I hope Cotto makes a good comeback

Granted he's considerably smaller, but a fight with a plodding, iron chinned stalker like Baldomir could in the very least help Cotto develop a decent game plan for a Marg RE.

Cotto needs to re-build against a guy who can take him the full 12 and will never take a step back or be dissuaded by Cotto's offensive assault and IMO Baldomir fills that mold. Baldomir is a Margarito-esque fighter in that regard obviously without the size advantage or the punch output. In the very least he'll continue to stalk and eat punches, while Cotto can work on his lateral movement and staying in the middle of the ring which many have noted is the key to beating Margarito.

 

I'd love to see Cotto-Cintron. If not this year, then hopefully in early 09. It makes alot of sense, and would be a big fight in PR, the Garden, or in AC.

 

I'd love to see Cotto-Berto next year.

 

Great fight. Berto-Margarito? Not so much.

 

there are plenty of baldomirs hanging from ceilings of gyms across the globe. no need to give him a date on hbo

 

Speaking of which, I wonder if Cotto returns on a smaller Top Rank ppv, possibly against a lesser opponent (maybe in PR), or whether he jumps right back onto HBO/PPV.

 

It'd be a repeat of Cotto-Judah.

 

Berto hasn't shown the same kind of give in him Judah had up to that point.

Plus, his style is straight forward and offensive and he has a strong base.

It'd be a firefight.

 

A firefight Berto would lose.

 

Agree, but it would be a pretty exciting fight :kidcool:

 

Are you his manager? ::

 

I hope he comes back too, but i definitely have my doubts whether he return to the same level. That kind of beating mentally would be very tough to take, because he can't make excuses to himself like so many other fighters do after losses. He KNOWS he gave everything he had and he couldn't even discourage Margarito for a second, op top of the brutal physical beating he copped.

I think, but hope i'm wrong, his career will follow the same path as Vargas' from this point.

What he really needs is a good 3-4 fights against durable but not dangerous opposition. Ones who will put pressure on and test him a bit, and not just fold. Guys like Baldomir, Castillo, Forbes and Collazo. If he can go through those guys in the same manner as he did before the beating, then he can move back up to fighting the elite bracket.

It would be great if he can get back to that level as he'll always make for entertaining fights.

 

Berto's only going to get better. He's not THAT bad as it stands now. In fact, if I put aside the fact that he was gifted a title, I'd have to say he's pretty effin good. Give him a couple more contenders (Collazo, etc.) and watch him improve.

He may be ready by next year.

 

Cotto will be back- I'd be very surprised if he didn't come back from this fight.

It's easy to get carried away with the last few rounds of the fight, but it is worth remembering that Cotto was dominating during the first half of the fight- he was making Antonio miss a LOT and was shifiting away from Margarito's forward pressure using his superiour footwork and neat, crisp clusters of shots.

It was only when Cotto started to need breathers and when his retreat to the ropes became exactly that- a retreat rather than a tactical measure- that Margarito was able to fully impose himself on a tired Cotto and land those heavy shots.

IF (and it is a BIG if) Cotto is able to improve his stamina to such an extent that he can do without the rests between action and can move and hit as he did in rounds 1,3,4 and 5, then there is no reason why he couldn't use his superiour boxing technique/skills to counter his way to a win over Antonio.

That said, I'm not sure he should be looking to go after a rematch, and he sure shouldn't be doing so any time soon. He needs to regain his confidence, because there is something very mentally draining about hitting a man with your best shots and not making a dent. You could see Cotto becoming more and more non-plussed as the fight progressed. By the end, he looked positively scared.

A few tune ups for confidence rebuilding and then see how the division is shaping up. Cotto didn't become a 'bad' fighter overnight; he still has a fantastic skill set and is a great fighter. He just walked into the one man who fights in the EXACT way required to expose those little weaknesses.

He'll be back, IMHO.

MTF opcorn:

 

Arturo Gatti got worse beatings and always came back. I think Cotto is a stuborn MF and will be back for more pain, maybe not against Margarito so soon, but I see him looking for a belt by March of next year if not before.

 

I agree with this post 100 percent. And I also want to say that Cotto/Margarito gave an awesome display of boxing. And mad props goes to both warriors. Also Cotto gotta get back in the ring. Yeah it's all good when you are on top of the world undefeated but what makes a real champion is how you bounce back from adversity and Cotto has way too much pride and skills not to bounce back. I hope he takes the rematch and attack the fucking body. I'll Holla 5000

 

hope he can get his confidence back

not sure what confidence he'll have in his toughness and durability to wear an opponent down when he was worn down himself after 5 rounds against Margarito

 

I think he suffered the Jeff Lacy syndrome but I hope I'm wrong. He makes for entertaining fights. Everyone gets beat.

 

We won't know until we see him again in a comeback fight, but I've a feeling this loss may have damaged Cotto the same way Trinidad sent Vargas on his way to shothood.

 

It looks like almost everyone likes Cotto and want to see him make a succesfull comeback.

:bears:

 

Cotto has reported he will fight again this year 2008!artie:

 

GOOD....fuck that have some time off bullshit...take a few months....don't get fat..and fight in October/November...Castillo if he is victories would be a good comeback fighter...

 

Cotto would destroy Castillo. He would look great in that fight. That would be a good fight after his first loss.

 

In a lot of ways, Cotto took less punishment than Margarito in their fight.
But losing by KO often ruins guys. I don't think it will ruin Cotto, but it might. I don't think winning the way he did will ruin Margarito, either, but will I be surprised when he gets outhustled by someone not as good as Cotto in a near future fight? Nope.

 

The only person I see out-hustling Margarito is Paul Williams. I can see guys using movement and potshotting to get a W, though.