There's a reason I picked this fight as the The Biggest Fight Showdown of the Year : This is a fight with historical implications. With the retirement of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. the throne of boxing's welterweight division is up for grabs. If Miguel Cotto wins, then he will be well on his way to joining the echelon of all-time greats. He has faced Zab Judah and Shane Mosely - and beaten them both - but Antonio Margarito is his stiffest challenge yet.
Margarito's conditioning is amazing, and he puts on the pressure like no other. Margarito is taller, has a longer reach, and hits harder to the head than Cotto. If Cotto gets through this crucible, he would be challenging Manny Pacquiao for the pound-for-pound throne, and will gain an unprecedented level of confidence, and he would become a near-transcendant boxing star.
For Antonio Margarito, it's a little simpler. If he wins, then he becomes the top welterweight in boxing and possibly an immortal underground legend. If he loses, then there's a chance that he fades into obscurity, becoming the tough, talented lion who couldn't capitalize on the opportunities that came to him.
So whose fight is it to win - or lose? I say this is Miguel Cotto's fight, and here's why :
Even though he has had the shorter career, Cotto has accomplished more, and developed more polish than Margarito. Yet, even with legend status on the line, Cotto has much less to lose. He has already gained a certain level of mainstream acceptance - especially with the beautiful brutality he displays with his combinations and body punches - and if he loses, he can simply start his quest again. However, Margarito has never gained that recognition from fans or the industry as a moneymaker, so if he can't capitalize, Margarito gets stuck in limbo : avoided like the plague by fighters and given the cold shoulder by mainstream fans.
Moreover, although Antonio Margarito is a pressure fighter and heavier hitter, Miguel Cotto is the most brutal body puncher in the business who combines the sweetness of both worlds, technique and power. Cotto's dismantling of Alfonso Gomez signified his arrival as a boxer, as he picked apart Gomez with his jab, and gave him one of the most violent boxing lessons ever. Combining brutal power and expert boxing is a rarified skill, and that is why Manny Pacquiao has become in my mind the undisputed pound-for-pound king after his bloody beatdown of David Diaz.
Antonio Margarito's chin is legendary, and his approach relentless, so he will most likely not be knocked out by Cotto - and he will give Cotto all he can handle in return. However, in the end, Cotto's combination of quickness, power, body punching, and everimproving tactical game will give Miguel Cotto the edge in an exciting and explosive fight. Expect the Miguel Cotto's birth as a true superstar after the fight on Saturday night.
Miguel Cotto over Antonio Margarito via split decision.
Margarito's conditioning is amazing, and he puts on the pressure like no other. Margarito is taller, has a longer reach, and hits harder to the head than Cotto. If Cotto gets through this crucible, he would be challenging Manny Pacquiao for the pound-for-pound throne, and will gain an unprecedented level of confidence, and he would become a near-transcendant boxing star.
For Antonio Margarito, it's a little simpler. If he wins, then he becomes the top welterweight in boxing and possibly an immortal underground legend. If he loses, then there's a chance that he fades into obscurity, becoming the tough, talented lion who couldn't capitalize on the opportunities that came to him.
So whose fight is it to win - or lose? I say this is Miguel Cotto's fight, and here's why :
Even though he has had the shorter career, Cotto has accomplished more, and developed more polish than Margarito. Yet, even with legend status on the line, Cotto has much less to lose. He has already gained a certain level of mainstream acceptance - especially with the beautiful brutality he displays with his combinations and body punches - and if he loses, he can simply start his quest again. However, Margarito has never gained that recognition from fans or the industry as a moneymaker, so if he can't capitalize, Margarito gets stuck in limbo : avoided like the plague by fighters and given the cold shoulder by mainstream fans.
Moreover, although Antonio Margarito is a pressure fighter and heavier hitter, Miguel Cotto is the most brutal body puncher in the business who combines the sweetness of both worlds, technique and power. Cotto's dismantling of Alfonso Gomez signified his arrival as a boxer, as he picked apart Gomez with his jab, and gave him one of the most violent boxing lessons ever. Combining brutal power and expert boxing is a rarified skill, and that is why Manny Pacquiao has become in my mind the undisputed pound-for-pound king after his bloody beatdown of David Diaz.
Antonio Margarito's chin is legendary, and his approach relentless, so he will most likely not be knocked out by Cotto - and he will give Cotto all he can handle in return. However, in the end, Cotto's combination of quickness, power, body punching, and everimproving tactical game will give Miguel Cotto the edge in an exciting and explosive fight. Expect the Miguel Cotto's birth as a true superstar after the fight on Saturday night.
Miguel Cotto over Antonio Margarito via split decision.
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