Quote Originally Posted by TitoFan View Post
Pac-Cotto vs Floyd-Cotto

Forget weights and over-the-hill claims.

The real difference was in the trainers. For Pac, Cotto had unbelievably gone with Joe "WTF" Santiago. Ever heard of him? Nope... me neither. Guy had no idea how to prepare Cotto for a fight. Zilch.

Cotto went into the Pac fight ill-prepared and a lousy game plan.

For Floyd, Cotto had upgraded to Pedro Diaz, the Cuban trainer who did a pretty decent job of preparing Cotto for Floyd. Cotto performed quite well versus Floyd.

Cotto eventually ended his career with Freddie Roach.
A fair argument, but I think it also takes away some of the agency of the fighter. I think Cotto was fighting fine for a round and a bit against Manny with a sensible jab and box approach, but once buzz sawed just didn't seem to know what to do and was confused. A bit like Barrera in the first Pac fight. Against Floyd on the other hand there was never any risk of a full on assault so he was the one that could be the pursuer and have his excellent moments. Cotto had no way of getting a Pac of that period on the retreat for any significant period.

I think if you put a 36 year old Manny against that same Cotto you would have had a better Cotto fight as Manny could not have sustained it like he could, Cotto would have had his moments as Manny rested and he wouldn't have been so disorientated. That is where Floyd was clever, to really let it wait years, as he inevitably did not face the Pac that everyone else faced.