Cotto vs. Canelo: The Arguments M.DeTyrone

Cotto vs. Canelo: The Arguments

M.DeTyrone

“Canelo is younger, stronger, and hungrier than Cotto. He’ll destroy Cotto with a late round TKO.”

Boxing is not about force or strength. It’s about the boxer that can control the distance, space, and timing. “Canelo” Alvarez is a young strong slugger that lack mobility, defense, and finesse. His combinations are powerful for the first 5 rounds but they’re repetitive and predictable. After his stamina fades he just relies on power and brute force to obtain victories.

Cotto can stop Canelo’s momentum and force by controlling the distance like Trout slightly did, like Mayweather Jr. perfected, and then Lara applied but couldn’t execute hurting Canelo.  A boxer like Miguel Cotto uses defensive skills, controls the distance to his advantage, uses timing, and knows how to utilize space. He has the ability to adjust from an infighter, boxer-puncher, to a pure-boxer. This is the reason why Cotto held Mayweather Jr. according to Compubox to a total punch connection of 26%.  I don’t expect Cotto to go toe to toe versus “Canelo” Alvarez who fancies himself a boxer-puncher.  

I’m sorry but where is this great KO artist that people talk about? The facts are that historically, “Canelo” Alvarez in 7 world championship fights has a KO’d only 42% of the time and versus 9 ex or current world champions hold only KO’d 22% of the time. He’s not this KO artist that the boxing media and many make him out to be. When it comes to power Cotto is hands down the KO artist. Historically, Miguel Cotto in his 22 world championship fights has KO’d 68% of the time and versus 19 ex or current world champions he’s KO’d them 58% of the time.

§  “Canelo” Alvarez: 5-1 (2KO) with a KO at 33% vs. the last 6 opponents of a combined record of 187-15-3; Erislandy Lara (W. 12 SD); Alfredo Angulo (W. TKO10); Floyd Mayweather Jr. (L. 12MD; Austin Trout (W. 12UD); Josesito Lopez (W.TKO5); Shane Mosley (W. UD12)

§  Miguel Cotto: 4-2 (4KO) with a KO at 66% vs. the last 6 opponents of a combined record of 213-22-6; Sergio Martinez (W.TKO10); Delvin Rodriguez (W. TKO3); Austin Trout (L. UD12); Floyd Mayweather Jr. (L.UD12); Antonio Margarito (W.TKO9); Ricardo Mayorga (W.TKO12)

“Cotto can’t handle Canelo’s speed, power, counter-punching ability, and skills, because, Canelo is just a smarter boxer. He hurt Trout and defeated him something Cotto couldn’t do. Cotto just defeated a broken down Sergio Martinez with no movement. Canelo will be healthy and strong.”

Let’s accept the argument that Sergio Martinez was broken down with no movement for the sake of argument. All boxing experts and trainers said Sergio Martinez was going to KO Cotto, yet they were wrong they never mentioned “the knee” problems. Then of courses the excuses begin from the fans about a bad leg, something Martinez himself denied was the cause of his defeat.

Honestly, a one leg Martinez still has better footwork than a 100% healthy “Canelo” Alvarez. I have yet to see this great footwork from “Canelo” it’s obvious that he didn’t have it during the Trout, Mayweather Jr., and Lara fight.

Miguel Cotto just won a 10 round TKO victory over Sergio Martinez to win the WBC Middleweight Division Title at 159 lbs. Catchweight is being compared with Lovemore N’Dou, Alfonzo Gomez, Kermit Cintron, Alfredo Angulo, Carlos M. Baldomir, Matthew Hatton, and Josesito Lopez. A Miguel Cotto that held Mayweather Jr. to only to a 26% total punch connection, and just came off a victory in which he landed 54% of his power punches vs. Sergio Martinez according to Compubox.  A Miguel Cotto that in his 22 world championship fights has KO’d 68% of the time and versus 19 ex or current world champions he’s KO’d his opponents 58% of the time.

We are to believe that all throughout Cotto’s amateur career and pro career he’s never faced anyone with the speed, footwork, and counter-punching of “Canelo” Alvarez?

I have not seen any evidence in  “Canelo” Alvarez’ career of his  footwork, speed, or combinations being better than a 2007 Zab Judah, a 2012 Floyd Mayweather Jr., or a 2006 Paul Malignaggi. I have not seen any evidence of “Canelo” Alvarez being this great counter-puncher outside landing power combinations vs. stationary targets, or his fight vs. Trout that he counter for the first 5 rounds until he began to fade until he landed one shot that hurt Trout.

Let’s look at the reasoning and logic behind “Canelo” Alvarez hurts and defeats Austin Trout consequently that must mean that “Canelo” will defeat Cotto via KO. Delvin Rodriguez went 12 rounds vs. Austin Trout in 2012, however, he was KO’d in 3 rounds versus Miguel Cotto. The unknown highly unskilled Daniel Dawson dropped Austin Trout two times in their fight August 2014; does that mean Daniel Dawson is a more powerful puncher than Canelo or Cotto?  According to many “Canelo” fans because Angulo dropped Erislandy Lara, Canelo was to KO Lara. I think the world witness something totally different.