When a ref says "TEN!"

[NPwill]

Unfortunately, Kermit has looked awful his last three fights and simply shows a lack of mental toughness and composure. The fact that he is being considered as Cotto's June opponent (assuming Cotto beats Jennings) after his last three bouts is ridiculous. He has done absolutely nothing to earn that kind of payday. Someone like Clottey is much more deserving.

I actually agree that Cotto is not the choice next for Kerm. I'd like him to at least try to get some mojo back and look dominant under Ronnie Shields in the next few fights-- even if it takes stepping back in competition.

I'm not going to go as far as "awful" for anything other than as an appropriate adjective to describe almost anyone associated with last Saturday's bout as a whole-- Kerm included. But I grant that Kerm hasn't look comfortable or natural in his style the last few bouts. Overthinking? Paralysis by overanalysis? Loss of composure? I think all those are fair to point to. Lacking "mental toughness"? That one I have a bit of trouble with. Having never got in a ring myself, I am in absolutely no position to accuse anyone of that, or measure a man's heart and desire for that matter. But even as an academic exercise for purposes of this discussion, I have difficulty reconciling such easy diagnoisis with the fact that Kerm has taken on Margarito twice (and he didn't need to take the second bout-- he wanted it), stepped up on short notice to fight at 154 for the first time ever and take on Martinez (who supposedly in HBO's eyes is ready to be the next "big thing"), and now wants to take on Cotto. Something doesn't connect there-- a guy with "no mental toughness" usually doesn't want to take on the best but rather takes the easy way out.

Just pure speculation on my part: but I think the cumulative injuries to his hands that Kerm has suffered over the years (the curse of having such power) have perhaps reached the point of no return/can't be fixed where he's 100% anymore. And a puncher with hand issues doesn't have a long career timeframe-- which may help to explain why Kerm is suddenly taking "the money bouts" now while he can, even perhaps at the detriment of his long term interests.

Cotto would be one tough mountain to climb-- not impossible given Kerm's power, but he really looked impressive to me against Qunitana a few years back. And I think its fair to question what answers Kerm now has in terms of an improved skill set to withstand a similar assault when he didn't last Spring against Margarito (putting aside the whole load gloves questions-- and even all the lingering drama/doubts in that regard). I'm sure Kerm wouldn't back down if the opportunity is there with Cotto (and the gate in NYC during the Puerto Rico Day Parade would be huge), but to my mind, I'm hoping Arum and Top Rank do right by their own guy (Clottey) and give him the first shot at Cotto. So my hope is that Kerm takes on someone at a level of a Gomez, or a Delvin Rodriguez next-- and I say this as a continuning Cintron fan.

I guess I should rephrase myself, because I actually agree with you to an extent. I have never stepped into the ring myself. So, someone like Cintron who steps in with world class level fighters certainly has bigger balls than I'll ever have. HOWEVER, within the sphere of his profession, you can compare his mental toughness as opposed to his peers. And, I think it is pretty clear that he has less mental toughness than other world class fighters. I mean, the guy flat out quit in his first fight with Margarito. He was not knocked out, he simply gave up and started crying like a baby. In the second Margarito fight, all you have to do is look at his body language to see that the pressure was too much for him. He kept looking to the ref to bail him out, clutching his head time after time even though Margo was clearly only landing on the back of his head because of Cintron's own defensive posture. And, then against Martinez, you have him looking for an out with the headbutt excuse. He started cursing everyone and his mother about that. Of course, the replay showed an absolutely clear punch landed. Cintron clearly could have gotten up before ten, but he didn't. The only explanation I can see is that he was hoping to sell the headbutt so the fight would end with the chance of him winning by DQ or else on the scorecards. So, yes, relative to the average human being, Kermit Cintron has giant balls to even contemplate entering the ring against a world class boxer. BUT, when compared to his peers, he has clearly shown that he will wilt and look for the easy way out when things get tough. As far as a potential fight with Cotto, he does not deserve the shot/payday in the least. He looked bad or at least unentertaining in his last three fights. A guy like Clottey has been plodding away for years, his only two losses because of a BS DQ and a fight against Margo that he was winning easily until he hurt his hands. He is much more deserving of the payday he's never gotten. Cintron has had his shot (had he beaten Margo the 2nd time he was guarenteed the Cotto fight) and squandered it. Clottey hasn't had that chance yet. I will be disgusted if Arum gives Cintron that fight, especially since Clottey is in Arum's stable while Cintron is with DiBella.

While I agree in part with your characterization of Kerm's more problematical fights and some of the flaws demonstrated therein-- I continue to disagree with your attributing it ALL to a lack of "mental toughness". First, you omit some of the fights which Kerm has won (Reid, Estrada, Suarez) each of which had times of "gutcheck" moments (granted, none were A-listers). As to Margs I-- I agree with nearly everything you say; but in retrospect, sending Kerm against Tony (by his then-not ready for prime time corner and team) was the equivalent of sending a lamb to the slaughter. As to Margs II-- I'd say your characterization is more debatable. I personally don't see the same "body language" as in the first fight, nor do I see his appeals to the ref (though I agree that they were largely due to his waist bending) as an effort to "bail him out". Nor did he "cry like a baby" in its immediate aftermath having been outgunned the second time around: he took the loss "like a man" (and didn't have to freaking load his hand wraps). Indeed, if you asked Kerm the mistake he made against Tony in that fight, he'll cite his gameplan in which he abandoned his strategy and just wanted to "bang with him" (maybe in an illadvised effort at redemption?). But hardly the stuff of lacking mental toughness in my mind.

But we completely disagree with your take on the 7th Round against Martinez as "looking for an out". Give me a break-- I think his vehemenece in protesting the headbutt (which I honestly believe he thought occured at the time) is evdience that he truly thought he was winning the fight and IN NO WAY shows that he was somehow "looking for an out" . ANOTHER loss of composure after getting caught and somewhat hurt-- I'll agree with, but in the end it was nothing more than a "brain fart" that he nearly didn't get up in time even when he wasn't that hurt. I suspect you are projecting your prior impressions of what you think happened in his prior fights to the events of Saturday night when the facts wouldn't seem to bear them out. If anything, I think his post-fight "meltdown" comments that he "won the fight" corrborates this--- think about it--in Kerm's mind he's P***ed off and thinks he's "won" the fight if he honestly believes that a headbutt caused the knockdown and Serg was "given" a 10-8 round (that's not what really happened of course, but Kerm doesn't know that at that time). So though Ill be the first to acknowledge flaws in Kerm's overall game, I'm not going to fan the flames of the Cintron-haters of the world (and they are legion and out in droves after this past week) by throwing accelerent on criticism I feel are more based on repuation than reality.

Having said all that, I agree with you about Cotto/Clottey.