Cotto may never be the same

[Chino]

although Chavez got a gift after that fight Taylor

Not sure if you can call a fight a gift if the referee asks the fighter "Are you ok?" only to have him blank stare at the referee with a disfigured face and no answer. The rules of boxing are clear in that situation.
Will Cotto be the same? Not sure about that if he ends up getting another beating at the rematch or even if he gets rocked, bloody face / cuts, etc. Against Jennings just like Cotto has already when facing past journeymen.
He has to tottaly knock out Jennings to look like he's back in track. I wouldn't get all excited for this fight as much as I didn't when he faced Gomez though.

there was like 2 seconds left when the fight was stopped. Its pretty hard not to to say it was a gift, and for the most part taylor was responsive to steele's instructions.

If the rules say that if there are a few seconds left in the last round then he can continue even if his face is disfigured and he doesn't answer to the referee then I would also agree that the stopage was wrong. But no, rules state that if the boxer can't answer and doesn't seem like he can continue then the fight is stopped REGARDLESS of time. A fighter that can continue after a knock down normally gets up and walks to the referee with firm steps and boxing stance showing he can continue and even answer VOCALLY "Yes, I am fine" or whatever. Taylor did NONE of those.

[Spicoli]

Cliché but time will tell.Imo,the damage sustained mentally will out weigh the physical damage in his case.I think Cotto can regroup and find his footing as a champion again.The man was improving in his ability all the way up until his brutal confrontation with Tony and he is still fit and fluid.But,none of that is viable if he does not believe it where it counts.In his chest and in his head.I still believe he needs to approach his return the right/smart way and imo....a rematch with Margarito one fight removed is not it.All in all,I do not think he can beat Tony.There are also differences in Chavez/Taylor and Tony/Cotto.Talk about a mentally crushing defeat....Taylors might appear much more damaging,with the ending and huge all time shadow that one produced.Taylor could and did stand with Chavez in spots,He moved Chavez and fought JCC's fight when touched and battled back with effect,Chavez respected his pop.In that regard,I do not believe Cotto is like Taylor.I think he rebounds stronger than Taylor in respected careers but we will see.

[levi#1BoxingFan]

I beleive when the rematch occurs between cotto and margarito, cotto will win by UD. I've never seen a chin like Margarito's, cotto was landing shots that would have knocked out some middle weights. As strong as Cotto is he never shook Margarito up one time. The reason I believe he wins in the rematch is because in the next fight he learns from his mistake and goes back to his body attack. If there was one flaw of Cotto's that night it was that he didnt go to the body enough. I think that body attack will slow margarito down enough to where cotto can slip in and out without getting caught on the ropes. Cotto has that killer spirit about him that wants to knock you out and thats what makes him so entertaining, but sometimes you just have to to what it takes to win. Welterweight is without a doubt the toughest division but I believe Cotto will be champion of it in the future!

[Andre]

Something has to change for sure,the body work is a good way to implement a different fight in sections but like everything it wont work 100% of the time, nothing does.

I think he also needs the right tenacious kind of sparring partner (one he cant hurt that will just hunt him down maybe a heavier guy) to help him stay cool under close pressure.

Id also like to see him work on getting out to MArgos side flanks during the closer combat flurries but remaining in so close so he can catch him turning back into him with more power and maybe even a couple of unseen temple shots from right there.

You wont stop Antonio from straight out in front on a shot that he sees comming at him so to fight from the outside with power wont win it.

IF you are going to slow him up he needs to be clocked a number of times from an unseen angle and the temple from the side would be my top target, body too, right before or right afterwards, on the reaction.

And Margo wont back off he will just turn in to you and continue to hunt you down, without regard to himself at some stages.

All that and extra lasting power trained for and tied into tight footwork so Cotto never gets caught cold in a corner without the legs to move out or under and out on greater angles or spin and stick.

[Kel]

He will be back and back stronger I think. Better stamina would make him a much better fighter.

[boozeboxer]

He will be back and back stronger I think. Better stamina would make him a much better fighter.

They used the he was down at 140 stamina excuse for 5 fights or so. What are they going to do at 147?? If he didn't know he had to have good stamina with Tony, he is a moron. I just don't think he ever will have good stamina (or at least AM stamina [which few have]).

[boozeboxer]

Not sure if you can call a fight a gift if the referee asks the fighter "Are you ok?" only to have him blank stare at the referee with a disfigured face and no answer. The rules of boxing are clear in that situation.
Will Cotto be the same? Not sure about that if he ends up getting another beating at the rematch or even if he gets rocked, bloody face / cuts, etc. Against Jennings just like Cotto has already when facing past journeymen.
He has to tottaly knock out Jennings to look like he's back in track. I wouldn't get all excited for this fight as much as I didn't when he faced Gomez though.

there was like 2 seconds left when the fight was stopped. Its pretty hard not to to say it was a gift, and for the most part taylor was responsive to steele's instructions.

If the rules say that if there are a few seconds left in the last round then he can continue even if his face is disfigured and he doesn't answer to the referee then I would also agree that the stopage was wrong. But no, rules state that if the boxer can't answer and doesn't seem like he can continue then the fight is stopped REGARDLESS of time. A fighter that can continue after a knock down normally gets up and walks to the referee with firm steps and boxing stance showing he can continue and even answer VOCALLY "Yes, I am fine" or whatever. Taylor did NONE of those.

Taylor didn't want to continue.

[CGM]

To me it is obvious the ref made a very quick decision in Taylor Chavez, without due consideration. It took him like one second to make up his mind after asking are you OK? Don't forget this is Richard Steele, who has a rep for premature stoppages.

Steele knows how much time is left, you can be sure of that. Now I ain't gonna say that Steele is in someone's pocket, but you can be sure that the powers that be want the big unbeaten streak to continue, and are happy with the decision.