Joshua Clottey vs. Miguel Cotto welter unification fight, who will win?

[pacman79]

Francisco Espinoza, co-manager of former three-time welterweight champion Antonio Margarito, breaks down the June 13 showdown between WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and challenger Joshua Clottey. Margarito holds wins over both boxers. The Mexican fighter is trying to regain his license after having it revoked by the California State Athletic Commission after a plaster-like substance was found in his handwraps prior to the January bout with Shane Mosley. If and when Margarito returns, he would likely target the winner of Cotto-Clottey. Espinoza says that Margarito could be sitting ringside at New York's Madison Square Garden and watching the fight.
Espinoza gives Cotto a big edge in the boxing department but says Clottey can take a big punch and throws a lot of them.
"Cotto is a much better boxer than Clottey but Clottey is an opponent who is very dangerous, throws punches and he can take a lot. Tony told me that he had hit [Clottey] with everything and he didn't move," Espinoza said to El Nuevo Dia.
He says Clottey is a very defensive fighter. Because of his good chin, he says Cotto needs to pick his spots with quick punches and forget about a knockout.
"Clottey has a very good defense. He keeps himself closed up very well with his hands and only opens up when he is going to throw. Cotto has to be very well prepared and be fast and not look for a knockout," Espinoza said.
As far as Margarito, Espinoza says an appeal has been filed and they hope to get Margarito's license back before 2010.
"We have made an appeal before the commission. The trainer (Javier Capetillo) already admitted that it was his error and that Margarito did not know anything," Espinoza said. "Why suspend the fighter?"


http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=19984

[XaduBoxer]

link --> Freddie Roach believes that Clottey will beat Cotto

[ElTerribleMorales]

I think Cotto beats Clottey quite handily. Cotto is too smart a boxer for Clottey and will outbox him. I see it being a clear UD for Cotto. It's a good matchup after the relatively straightforward Jennings win.

same here

what the fuck is wrong with saddos and all this cotto hating all of a sudden.

The guys a fucking animal at 147 and easily the best in the toughest division right now.

Apart from....

A-A mayweather return
B-Juan Manuel Marquez finding his feet at 147 and becoming as destructive at the weight as he is at 135


Cotto will never be beaten again!!

Mosley might beat Cotto, though I think Cotto handled him quite clearly in a close fight, I think Pacquiao probably would stop Cotto, he can't deal with the movement and speed IMO, Pacquiao is Judah and Judah landed the left hand when he threw it in ernest, and it hurt Cotto, if Pacquiao hurt Cotto he would be all over him. I also still see Berto one right uppercut away from stopping Cotto, same with Cintron and his power. Also Paul Williams would give Cotto an interesting fight if he ever returns to 147.

that's the dumbest thing you've said in a while, Cintron is utter garbage, Cotto would beat him twice by TKO and the win a lopsided UD all in just one fight, and then Kermit will cry an ocean

[blegit]

I think people are tripping on this post. You can't look for an answer comparing common defeated opponents. Lets be real, styles make fights is not just a saying. Cotto is a BEAST. He only got beat by a man with casted hands and he almost made it throught that. Look at all of the other fights. Cotto is the man at 147 right now and I'm sure he will outbox Clottey. Yeah, Cotto can box now and Clottey is the same old stand in front of you power puncher. Clottey is capable of hurting anyone and yes he is bigger than Cotto but not a significant deal since Cotto would not be so foolish as to stand in front of him. Cotto has gotten really good at using angles and I think had the "man of plaster" fight not happened then Cotto/PBF fight would be the only one that mattered. Cotto will beat everyone at 147 and under outside of PBF. Cotto over Clottey 8 rounds to 4. I'm glad that Cotto and Clottey are the types who will fight anyone and help clear up who is the king of a division. They both deserve credit for that.

[JonesJrMayweather]

I pick the tough defense minded Clottey over Cotto primarily on the basis of their respective performances against their common opponents in Margacheato and Judah...

Cotto quits against Margo in the 11th round while Clottey took Margo to a close UD loss...

Judah quits against Clottey in the 9th round while Cotto TKOs Judah in the 11th...

Clottey is also much bigger than Cotto...
.

How is Clottey much bigger than Cotto who used to come into the ring at light welterweight at 160 pounds before he moved up. ALso Judah was stopped because of a cut wasn't he? He was fighting competitively with Clottey.

No doubt Clottey has the better chin, but Cotto is faster, hits harder, better technically. I am not saying Cotto can't lose this fight, he looked hesistant and less than impressive in his last outing, but Clottey is definitely the underdog and for good reason. I see this being similar to Cotto against Lovemore Ndou or Abdullaev.

Clottey has been as high as 180 in shape...that makes him bigger. And judah was being beaten and used the cut as an excuse to avoid the kayo or tko... Clottey will win this on hunger alone...

Think Clubber Lang waiting in the dark on his shot. Think winky vs shane I...the hungrier fighter will win this one.

[XaduBoxer]

I've got Cotto winning but I think it will be a gruelling fight!

Tho I pick Clottey to win, Cotto winning a grueling brutal war will be good enough for me with both boxers badly bruised and beaten...
.

[Pancho V]

Cotto by UD

[Macho]

link --> Freddie Roach believes that Clottey will beat Cotto

Freddie Roach thought that Penalosa would beat to Juanma Lopez also....

[XaduBoxer]

link --> Freddie Roach believes that Clottey will beat Cotto

Freddie Roach thought that Penalosa would beat to Juanma Lopez also....

Freddie Roach predicted that Hatton would not last 3 rounds with PAC... A very precise BOLD prediction...
.

[ICB]

As i've said before Joshua Clottey is for certain bigger than Miguel Cotto, but he doesn't do what Antonio Margacheato did.

He doesn't swarm fighters he's very conservative with his punches. Infact he's so conservative that he always seems like he's fighting in one gear and never really lifts the pace.

Plus i question his heart he gave away a win against Carlos Baldomir, and seemed to lose heart against Antonio Margacheato. On only a injury to his hand it wasn't broken or fractured, now i don't know whether or not Antonio Margacheato did infact cheat in that fight.

But even if he did it was nothing to do with that it was too do with, Joshua Clottey losing heart straight away on a injured hand. I've seen fighters go through 10x worse injuries than that and still win fights. Plus lets not forget Joshua Clottey's suspect stamina.

Im not hating on Joshua Clottey i think he's a solid fighter, who is rightfully getting his chance. But i don't really see anything elite about him, i see him as good all rounder with a pretty solid chin, good countering skills.

But i don't see him beating Miguel Cotto, i think Miguel Cotto will dig those body shots in. And then Joshua Clottey's suspect stamina will come into play.

And he will lose a competitive UD, im not saying its out of the question Joshua Clottey can't win. But sorry i just can't pick a fighter who's more well known for his losses, than his actualy wins.

[XaduBoxer]

Joshua Clottey is Ready For Any Version of Miguel Cotto

With a little more than two weeks to go before he takes on Miguel Cotto for the WBO welterweight title at Madison Square Garden, Joshua “The Hitter” Clottey says the biggest problem he has had in his career so far is getting other fighters to simply step in the ring with him.

“I have a problem with other fighters coming to the ring and fighting me,” says Clottey, the former IBF welterweight belt-holder who hails from Accra, Ghana. “That's all, that's the biggest thing for me.”

The 32 year old Clottey, with a record of 35-2, 20 knockouts, always shows up in great shape and ready to fight and most recently he was avoided by Kermit Cintron. The only two losses in a career that began in 1995 have been to former world champs Carlos Baldomir and Antonio Margarito. He holds wins over former world champs Diego Corrales and Zab Judah and he says his strategy against Cotto will be a simple one.
“I don't know how he is coming to fight me,” says Clottey. “But if he is going to try and run, then he is going to have a big problem, because I am not going to allow him to run away from me.”

Clottey is a pressure fighter who comes forward behind a high guard and tight defense. He is a muscular welterweight who will likely weigh in as a middleweight or super middleweight on fight night. He holds height and reach advantages over Cotto and it was a fight that he vocally campaigned for.

“I'm going to be ready for anything that he brings,” says Clottey of their fight that will take place on June 13. “Whether he wants to run or whether he wants to try and stand there and trade punches with me – I don't know. The question he has to ask himself is whether he has has much heart as I do.”

Clottey claims he is aware that Cotto has excellent skills as a fighter, but in his view boxing is more about heart – not skills.

“I don't respect his boxing skills,” says Clottey. “Maybe he can make me respect his heart. His skills won't be able to keep him in the fight as the rounds go by - but his heart might be able to. I don't know if he has the heart to last with me. Maybe after four or five rounds with me he'll want to quit. I'm going to jump on him. I'm going to stop him”


Hmmnnn... Let's see if Clottey can make Cotto quit... Cotto quit against Margacheato and Clottey made Judah quit... We'll see...
.

[Kel]

link --> Freddie Roach believes that Clottey will beat Cotto

Freddie Roach thought that Penalosa would beat to Juanma Lopez also....

Freddie Roach predicted that Hatton would not last 3 rounds with PAC... A very precise BOLD prediction...
.

He also said before the fight he only said that to wind up Floyd, It's not about Roach or Pac though its about Cotto and Clottey.

I pick Cotto by UD or late KO.

[Wadeb_21]

Anyone know where in Tampa Cotto is training? I actually live in the Tampa Bay area and wouldn't mind running into him and getting pic or an autograph.

[Wayne]

I pick Clottey for the same reason Cotto lost to Margarito: determination. I don't think Clottey is going to KO him, but I think no matter what or how much Cotto does Clottey will be there. His defense is good enough to keep him on his feet all night and he has enough power himself (and speed) to hurt Cotto. I like both guys so there are no disappointments either way, but Clottey is definitely bigger than Cotto and I think he knows how to fight smarter. I think Clottey wants to make his stamp in the elites and a victory over Cotto will do it.

[Taeth]

I pick the tough defense minded Clottey over Cotto primarily on the basis of their respective performances against their common opponents in Margacheato and Judah...

Cotto quits against Margo in the 11th round while Clottey took Margo to a close UD loss...

Judah quits against Clottey in the 9th round while Cotto TKOs Judah in the 11th...

Clottey is also much bigger than Cotto...
.

How is Clottey much bigger than Cotto who used to come into the ring at light welterweight at 160 pounds before he moved up. ALso Judah was stopped because of a cut wasn't he? He was fighting competitively with Clottey.

No doubt Clottey has the better chin, but Cotto is faster, hits harder, better technically. I am not saying Cotto can't lose this fight, he looked hesistant and less than impressive in his last outing, but Clottey is definitely the underdog and for good reason. I see this being similar to Cotto against Lovemore Ndou or Abdullaev.

Clottey has a bigger frame and taller than Cotto... Clottey comes to a welter fight in the 170 lbs. range... You'll be surprise on fight night to see how small Cotto will be compared to Clottey...

Judah was looking for a way out from that fight... When the ring doctor asked him "how many fingers?", he answered "six"... j/k
.

Clottey is like an inch or half an inch taller than COtto, and I doubt Clottey comes in at 170, I have no seen that anywhere, and besides Cotto comes in at 160-165 which is only 5 pounds less than 170.

I see it like this,
handspeed: Clottey
power: Cotto
footwork: Cotto
defense: Clottey
technique: Cotto
countering: Cotto
timing: Cotto
output: similar
heart: similar

The big I think is that Clottey doesn't have that much power, I can't see him hurting Cotto, and I see this fight looking similar to Cotto-N'dou. Clottey will likely back Cotto up, but once he does Cotto will land the harder shots off the ropes, and just look more impressive, and in the middle I think Cotto's superior timing, technique and power will look much more impressive. That being said Clottey has incredible durability, he's hard to hit clean, and he has crazy fast hands, and he throws impressive combinations. The only problem I have with Clottey is he doesn't sit down or follow through enough on his punches.