Cotto’s face won’t stand up to Mayweather’s sharp punches

By John F. McKenna (McJack): To hear undefeated superstar WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0, 26 KO’s) tell it WBA (Super) light middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30 KO’s) has a real shot of defeating Floyd when they clash. Mayweather and Cotto will fight on May 5 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

True, Cotto’s career was resurrected to some extent when he stopped his nemesis Antonio Margarito last December. Margarito had bludgeoned Cotto into submission when they fought in July 2008. But the Margarito that Cotto defeated in December was not the same fighter he faced in 2008.

Margarito received a terrible beating in November 2020 at the hands of WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao. In the Pacquiao fight Margarito suffered a broken orbital bone in his right eye which had to be surgically repaired. There had even been some concern that Antonio would not be able to fight again due to his eye injury.

Cotto fought an intelligent fight against the concrete chinned Margarito and used his surgically repaired eye as target practice. Predictably when Antonio’s injured eye closed due to swelling, the referee had no choice but to stop the fight.

In this writer’s view Cotto’s victory over Margarito was not a real test because Antonio was clearly damaged goods. Not only was Margarito damaged goods he is a one dimensional fighter who is easy to prepare for. Cotto followed the game plan that was laid out for him to perfection against Margarito. When Antonio bored in with his relentless but predictable style, Cotto simply sidestepped him while continually targeting his damaged eye. The outcome was inevitable.

Against the sharpshooting, and razor sharp punching of Floyd Mayweather Jr. though Cotto will not be able to cope. Neither will Miguel be able to adjust to Floyd’s speed. Within half a dozen rounds Cotto’s face will begin to break apart and by the latter rounds Miguel will be a bloody mess.

Although Floyd is now 35 years old his age will not be a factor against Cotto. Like Vitali Klitschko, Floyd is always in shape and does not abuse his body. It is the reason that Mayweather’s speed has not yet started to diminish. And tactically “Money” Mayweather is the best in the business. Whether you love him or hate him, one has to admire Floyd’s skills. There is little doubt that Cotto will give his fight with Mayweather his best shot.

Unfortunately though, Miguel’s best against Floyd will be woefully inadequate.