Mayweather vs. Cotto…When Great Fights Good
Photo: Isaac Brekken / Associated Press / May 5, 2012
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As a fight fan, I have grown to appreciate Floyd Mayweather’s work ethic, Boxing IQ, skill inside the ring as well as his generosity towards his family as well as friends. That being said, this pillar of humanity is on his way to 87 days in Clark County Jail for belting around his Baby Mama.
Mayweather is Oscar De La Hoya…if the Golden Boy was a great fighter. Mayweather has tremendous talent but has been “carried”. In laymen’s terms, like Oscar De La Hoya, most everyone Mayweather fought was just old enough, or just young enough, or just small enough, or inactive enough to keep the fight competitive enough without really testing the “Greatness” of Mayweather.
Last night, Mayweather showed himself to be a great fighter via a convincing yet hard fought victory against a very game (but not great) 154 lbs champion Miguel Cotto. Moreover, Mayweather accomplished this at the ripe old age of 35…golden years for a professional boxer.
What’s next?
Although Cotto gave Mayweather a hell of a fight, in a sense he was tailor made for Mayweather. Cotto likes to walk right in to his opponents and brawl. Mayweather is a defensive minded, counter puncher. Unfortunately, Cotto doesn’t throw that many punches and presented a tempting target for an accurate counterpuncher like Mayweather. Manny Pacquiao likes to brawl and throw punches in bunches.
The difference: Cotto through 506 punches over the entire 12 round fight (to Mayweather’s 687 punches). Pacquiao’s averages over a 1,000 punches per fight (double Cotto’s output), and Pacquiao’s accuracy and conditioning are as good as Mayweather.
That being said, the naturally smaller Manny Pacquiao has had a lot more tough fights against naturally larger fighters. Even though he is younger than Mayweather, Pacquiao is the smaller fighter and has more mileage on his odometer. All indications point towards a great fight. Does a 35 year old, accomplished champion want to go to war against a fighter who may hand him his first defeat?
Another attractive fight for Mayweather would be against the current Middle Weight Champ, 36 year old, former 154 lbs champ Sergio Martinez. Sergio is just old enough and just small enough to make this a competitive fight.
Stay tuned…
