in which he was caught with his hands down during an exchange and dropped to the canvas. Not a cast iron chin, but Miguel Cotto definitely has the skills, power and hand speed to be THE WELTERWEIGHT of 2007.

Zab Judah
I think his skills are overrated. He has good speed and pop but a very subpar defense and he isn't right around the edges. You can hit him with the straight right whenever you want basically, he gets hit a lot moving in or out and he drops his hands after every single punch. Most of the time when he is moving out, he's doing it hands down moving straight back. He's such an egotistical fighter and he thinks he can get away with doing all that and he won't get hurt. Then of course when he does get hurt he collapses. You can always count on him for 3 to 5 good rounds, and he has the potential to beat almost anyone, but he isn't going to. Judah has definitely got to stop going for broke and wearing himself out so early, whether this is a question of conditioning or a matter of patience/discipline, it has been a huge factor in all of his losses except Kostya Tzsu (spelling?) But, if Zab can get past that problem, I think he stands a good chance of beating Cotto in June and becoming a major player in the welterweight ranks this year.


Carlos Baldomir
Baldomir is solid. No other way to describe him. He is solid. He doesn't do anything extrodinary, but he doesn't do anything wrong either. He could be one hell of a gate keeper and even score a few more upsets if he sticks around. Props to this guy for getting to where he is now. He came from nothing to beat an overconfident Judah and become a world champion. A true Cinderella story, from featherduster salesman to world champion, but the story ended when he met Mayweather and got completely taken to school. He was game the whole time and is a hell of a work horse and has mad heart. That is enough to pull the tablecloth out from under any overconfident/undertrained champion...would like to see him against Cotto. That would be entertaining I think. But Cotto would break his ribs and most likely stop Baldomir late.

Arturo Gatti
Gatti has no legs. Gatti is still a good fighter imo. I mean he's not bad. He's still got good skills and very good speed and everything but the fact that he can't make 140 should be a wake up call for him. He didn't have much power to begin with but Baldomir took some clean shots and barely blinked. He doesn't have the legs anymore. I have tremendous respect for Gatti. He is a warrior and the guy has the heart of a lion in the ring, but he has the defense of a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot. Over the years, the punches, punishment and brutal KOs have taken their toll. He should stop before he ends up taking too much punishment and risks serious injury. As it is he is probably looking at some regardless. Seriously, I dont know why you listed Arturo as a possible welterweight of the year. Every other guy on your list would kill him or like Baldomir, already did it. Gatti still has a chance of being entertaining for a few more years, but only if he is matched against C or D-list opponents. I read an article on Gatti recently in which he said that the fighter he really wanted to take on was Miguel Cotto because he felt he could hurt him. Gatti should retire.
Andre Berto
Berto could be the future. He's very good. There is no doubting that. Definitely an exciting fast moving prospect but I'm not so sure if I'm sold on him ett. He still looks like a prospect that's for sure, he's a whiles away from a title imo. I watch him and obviously tremendous all around speed and explosive power. Nice combinations and fairly good reflexes but he still as a couple things he has to work on. First being that wide stance of his, he keeps his legs very wide apart and his right at his back shoulder. He looks open for a left hook, especially a counter left hook because he's not the most accurate with the left. I was excited when I saw this kid literally run right over Humberto Bravo. Some of you might remember him from the second season of the Contender. Sadly, that is all he will be remembered for as he barely lasted half a round against Andre Berto, who looked like a juggernaut in there against him. 2007 may not be his year to take over the division and rise to the top of the welterweight picture, but provided this young prospect maintains his current frame of mind and dedication to the sport, that day will one day come. I look for him to be a major player in 2008 if not a world champion by then.

Paul Williams
Very active fighter. A bit leaky defense, especially in that in between zone but he throws a ton of punches. There are a few guys out there right now who would make him look stupid, but he's a fast fighter who punches in high volume and is for the most part right around the edges. I don't think he's that bad and I think he has a real chance to beat Williams if that fight came off. He's got some holes in his defense, but his range and like you said, his offensive output keep a lot of opponents from getting to them. Williams may still be a little fresh to be taking on someone as seasoned as the division champ, Margarito, but standing 6'2 and with an insane 82" reach, "The Punisher" physical advantages may give him enough of an advantage to keep Antonio Margarito at bay and on the outside of his jab and cross.

-----------------------------------------------

I guess I didn't answer the question. Cotto right now beats everyone on the list imo. So does Floyd. Especially Floyd. Baldomir and Gatti aren't really going to do anything imo. Especially Gatti. Cintron and Williams aren't really ready for the big time yet I don't think. I'd like to see them take gradual step ups in competition. Berto is a long whiles off. He's just raw right now. Judah is pretty good but he can't make any sort of consistent run at the top. Mosley and Cotto are the class of the list and that's a pick em fight. But Cotto has youth on his side and that bout would be a while off. So I'm saying Cotto in terms of matchup potential.

But if Floyd was on the list then he would be tops hands down.

For the most part, I agree with you. CC, dude . Good list, I like it when people explain their thinking. I also agree that Mayweather would be at the top of the division if he were still at welter, which, if he doesnt retire after Oscar, he should consider. Moving up when he has already looked noticeably less powerful because of the weight differential would be a big mistake in my opinion. After he outpoints Delahoya, he should return to welter and fight whoever comes out on top after the Judah-Cotto/Margarito-Williams eliminator. Or the winner should fight Mosley and the winner of that should fight Floyd. Anyway, good post. Have another one on me...

The fighters I see who stand the best chance of emerging as the dominant force in the welterweight division are (in order): Sugar Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Zab Judah and Antonio Margarito.

[amat]

Good post, CC 43, liked the bit about Baldomir. Never knew he was a feather duster salesman.

[diamonddavestafford]

Good post, CC 43, liked the bit about Baldomir. Never knew he was a feather duster salesman.

Yeah isnt that crazy? His family lived in like a cardboard shack with palm leaves tied onto the roof to stop the rain from leaking in as much. At least that is what it looked like to me when they showed footage of his family on HBO before Baldomir lost the title to a man who dressed in his entrance Roman gladiator and in the fight wore pink gloves, shoes and trunks. That footage was awesome though...it showed his family in Argentina watching and praying as Carlos Baldomir got his dream world title shot against Zab Judah, and in one of the biggest upsets of 2006, yanked the tablecloth out from under the overconfident "Super" Judah. It was great to see their reaction when he was declared the winner!