Did the eye save cotto?

[Gandalf]

There were just 2 differences in this fight.

1) Cotto has learned to clinch (which I despise)

2) Margarito's eye is fixed, but gets easily swollen as a result of surgery

I still regard Margarito as the better fighter over 12. I would also like to see a final matchup with Margarito having one more fight just to see if he can get through a fight without turning into 'one eyed Willie'.

how the hell is Margarito the better fighter when he barely won a single round in the fight and hadn't hurt Cotto or landed anything of note in any round of the rematch

Because he won the first fight and lost this one on a technical decision. He has beaten Cotto more soundly than Cotto has beaten him.

Margarito rarely does massive amounts in the early going and this was no different. Physically the final 3 is where Cotto sinks. He did it against Pac/Mosley/Margarito and that's just the way Cotto is. However, it is the final 3 that is the true barometer and over that stretch I don't think Cotto can take rounds off of Margarito and Margarito would have his impact at 7 and beyond with a good eye.

Cotto was lucky he got Margarito post surgery. Margarito is all wrong for Cotto and I still believe that.