Did Miguel Cotto duck Floyd Mayweather??

[FinitoElDinamita]

Did Cotto duck Mayweather?
March 9th, 2010
By Alexander Fugate:

People first became interested in a Maywether-Cotto match-up around 2005 when both fought at 140 pounds. However, most thought Cotto still needed some more experience before stepping up to someone as good as Mayweather. This was pointed out by Chris Ackerman of Doghouseboxing.com on October 16, 2005 when he reported, “…no one in the Cotto camp is foolish enough to look for it (a fight with Mayweather) anytime soon. They know, as do most analysts, that Cotto has a lot of things to work on before he is ready for the likes of Floyd Mayweather.”

At the time Kosta Tszyu, Ricky Hatton, Floyd Mayeather, and Arturo Gatti were all in the 140 pound division; Hatton retired Tszyu and Mayweather dismantled Gatti. Cotto never fought any of these fighters who sat atop the division he fought in.

A Mayweather-Cotto bout seemed inevitable in 2007 or 2008. At the end of 2006 Mayweather had unified the WBC, IBF, IBO, IBA, and Ring magazine championships and was the lineal champ. Despite all these titles, no offer came from Cotto.

Then after Mayweather defeated Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton in 2007, he was considered the number one pound for pound fighter by every credible source and one of the biggest draws in boxing history. For Cotto a fight with Mayweather would have wielded him his biggest payday and with a win, recognition as one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world, if not the best. However, Cotto never made any offer to Mayweather and instead, in January 2008, agreed to fight Alfonzo Gomez. Gomez was a journeyman who had appeared on The Contender television show, with amazingly few known opponents. This bout was scheduled on the undercard of Margarito-Cintron II. This was done to built up hype for a Cotto-Margarito showdown. Michael Swann of CBSsports.com reported, “No one expected Gomez to beat Cotto or even provide much of a challenge.” Mr. Swann went on, “Cotto needed a tune-up bout… in preparation for his July 26 meeting with the Kermit Cintron-Antonio Margarito winner.” So a month after Mayweather knocked out Ricky Hatton, Cotto had his next two bouts already planned, with neither of the opponents being named Floyd Mayweather Jr. This is an interesting move if Cotto really had any desire to face Mayweather. If Cotto was so intent on facing Mayweather why did he schedule his next two fights without attempting to get Mayweather in the ring with him first?

And as we all know, Margarito gave Cotto a gruesome beating; a beating many suspect Margarito accomplished through wrapping his hands with a plaster-like substance. Regardless of if Margarito cheated against Cotto or not, after that fight Cotto was in no condition to fight Mayweather. After beating Michael Jennings, Cotto won a controversial decision over Joshua Clottey that left most analysts with the believe that Cotto was damaged goods at best and shot at worst.

After Clottey, Cotto was quick to sign to fight Manny Pacquiao. This fight made him plenty of money, but Cotto was forced to weigh-in at 145 pounds, lighter than his normal weight. Cotto agreed to this catch-weight despite his well known history of severely struggling earlier in his career to make 140 pounds. Also, Cotto was only offered a 35% cut of the purse. Despite the big payday, Cotto suffered another beating and severely damaged his marketability.

Throughout his entire career, Miguel Cotto never made one offer to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. At 140 pounds, no one realistically thought Cotto was experienced enough for Mayweather and Cotto never fought any of the top four fighters at that weight. When Mayweather won numerous belts at 147, no offer was forthcoming from the Cotto camp. When Mayweather received a $15 million guarantee against Hatton, where was the $10-$20 million offer from Cotto? No where, instead he scheduled Gomez, and the winner of Margarito-Cintron II. If one actually looks at the facts, there is no argument to be made that Mayweather ever ducked Cotto. However, there can be a strong argument made that Cotto ducked Mayweather despite Floyd possessing numerous titles and a potential record payday for Cotto.

[Manos de Piedra]

The best time for that fight to be made was when Floyd beat Hatton and Cotto beat Mosley but Floyd went into retirement. Not like the fight would have been made because uncle Bob would never let Cotto (who at the time was his top money maker) in there with Floyd. Floyd would have put on a counter punching master class.

In both cases of Mayweather Cotto and Mayweather Pac, I dont think it's the fighter ducking it's Bob Arum.

[CFH]

I don't think Cotto has ever ducked anyone. Bob Arum on the other hand has consistently refused to work with Mayweather since their split (minus trying, and succeeding, to use Mayweather's name to secure huge paydays for Margarito).

[C-Lo]

I'm with CFH, Cotto ducks no one.

[Spicoli]

Yes. It was Cotto who retired for two years after his career signature fight and key momentum only to play catch up ever since. Cotto maximized his time, ring talent and oppurtunity.....Floyd

[Hulk]

If we want to knock Cotto for fighting Alfonzo Gomez then how about the time Floyd Mayweather talked and talked and talked about fighting Winky Wright then went ahead and beat up on a shot Sharmba Mitchell ?! Or when he was busy beating on Henrey Bruseles ? WHO ?

Its the other way around. Mayweather ducked Cotto as well as Tzyu among others. He probably would have beaten both, but he made no effort to fight them.

[imp]

If we want to knock Cotto for fighting Alfonzo Gomez then how about the time Floyd Mayweather talked and talked and talked about fighting Winky Wright then went ahead and beat up on a shot Sharmba Mitchell ?! Or when he was busy beating on Henrey Bruseles ? WHO ?

Its the other way around. Mayweather ducked Cotto as well as Tzyu among others. He probably would have beaten both, but he made no effort to fight them.

Nah. Thats incorrect.
Floyd isnt even a proper welterweight and he certainly hasnt ducked anyone. Cotto would have lost to floyd and i like cotto alot.
Bob arum makes the fights not the fighters.

[Rantcatrat]

If we want to knock Cotto for fighting Alfonzo Gomez then how about the time Floyd Mayweather talked and talked and talked about fighting Winky Wright then went ahead and beat up on a shot Sharmba Mitchell ?! Or when he was busy beating on Henrey Bruseles ? WHO ?

Its the other way around. Mayweather ducked Cotto as well as Tzyu among others. He probably would have beaten both, but he made no effort to fight them.

Nah. Thats incorrect.
Floyd isnt even a proper welterweight and he certainly hasnt ducked anyone. Cotto would have lost to floyd and i like cotto alot.
Bob arum makes the fights not the fighters.

When did Floyd Mayweather part ways with Bob Arum? I believe it was around 2007, but correct me if I'm wrong. Is Bob Arum the reason Floyd didn't see Joel Casamayor, Acelino Freitas, and Stevie Johnston in or around 1998-2001, or Sugar Shane at that time either? In 2003-2005, is Bob Arum the reason Floyd didn't see Kosta Tszyu? Maybe the answer is "yes" to those questions. However, let's just be equal in criticizing Bob Arum-promoted fighters and not forget that for the first ten years of his professional career Bob Arum was Floyd Mayweather's promoter. It's not as if Bob Arum's first promotion job was with Manny Pacquiao or that his style changed when he promoted Manny Pacquiao.

Floyd is definitely a proper welterweight, my man. If not, explain why did he not show up at 144 against JMM?

[imp]

Cause he doesnt have to?
Sorry, but the best has yet to be beaten. Theres always an excuse but he is doing everything right.
Do you think Kostya would have beaten floyd at any weight or period?
A Better Gatti all over again.

[ElTerribleMorales]

Cause he doesnt have to?
Sorry, but the best has yet to be beaten. Theres always an excuse but he is doing everything right.
Do you think Kostya would have beaten floyd at any weight or period?
A Better Gatti all over again.

technically he DID have to and still didn't, he was contractually obligated to come in at that weight and that's why he had to pay Marquez a couple million on the side

Castillo beat Mayweather the first time around so lets not play it as if Floyd has never been pushed, and again when you don't fight the best opposition available it gives people the right to speculate in really HOW GOOD YOU REALLY ARE

and last but not least, are you seriously comparing Tszyu to Gatti? Kostya in his prime would have been able to give Floyd plenty of problems, and if he was able to hurt Mayweather as Corley did well lets just say that Floyd would have had to work 10 times harder to recoup than he did against Chop Chop, Floyd's good, one of this generations best, but he's far from being the Greatest, Robinson and Ali still hold that title way over Floyd's (and anyone else of recent years) head

[Althugz]

I don't think Cotto has ever ducked anyone. Bob Arum on the other hand has consistently refused to work with Mayweather since their split (minus trying, and succeeding, to use Mayweather's name to secure huge paydays for Margarito).

Yeah this. I dont think Cotto is afraid of getting in the ring with anyone. Bonus points for the Margarito comment too. Spot on.

For all the talk of Floyd ducking there have been a LOT of fighters that ducked Floyd too. When Floyd was coming up he called out everyone..Naseem, Tzsyu, Mosley, De La Hoya (when he was still a lightweight!) Not saying all of these cats ducked him but Naseem was never gonna fight him and Mosley ducked at least once for whatever reason.

It works both ways..for all the people that Floyd has
apparently "ducked" he has built up a pretty impressive CV

[moemoney253]

ive been telling dudes about this shit for years.
arum never wanted any of his fighters anywhere near floyd and thats a fact.
floyd was arum's fighter so arum knows that nobody could beat floyd then or now.
every time i told the delusional cotto lovers this shit they always denied it or ignored me.
i remember that shit well from 05 to 07 and cotto wasn't ever ready for floyd and he still isnt now.

pac also is still not ready for floyd and never will be.
arum knows the deal and thats why he also didnt put margo against floyd wither.
there was a time when arum offered floyd 8 mill to fight margo but floyd also got that to fight baldomir back in 06.the same amount of money,but floyd could win the lineal championship.
so what did arum or anyone else think floyd was gonna do?

go for all the belts.i dont think that cotto or pac were ever really scared of floyd,but they definitely were never that eager to fight him either...

[imp]

Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda.
We all know floyd was injured in the first castillo fight but lets get back on track..floyd could have stayed with arum and let him milk him for another ten years but he decided to do what not many fighters can by doing it alone and taking 100% of the money!
Cotto takes alot of damage and is still a very good fighter but those two going up against each other that early in there career would not have benefitted cotto..we can all agree on that.

[ElTerribleMorales]

Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda.
We all know floyd was injured in the first castillo fight but lets get back on track..floyd could have stayed with arum and let him milk him for another ten years but he decided to do what not many fighters can by doing it alone and taking 100% of the money!
Cotto takes alot of damage and is still a very good fighter but those two going up against each other that early in there career would not have benefitted cotto..we can all agree on that.

he doesn't do it alone, Golden Boy promotes ALL of his fights, he just does it on a fight to fight basis, it's no coincidence that ALL of his opponents since the Hatton fight onwards have been under the GB management (Hatton, Marquez, Mosley, and now Ortiz)