What if they had the ref from the 17th.

**Taeth** · 01-26-2009 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by RozzySean

Originally Posted by Taeth

I don't see how knowledgable people think Margarito not being able to throw a hundred or more punches a round doesn't change things... If Mosley doesn't clinch, Tony throws more punches, and then Mosley doesn't have the space.

I understand what you are saying, the clinching certainly cut down on the output, and honestly, I think that Shane being so much stronger in the clinch, backing Tony up to the ropes effected Tony mentally. The end result was a complete and total destruction.

But there were many times that Shane didn't clinch. He pushed off Tony to create space for himself to punch. He worked and the inside and punched his way out. When Tony was at a distance and coming forward, Shane did a great job controlling distance, slipping, rolling, and defending with his hands. Unlike many of Mosley's fights, he used his jab very effectively. Even without the clinch he was backing Tony up from time to time to disasterous result for Margarito. He was beating Tony to the punch everytime from the start.

So, it'll repeat what I said before and expand a little. Had the ref been stricker about clinching, the fight might not have been the lopsided total beatdown that it was, but Tony's output would have been decreased because he Shane would have still been the aggressor, still been making Tony miss, still strafing him from the outside. For example, Hopkins didn't kill Pavlik's output only with the clinch. He did it because he was so much faster and better technically that he was getting off first every time beating him up.

You can't really compare Mosley to Hopkins, he's not that level technical fighter. But you worded that very well, and after seeing the fight again I am inclined to partially agree with you. I think Mosley's durability is something Cotto could have really used. I've said plenty of times if Cotto had a better chin very few people in the history of the sport would have done well against him except maybe the PBF, SRL type guys that move so well.

**Stanley Steemer** · 01-27-2009 04:15 AM

The referee from the week before should have let Berto do his job. The point should never have been taken away. PERIOD.

Unlike the week before. This referee (Raul Caiz) did a GREAT job. He let the fighters fight. Just as I felt about Berto, Mosely did nothing wrong. He did not hold excessively. He was even on top of his game enough to clinch a bit while being offensive.

Shades of the original "Sugar Ray"

Margo was out gunned. Mosely fought an almost perfect fight. I still would have liked to see him go to the body a bit more.

This Mosely is one of the greats of "modern time" and I believe he could have held up well in any era (prior to the twelve round championship days). He fights well with everyone they put him in with.

Boxing is a great sport and styles do make fights. I still think that Mosely fought the wrong fight against Cotto and could have won that night. And as much as many of you will think I'm off my rocker... I really think that had Cotto fought a bit more and boxed a bit less he would have had a better chance of winning against the "Tijuana Tortilla"

But.. Things did not go that way and now we have what we have. MORE EXCITEMENT

This handwrap situation can do wonders for Cotto's confidence going forward and especially if there is a second go with Tony.

I bet Cotto was wondering why he felt so beaten up the day after the Margo fight. He was asking himself why he had bruises on area's of his body that he did not even know he had! This is because he was probably being hit with what some people will tell you was as hard as concrete. I remember years ago when Panama Lewis was cought playing with the padding on Louis Resto's gloves in the Garden on the undercard of a big night of boxing. Resto (a light hitting opponent type fighter) beat this poor up and comer (Billy Ray Collins) to a pulp. The controversy raged and I saw Alexis Arguello give an interview giving his thoughts on the situation. The all time great and equally as classy Arguello had lost two times via brutal knockout to Aaron Pryor (another Panama Lewis trained fighter). In his interview Alexis would not point any fingers or offer any excuses nor try to take away anything from Aaron Pryors two amazing nights of Glory but he did say that for days after those two losses he was so beaten up and had knots and bruises on his head and body that he had never felt in all of his years as a fighter. He just said to himself "wow that guy has rocks for fists"

This thing with Margo's hand wrap may be nothing but it will sell lots of tickets going forward!!!