If you're Cotto what strategy do you employ?!

[Saddo]

I don't see him outboxing him.... workrate is the key but he has fallen short in the past on that so his only hope and biggest weapon is his power get inside and hold, spoil, hit, low blows, nut just rough him up.... ala Hatton Vs tszyu.

its his only chance IMHO... WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT HAPPEN

[Slim the BoxingManiac]

One thing we might not be taking into account here is Floyd's inactivity and age. He fought once last year, and that fight went four rounds and ended in a lame blow.

The guy might just be fading a lot more than we think he is. We'll see what happens.

[UKPH]

No strategy needed, Money May is the clear winner in any area

Jab- Money May longer reach, consistent one of the best
Dexterity - Money May
Speed - Money May

Money May- via stopage in mid-late rounds. Cotto will be lucky if he goes to 12 rounds.

all of this IMO only.

[Slim the BoxingManiac]

No strategy needed, Money May is the clear winner in any area

Jab- Money May longer reach, consistent one of the best
Dexterity - Money May
Speed - Money May

Money May- via stopage in mid-late rounds. Cotto will be lucky if he goes to 12 rounds.

all of this IMO only.

Oh, boy. Are you new to this 'boxing' thing?

[Beanflicker]

It's easy to say "ohh work rate and body punching". It sounds great on paper, and guys have been saying it for YEARS, but it's a totally different ball game when the fighter is in the ring getting pot shotted with lighting fast lead rights and left hooks before he can plant his feet, or having his punches parried and countered with brutal straight rights and uppercuts and being froze by feints.

I doubt there is a concrete gameplan to beat Floyd, and if there is it's WAY too complex to be summed up in a couple of sentences.

PERSONALLY, if I'm Cotto I'm hoping that Floyd is not on his game or has gotten old overnight and I'm fighting dirty.

[THE THIRD MAN]

One thing we might not be taking into account here is Floyd's inactivity and age. He fought once last year, and that fight went four rounds and ended in a lame blow.

The guy might just be fading a lot more than we think he is. We'll see what happens.

This fight might tell us something about that, the problem is Cotto himself has been in some wars and has been hit way too often in recent years. Floyd is the best defensive fighter i have ever seen, can Cotto actually hit him? Not only hit him, but enough times to slow him down? I doubt it.

[killersheep]

The same way he fought Judah, low blows until his hands drop to protect down below, then thump that skull.

[captainanddew]

1- Start fast- Floyd often will give away the first round or two. Go out there and use the jab and also look to win first couple of rounds when Floyd starts slow.
2-Get to the body-Floyd is 35. If you get to the body, his legs will slow (and they aren't as fast as they used to be).
3-Workrate- you have to take any round that is close by outworking him. If the round is close then you need to try to get in a flurry in the final 10 seconds of the round. Any little extra bit to take a close round.
4-Dirty tactics- You have to hit Floyd on the hip (many refs miss it-BHOP does it in close and is a master at it-waits for ref to be on the wrong side). Hit Floyd low. Use anything you can to take something out of him.
5-Right hand- Cotto's right hand has improved a little over the years. He is going to need to use it more than he has in the past. You can't be predictable. If you come out with the jab, win a few rounds, use the left hook a little, and don't use the right hand, then Floyd will figure out how to neutralize the jab and the left hand enough to turn it around. So you have to suprise him with more straight right hands than you normally throw.
6-Pray
7-Pay the judges

[captainanddew]

One thing we might not be taking into account here is Floyd's inactivity and age. He fought once last year, and that fight went four rounds and ended in a lame blow.

The guy might just be fading a lot more than we think he is. We'll see what happens.

This fight might tell us something about that, the problem is Cotto himself has been in some wars and has been hit way too often in recent years. Floyd is the best defensive fighter i have ever seen, can Cotto actually hit him? Not only hit him, but enough times to slow him down? I doubt it.

If Floyd is the best defensive fighter you have ever seen, go and watch some Pernell Whitaker and Willie Pep. Floyd is amazing, but I think those two are clearly above Floyd.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

I still think Cotto should try any which way he can to make Floyd bring the fight to Cotto.

Floyd is more aggressive these days, and just a little stiffer,less fluid.

I think if Cotto can switch ranges mid-round, move then slug, move then slug, I think he'll frustrate Floyd into throwing more/ working harder than he should. I mean Floyd was throwing combos against Ortiz just to impose himself... I found that a lil odd.

Also Cotto has a nice arsenal of punches - most of them are incredibly sneaky - and he has excellent timing when he really wants to. He's pretty good with angles and has been known to switch stances... I think he needs to utilise ALL of these tools just in order to stay competitive (and hope that his power makes the difference).

If he can dictate the right pattern of engagement (patience & aggression, straight punches, changing angles & stances, positional pressure), I can see Floyd being hit with a few shots that he didn't see coming.

Although, with that being said, all you have to do is watch Mosley/ Cotto round 7 to see how easy it can be to get caught waiting. Cotto has got a mountain to climb

[p4pking]

Plan # 1.First box smart for the first couple of rounds, showing good sportsmanship hoping to earn Floyd's respect despite losing badly. Then by round 3 or 4 at the first full clinch, headbutt Floyd dramatically ala Ortiz. THEN, go in for a hug, but only one! After this, Cotto needs to make it seem as though he wants to touch gloves, only really looking for Floyd to respond with sportsmanship in order to land the 1-2 down the middle before he does. Cotto's best hope is to assume that Floyd wouldn't attempt to cold clock someone in the same fashion as he did Ortiz in consecutive fights, giving himself the chance to do so.

Plan #2. He has a great chance to win by DQ should he really commit to low blows. Depending on the ref there is a legitimate chance that Roger Mayweather storms the ring before Cotto is even docked points.

I just hope Emmanuel Steward has him rehearsing with Ortiz, Zab Judah and Andre Direll instead of sparring.

[p4pking]

In seriousness, I don't give Cotto a chance in hell and I never liked this fight. Miguel is far more shopworn than people seem to acknowledge, he has no hope of boxing Floyd on the backfoot and he isn't durable enough to come forward and really work the body anymore. I'd love to be wrong but I don't think Cotto provides much more of a challenge than Ortiz at this point. Aside from being smarter than Victor I don't think Cotto really has any more upside right now. He hasn't looked near the fighter he was since losing to Margarito and has mostly gotten by on ring smarts, which won't hold up to Mayweathers.

[aceofspades]

I love cotto but cannot see any way whatsoever that barring boxings one punch's that he can even get remotely close to beating Floyd.

What the hell kind of strategy can he produce to do something like this? I can see Mayweather ripping uppercuts through that crab guard and stopping cotto mid rounds - Which I would definetly not want to see! How can cotto turn the tables with his set of attributes?!?

The only thing I can think of Cotto troubling Mayweather is to make Floyd lead, and counter him. Just to make Floyd do the chasing for once. Granted ,Mayweather will adapt to this, but at least Cotto wouldn't just be walking on to shots all night.

[Dia bando]

Trouble is Floyd is a few levels above his opponents, Cotto is a very good fighter but I'm afraid Floyd is
a lot better it's a good fight but I can see only one winner Floyd.
I hope Cotto does not get beat up to bad,I like the guy but he is looking a bit shop worn good luck to
him I feel he needs it.

[ElTerribleMorales]

Cotto's stamina has improved drastically since moving up to 154, he should move side to side, get in range and use his timing and jab to keep Floyd off balance, take the earlier rounds and push Floyd to the ropes then fire off to his body, Cotto isn't probably gonna win but he has a better chance of doing so than what many people think