Jackie Kallen on Boxing: Miguel Cotto is the boy next door

By Jackie Kallen

After watching the recent 24/7, I decided that Miguel Cotto is the kind of man I’d love to have as a neighbor. He is sweet, loves his family, and seem gentle and friendly.

Mayweather, on the other hand, would probably not be the best person to have living next door. It would be interesting, to say the least, but probably not as peaceful and quiet.

Photo: Octavian Cantilli – Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions

Does anyone else but me find the HBO series redundant and not too exciting? I realize it’s difficult to infuse anything different into “Money” as far as his dialogue and personality go. But it is starting to feel like we’ve seen this show before…..again and again. I was unable to pull anything new out of it.

However, I did come away with the definite feeling that Cotto should not be as much of an underdog as he is. I gave up betting fights years ago after Hearns lost to Leonard in 1981. ( I still can’t help thinking that if it had been a 12-round fight, I would have won a shit-load of money. Oh well).

I may just have to throw down a few bucks on this one. Just a hunch, but I am starting to envision a different fight than I was seeing in my mind a couple of weeks ago. I can actually imagine that Mayweather’s O might go.

At 154 pounds, I don’t think Mayweather will find it as easy as it is at lighter weights. When he fought Oscar at 150#, he won a close, split decision. Cotto is a big, strong man who has knocked out a lot of people. He seems focused and serious. I don’t think he is taking this fight lightly.

The current odds at the MGM have Cotto at +500. So for every hundred you bet, you pick up $500 if Cotto wins. On the other side of that coin, you have to bet $700 to win $100 on Mayweather. Being a gambler at heart, I always go with the longshot. Especially when the longshot is capable of winning.

I know I’ll probably change my mind a few times in the next couple of weeks, but the closer it gets to fight time, the more I am starting to like Cotto’s chances. I love the fact that his mother cooks for him, and I love the way he treats his wife and kids. His quiet confidence is so much more palatable than Mayweather’s brash cockiness. Maybe these are not good reasons to bet one fighter over another, but I smell an upset.

Jackie Kallen is a boxing manager who has been in the business for over three decades. Her life inspired the Meg Ryan film “Against the Ropes” and she was a part of the NBC series “The Contender.” www.JackieKallen.com, www.facebook.com/JackieKallen