By: William Holmes
“Everything in life has its moment. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it here. Invincible men only exist in the movies.” -Pedro Diaz
PHOTO BY Gene Blevins/Hogan Photos
Nearly everyone is picking Floyd Mayweather to win and it’s hard to argue against them. But something feels different this time.
I sense confidence and focus from Cotto’s camp.
I observe false bravado and distractions in Mayweather’s camp.
This fight will be closer than most people think.
The following is a preview of Saturday’s main event.
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (42-0) vs. Miguel Cotto (37-2); WBA Super World Light Middleweight Title
Let us start by stating the obvious, Floyd Mayweather is one of the greatest to ever put on a pair of gloves.
He has boxing bred in his blood. His father and uncles were all former professional boxers. He started boxing as a child. He won the national golden gloves in 1993, 1994, and 1996. Ironically, he won his first golden gloves at 106lbs. He won the Bronze medal in the 1996 Olympics as a featherweight, despite his loss in the semifinals being highly disputed. He won legitimate titles in the super featherweight, lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight, and light middleweight divisions. From 106lbs to 154lbs, he has conquered every weight class he has ever fought in, and he has made it look easy.
His resume is littered with high quality fighters made to look like amateurs just because they fought Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Zab Judah, Artuoro Gatti, Phillip N’dou, Jose Luis Castillo, Diego Corrales…..the list goes on and on.
No fighter has yet to figure out his shoulder roll style of defense. No fighter has yet to cleanly knock him down. No fighter can match his hand speed.
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is in a class of his own. If there’s a knock against Floyd, it’s that he only has 26 wins by KO on his record. But you can’t argue with 42-0.
For most professional boxers, Miguel Cotto would present a formidable challenge. He’s a former junior welterweight, welterweight, and current super welterweight world champion. Thirty of his victories have come by KO or TKO. He’s known for his devastating attacks to the body, but also known for leaving himself open to counters.
He’s four years Mayweather’s junior, but he won’t have the speed advantage on Saturday night. He’s also won’t have the reach advantage, as Mayweather will have the five inch reach on him.
Cotto has also defeated some high level fighters. He’s beaten Margarito when there was no issue of plaster in his gloves. He stopped Judah, something Mayweather wasn’t able to do. He also defeated Mosley, when Mosley wasn’t shot and way past his prime.
Every expert is picking Mayweather to win, and for good reason. Some say the decision should have went to Castillo in their first fight, but that’s a bit of a stretch.
If Cotto is going to win, it will be because of the intangibles. Mayweather is 35, and even though he has never suffered any serious physical damage as a boxer, speed is his greatest asset, and it’s the first thing to go as you age. Cotto has been in the deep end of the pool before, and knows how to survive wars.
Miguel Cotto has exorcised the biggest demon haunting his professional career, a revenge TKO victory over Antonio Margarito.
Everything points to Mayweather to Mayweather winning on Saturday, and win it easily. But something feels different. Cotto looked confident at the weigh-in, and both fighters looked to be in tremendous shape. Cotto has nothing to lose, and Mayweather has everything to lose.
A man with nothing to lose can be the most dangerous opponent of them all.
I still have trouble looking past Mayweather the man, and his deplorable UStream rant. To see him lose after his attacks against Asians would bring a sense of justice to me. Maybe it was just to sell tickets, but there have been talks of a mega-fight with Pacquiao since 2009. Three years later and still no fight, that argument is quickly losing credibility.
However, at a recent press conference, Mayweather went off about Bob Arum and Manny Pacquiao again, instead of focusing on Miguel Cotto. He has a pending jail sentence to serve hanging over his head.
This fight has the makings for a possible upset, and there are enough intangibles in the air for it to happen.
Floyd Mayweather weighed in at 151lbs, while Miguel Cotto weighed in at 154lbs.
I’ll probably regret picking this on Sunday, but it’s too easy to always pick the favorite. If you fight long enough, eventually you will lose. I’m going with the underdog.
Maybe I find Mayweather’s comments so revolting I’m so hoping he loses and it’s pushing me to pick Cotto. Then again, at least half the people are buying the fight with the hopes that he loses, so perhaps there is a method to this madness.
This writer is picking Miguel Cotto by a 9th round TKO, after wearing Mayweather out with a consistent attack to the body.