Does Cotto lack that concentration to be great?

[donnydarkoIRL]

Absolute bollocks.

[Violent Demise]

Strength only matters if there is a lot of physical contact like in the Hatton-Mayweather fight or the Holyfield-Tyson fight. Cotto hardly ever clinches which means strength is almost never a factor. If a guy can take a punch and is right in front of him it doesn't matter who it is, it is still the same pressure. As for the punches I give Margarito one thing, and that is that he throws more punches. Everyone I've ever talked to says Abduallaev punches harder than Cotto who hit harder than Margarito, you do the math. Also except for the fact that Margarito can walk through any fistic bombardment known to man, and he can throw more punches than any other man alive in 12 rounds he isn't anything more than C- fighter, both Ndou and Abdullaev(an olympian) have far better technique than Margarito, they are way faster, and Cotto was weight drained at 140.

Cotto doesn't hit harder than Margarito.

[Taeth]

Are you fucking kidding me? DId you see the fight? Margarito's power is the most overrated thing being talked about. He isn't ridiculously strong, and he doesn't hit htat hard, He was hitting that hard against Cintron, and he wasn't hitting that hard against Cotto, but when you land enough punches that doesn't matter.

[Taeth]

None of those guys put the pressure on him like Margarito. Not only that it was obvious they couldn't hurt him. It was obvious Margarito could hurt him in the 2nd round.

Watch those fights again, They were right there all the time, and Abdullaev could have hurt Cotto, but he used better defense then he did against Margarito. He was countering against Abduallaev and Ndou like he did early on against Tony, with combinations, and the led to him being able to go to the body, it led to him fighitng the way he wanted to.

yeah but neither Abdullaev or Ndou could hurt him or impose their will on them. When Miguel was boxing he was being selective about it.

Margarito MADE HIM go into retreat.

If Miguel had stopped and tried to trade and even some of the times he tried to smother margarito's punches margarito threw uppercuts which hurt him.

There's really nothing Cotto can do to win besides fight the first 5 rounds the entire fight but Margarito put a lot of work into the body punches so that when Cotto slowed down Margarito got him. He took all the game plans of Cotto and never had to switch to a plan B but Cotto switched his gameplan and Margarito kept negating it after time. Miguel needs someone he can walk down or impose his will on eventually and take them into deep waters but this time he was being taken into deep waters and he couldn't deal with it because he's never really been taken into deep waters by someone who could hurt him or that he couldnt truly impose his will on with an iron chin and power like margarito and not only that but that also went to the body on him.

When didCotto try to smother Margarito's punches? He never did. COtt wasn't able to walk down Ndou, Abduallaev, Mosley, etc. COtto didn't switch game plans because he was moving the whole fight. Switching game plans would have been coming forward. Cotto never tried to effectively smother Margarito. Watch how Duran did it against bigger fighters, watch how Hatton did it to Tszyu. Cotto never tried to do anything like that, he only started holdingi nthe 11th round and by then it was too late. Also I don't consider walking into shots off the ropes smothering and opponent, watch how Mayweather does it off the ropes, You still need to avoid the punches or else your just a sitting target,a nd Cotto abandoned his defense in the 10 and 11th round because he didn't have what it takes. Call it will, call it concentration. He isn't made out of the same stuff as the greats. Even guys who don't like getting hit like Roy Jones had to be KTFO before he ever submitted. I've seen fighters take way more punishment then Cotto did against MArgarito, and i've seen fighters give up with less punishment as well, but not the great ones.

[Memphis]

I'd go along with Cotto being the bigger hitter, maybe even Cintron hits harder than Margo. Its mute point though isnt it? Doesnt matter how hard you hit if the other guy just laughs.

[zhubin]

Cotto's biggest weakness has always been his defense. He is a warrior in the ring and has improved technically (jab, etc.). But he always seems like he receives too much punishment. In his last several fights he got wobbled/stunned in many of them. Give him credit...up to the Tony fight he was always able to come back. But if it wasn't Margarito...it would have been someone else eventually. When you are open to get hit consistently in a fight...and you don't exactly have a world class chin...you are eventually going to get KOed.

[TitoFan]

Hell yea i totally Agree there was moments in the fight where he looked very sloppy. He do have the tendacy to get cocky like he think he is sugar ray leonard or something. (yeah... I'm sure Cotto compares himself to Sugar Ray a lot) At other times he just have a look on his face like he is drunk or something. (gee... I wonder how I hadn't noticed that before) Cotto had a flaws like any other fighter but was over looked by his fans for a long time. Unfortunately for him all the his flaws came to light and he to took an ass whooping for most to see them. Cotto will be back but he will not be the great fighter most thought he was. (Coming from an obvious boxing expert such as yourself, you must know what you're talking about.)

You say nothing in your post that leads me to believe you are too analytical or knowledgeable about boxing. Your arguments are ridiculous... what are you... about 13?

All in all, one of the stupidest posts I've seen in awhile.

[The Boxer]

cotto didnt lose because he lacked concentration, he lost because he tried to fight a style he wasn't conditioned to handle. he's never had to use his legs that much. EVER. and he could have sparred all day with a focus on movement, but no way in hell was he all of sudden going to have world class movement in his first fight with that strategy. he needs to work on stamina or get better infighting defense. or he'll never be able to handle a fighter that can take a punch and pressure.

I agree you 100%. Cotto fought a great fight but he fought in a manner that he wasn't used to doing for a whole fight.

[LacosteDon]

well its not so much the stamina or the concentration because he does have those tools its that from the second round on up he was bleeding from his nose which made it hard for him to breath which he had to do alot movement against tony im surprised he made it to the 11th so in reality if he didnt get a busted nose i dont think we would of been talking about stamina or concentration not taking anything from tony because he is the one that busted that nose lol great fight it was
peace

[Youngblood]

I rewatched this fight, with a clearer head a fresh perspective. I couldn't help but feel that Cotto really missed a game plan of working away on Margo's body...until...I rewatched it.

Tony made it a point to protect his body at the cost of absorbing numerous head shots. He obviously IMO did this on purpose. It is hard to fathom a person have that much faith in their ability to take damaging shots to the head, instead of chancing being hurt by body shots. But that is what he did. And he did going forward the whole time.

That has to be scary. Throwing everything you have at a fighters head because it is open for you, countering with beautiful combos, again and again, moving laterally to make it happen..but still, forward he comes.

I changed my mind regarding Cotto missing the boat on the body shots. The option just wasn't there for him.

What Cotto needed to is not go backwards the whole time, I am thinking of Duran fighting a Margarito type fighter, he would get right on the inside where his shorter reach would work to his advantage, if Cotto got in close there is no way Margarito would be able to get effective punches off, and Cotto having a lower center of gravity, being hte same size as Margarito in every other way would have an advantage in power in terms of who would be able to move who around, its basic physics, that a lower object has better leverage to move another object even a stronger object. If Cotto fought more like a Duran or Hatton he would tie Margarito up on the inside and land short hard punches where Margarito's longer arms wouldn't be able to get anything off.

I have to say I agree. Bad plan from Cotto. Margarito needs that distance to punch. And inside Cotto could have been much more effective. Cotto is physically bull-like and the way he fought, one would think he was built like Justin Timberlake. I guess he really visualized that this was the way. He knew if he sat on the ropes Margarito was going to come, and yet he really figured this would be a way to counter and hurt Margarito. Had he simply watched the Clottey fight the night before, it would have been clear that you gotta stay put front and center and refuse Margarito any forward movement. Bad fight plan and Cotto will with out a doubt win the rematch. For me this fight is even more tragic because yes, I feel he lost to a bum with a chin. I make no apologies to Tony. I still find it hard to respect no talent but then again I liked fighters like Sugar, Ali, Hector and Tyson as opposed to Chavez and the rest of the please punch my face crew. Cotto claimed to have tried Plan ABC and D. But we all know that was not the case. He was stubborn and played into Margarito's game. The price he paid was a lot.

Harsh but truthful. I am not fan of Tony Margarito.

This is what is funny about peoples opinions. In hindsight everyone is an expert and gets it right. This isn't meant as an slight towards your opinions, but I bet if I went back thru all the prefight hype...I could probably find somwhere you both saying..'he can't stand and go toe to toe with Margo because...' for frankly, that was the correct logic. He did not want to end up in a punching war with Tony, and standing and going inside the whole fight would have been exactly that. He needed to move laterally, to counter well, and hopefully hurt the body. And for 6 rounds he did that, beautifully, the movement and countering and was clearly winning the fight. But Margo just put so much pressure on and took the body option away, he was unable to hurt him. And I do think Cotto was lacking air in those late rounds, be it from sucking blood, and that his heart was broken by then also...you could see it in his eyes.

I stand by my assertion. Cotto fought the fight he was supposed to, and Margo outsmarted him knowing somehow if he took inhumanely shot upon shot to the head and protect his body it may work. It was a tactical move...not unlike an Ali rope a dope sort of thing. Not many fighters can add 'take many many head shots' to their game plan and have it work out for them. Margo obviously is one of them. Let's hope for his sake he isn't shitting in a bag, and drooling on an apron within 10 years as a result of it.

Tough melon or not, it will take a toll. But give the man his due. It was a thing to behold.

[Violent Demise]

Are you fucking kidding me? DId you see the fight? Margarito's power is the most overrated thing being talked about. He isn't ridiculously strong, and he doesn't hit htat hard, He was hitting that hard against Cintron, and he wasn't hitting that hard against Cotto, but when you land enough punches that doesn't matter.

Doesn't matter if Margarito's power is overrated or not. Bottom line is he hits than Cotto. That's pretty obvious.

[Plopeater]

Simple answer NO

Cotto should just go back to 140

[belakbox]

no. he already is great. Tony was just greater that night

Fighters that drum up this talk on site are great. Fighters that give blood for their fans are great.

One loss doesn't not mean lack of concentration. He lost to a better man. Who knows what the rematch will bring. I think he will do better the 2nd time around - maybe.

[Puya]

no. he already is great. Tony was just greater that night

Fighters that drum up this talk on site are great. Fighters that give blood for their fans are great.

One loss doesn't not mean lack of concentration. He lost to a better man. Who knows what the rematch will bring. I think he will do better the 2nd time around - maybe.

Well said

[truth32]

i think we all know who was the more talented fighter that night cotto by far but at the end of the day he is not the great fighter alot of his fan and probly his maniger where bringing him to believe i feel cotto might have baught into the hype alittle i also feel he should have took the first couple rounds slower. i saw some post people saying cotto should have smoothered margos puches ill tell you this is what makes magro a hard man to beat he likes to fight on the inside nomatter what he does not use his reach this is y cotto wanted to stay on the outside and if u really think margo needs distance to punch you have never seen him fight before and didnt watch the fight with him and cotto to great because mago only let his hands go when he was close to cotto but for most of the fight cotto was in range for the jab and right but margo wasn't jabing or letting and lead hand rights off