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Miguel Cotto: Time to step up to the plate
http://www.doghouseboxing.com/DHB/Valdez_103106.htm
Miguel Cotto may be the most unfulfilled promise in boxing today. Since his pro debut in early of 2001 the boxing world has been hearing that he would be the sport's next superstar, following in the footsteps of his fellow countrymen, the legendary Wilfredo Benitez and Felix Trinidad. He has been hyped as such following a top level amateur career that included a trip to the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
More than five-and-a-half years into his pro career Cotto has racked up a 27-0 record that includes 22 KO's, but instead of facing top level opposition, he has been moved along very slowly facing mediocre opponents. His promoter, Bob Arum, has refused to put him in the ring with a big name opponent. Arum may not be ready to risk his prized commodity against one of those big names given the fact that Cotto has been in trouble in several of his past fights including bouts
against DeMarcus Corley, Mohamad Abdulaev, and big puncher Ricardo Torres. That being said, there has to come a time when the boxing world has to find out if this guy is the real deal. It is no coincidence that despite being undefeated, Cotto isn't in most peoples’ top 20 pound-for-pound rankings. He seems to have all of the tools to become a superstar. He has a big punch, reasonably fast hands, good reach, great body and combination punching, and from all accounts, a great work ethic in the gym. The one question mark has been his chin. In Cotto's defense he has survived every time he has been hurt and has come back to knockout Corley, Abdulaev, and Torres. It also seems that it's not Cotto who's unwilling to make the big fights. Arum seems to be the ones stunting his growth. Cotto has repeatedly said he would fight anybody, anytime, while Arum has said he isn't quite ready yet, but soon.
It's not as if the big fight can't be made. Floyd Mayweather has repeatedly said he would love to fight Cotto. I'm sure a bout with Ricky Hatton could be made but Arum has said he wants another one of his fighters, Jose Luis Castillo, to get Hatton instead, sometime next year. A fight with Cotto would likely produce big pay-per-view numbers for any other superstar, in part because of his hype and also his large Puerto Rican following, therefore no one can use the excuse that Cotto doesn't have a name whether he has proved anything or not. The most obvious matchup would be Cotto and fellow Top Rank stablemate Antonio Margarito, especially since Arum and Margarito keep saying nobody wants to fight him even though they bypassed a mandatory challenge against up and comer Paul Williams. Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito would make for a great fight. It would likely be a high action, crowd pleasing affair with the winner taking his step toward boxing stardom. Instead, on December 2 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, they will both co-headline an event with Cotto taking on slick boxer Carlos Quintana and Margarito fighting Joshua Clottey. Both opponents will be tough obstacles. Quintana is coming off an upset of another 'future star' Joel Julio, in which Quintana gave the young Julio a boxing lesson. This is a fight that Quintana can win but, win or lose, Cotto doesn't have a lot to gain with this win except a vacant WBA welterweight title. If he wins people will write off Quintana as a mediocre fighter who had never really proved anything in the sport. If he loses, his reputation and draw will be hugely tarnished without ever facing that big name opponent. If his people were so sure about him they'd much rather take a risk of him losing to a big name and making a ton of money instead of taking the risk of fighting Quintana.
If Cotto comes out victorious on December 2 it is time for him to face the welterweight elite if he wants to be talked about in the same conversation as an Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Floyd Mayweather, amongst others. Let's just put it this way. At the same point in his career, De La Hoya had faced the likes of John John Molina, Rafael Ruelas, Genaro Hernandez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Miguel Angel Gonzalez, Pernell Whitaker, and you can even throw in there Hector Camacho. Mayweather had already beat Genaro Hernandez, Angel Manfreddy, Diego Corrales, Jesus Chavez, and Jose Luis Castillo. Now not all of those are huge names, but they were all established, current or former respected champions. De La Hoya was already a five time champion before his career had reached six years old and Mayweather was beating Castillo to win his 2nd world title. Cotto has only won a lightly regarded, vacant WBO title at 140lbs.
The good news is that there is still time. He's not yet 26 and hopefully his prime years are still ahead of him. He and his handlers need to realize that either he will be a star or he won't. Holding him back and facing no name or small name opponents will not add to his status. The tune up fights should be over. He had an extensive amateur background and has 27 pro fights under his belt. He'll never be more ready. If he's not careful he's going to end up getting beat because of lack of focus from not having a big name opponent and that will no doubt leave him and his people wondering what went wrong in the career of boxing's next superstar.
I think alot of what is qritten is absolute crap but I jut wanted to see what you guys think. I personally think he is stepping up at the right time with Quintana,and the article downplays this and makes out as if a Margarito fight is the be all and end all which it is not! PBF did indeed fight AWESOME competition at that point in his career compared to Cotto but Cotto is stepping up now whereas PBF levels has declined somewhat.
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Originally Posted by Puya
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