Originally Posted by
Danny_G
The following are just excerpts taken from an article
by Steve Farhood (April 25, 2007)
Cotto/Judah: Chin Checking.
In boxing, a reputation is harder to shake than Don King looking to close a contract.
At the press conference announcing the Miguel Cotto-Zab Judah welterweight title fight of June 9, Zab said, “Cotto’s ability to take a punch is VERY MUCH in question.”
While Cotto has been downed once (by Ricardo Torres) and never stopped, Judah’s been dropped at least four times (by Kostya Tszyu, Jan Bergman, Cory Spinks, and Terronn Millett) stopped once (by Tszyu) and Rocked repeatedly by Carlos Manuel Baldomir in the 7th round.
Maybe Cotto should’ve been quoted about JUDAH’S ability to absorb punishment.
Cotto’s won all 29 of his bouts. But has he lost the rep of a fighter who can be hurt? Or to put it another way, are we going to hold round three of the Chop Chop Corley fight against him forever?
Maybe it’s time to reconsider. As usual, history provides perspective.
*In his first 13 bouts, Oscar De La Hoya suffered knockdowns against the unexceptional Narciso Valenzuela (35-13-2) and Giorgio Campanella (21-0). He’s subsequently fought the best opposition available at several weights, and his chin has never been in question. The knockdown he suffered against Pernell Whitaker was bogus. Bernard Hopkins floored him for the count with a bodyshot. And De La Hoya recovered strongly after falling against Ike Quartey.
*In his first 19 bouts, Muhammad Ali suffered left-hook knockdowns against Sonny Banks (10-2) and Henry Cooper (27-8-1). In subsequent bouts, “The Greatest” proved his chin belonged on Mt. Rushmore. Scratch the “knockdown” scored by Chuck Wepner. And what was truly remarkable about round 15 vs. Joe Frazier is not that Ali rose from a wicked left hook, but that he picked himself up before referee Arthur Mercante could reach a count of two.
*In his first 12 bouts, Whitaker suffered knockdowns against a good fighter in Rafael Williams (25-2) and an excellent fighter in Roger Mayweather (26-4). Felix Trinidad and Diosbelys Hurtado dropped “Sweet Pea” later in the hall of famer’s career, but Whitaker was never thought to have a dangerously soft chin. That’s probably because he got hit less often than almost any fighter of his generation.
*In his 12th bout, Juan Diaz suffered a knockdown against Ubaldo Hernandez (15-7-1) and cried about it. That was six years ago. Diaz has faced plenty of punchers since and has remained upright against all of them.
There are plenty of additional examples, including Aaron Pryor. “The Hawk” showed a shaky chin (down in title fights vs. Antonio Cervantes and Dujuan Johnson) until fighting Alexis Arguello, who punched holes through the trunks of redwood trees. In two fights, Arguello hit Pryor plenty, but never put him down.
Maybe it was the black bottle.
Anyway, at some point on June 9, Judah, whose power is generated by his speed and southpaw stance, will test Cotto’s chin … or his temple … or wherever else he’s supposedly vulnerable. If Cotto stands tall, maybe it’ll be time to rid him of his rep.
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