Here in Puerto Rico I get the benefit of reading the local press and the coverage they give our boxers. Interestingly enough, the focus lately has been on the general fan perception of Cotto. Beginning with his fight vs. Mayorga. Some fans (such as myself) were very satisfied with the win… while others were not. I read a columnist’s take in a local newspaper where he felt Cotto was less than impressive and should’ve disposed of Mayorga before the 12th round, and with greater ease. Then, there’s the general perception of Cotto the person.

Personally, I think Cotto is a tremendous boxer, with a vast amount of skills, a resume worthy of comparison with the best fighters we've had over the years, and now a terrific trainer in Emanuel Stewart. I thought his TKO over Mayorga was very impressive, and I thought he looked good all around. While almost 38, Mayorga remains a dangerous opponent who throws wild shots from all over. He had trained as much as ever for this fight, his alleged physical ailments were in the past (as per Ricardo himself).... no excuses. And obviously Mayorga is naturally the bigger and perhaps stronger man. Cotto himself is pleased with the results, as he has stated in the press. I felt he exercised the necessary caution during the early rounds as to not get caught with a wild punch that could put him in trouble. As the fight wore on, he took control, until the TKO came in the 12th. Which by the way, also answered questions about his stamina, probably due in great part to Stewart's coaching and tutelage.

But... you'd be surprised at the amount of criticism Cotto gets here on the island. Not from everybody, mind you. Cotto has plenty of fans here in Puerto Rico. But the adulation is nowhere near the amount it was for Felix Trinidad when he was fighting. And in a way I think it's kind of sad. People want to compare Cotto to Trinidad both in and out of the ring. And that's not fair. Tito was engaging, fan-friendly, etc, etc. I remember his demeanor when he went into the ring. He was always smiling, and you could tell he loved fighting. That, plus his enormous success, made him a fan favorite. Hell... I myself was always a huge Tito fan (hence the nickname) and still am. I also think Tito's resume is still and will always be better than Cotto's.

But people have Cotto pegged all wrong. Just because he's more serious and smiles very little (he's also not that fan-friendly), doesn't make him a bad person. That's just his personality. It also doesn't help that he came onto the scene immediately after Tito. Obviously the comparisons are inevitable, 'cause the same generation of fans is seeing both fighters.

To me, Cotto is a professional. He goes about his business, carries himself well in the public eye, doesn't trash-talk anybody (Tito never did, either), and gives it his all out there in the ring. What more can a fan ask of a fighter? He might not sign as many autographs as Tito did, or may not be as engaging as Tito in public.... but so what? He represents our island very well, IMO, and deserves all the credit in the world.

I've also noticed a change in Cotto's perception right here on the forum. Some years ago Cotto was not highly regarded. I had seen Cotto's fights from the very beginning and always knew he was headed for stardom. Over time, however, I've seen Cotto become a favorite of many in the forum, and that makes me feel good. No one is liked by everyone, though, and that's a fact of life. All boxers will have their "haters", and that's to be expected.

Anyway... didn't mean to ramble so much, but I thought I'd share some perspectives from Cotto's local fans.