Fun fight. I look forward to a brief breakdown of how I see it playing out when a little more time permits.
I agree with X. Cotto would've had trouble getting close to Tszyu. As a result, he'd be a sitting duck for Tszyus right hand....which WOULD'VE landed !!!
I think Cotto does better than you gents are predicting, myself. He was not afraid to take punishment, chinny or not, & his bruising body assault is just perfect for exposing something of Tszyu's I never liked --- those awful-wide elbows he exhibited. Looked as if he was trying to take flight. I could see a washed-up Chavez --- a naturally-prolific bodypuncher --- positively licking his lips at that stance, but he was simply too slow & shop-worn to take advantage. Cotto is fresher, bigger & younger, &, in truth, not much less dangerous, if at all, than Hatton. With that said, he was unquestionably chinny at Jr. Welter, & he was a forward-motion fighter. It's a poor mix against a fighter who can hit like Tszyu, but when you factor in Tszyu's sense of timing & his surprisingly-accurate right hand, I can't see anyway for those not to take their toll & ultimately tell on Cotto. I think it's competitive through six or seven rounds. Cotto off his feet but unhurt in round two, pushes & bullies his way past Tszyu's offense to steal three or four rounds, but his legs begin to betray him under the weight of Tszyu's power by about the eighth, & Cotto is left hanging on when the referee calls the fight during the tenth round, following a second knockdown. Not a fight in which Tszyu is pushed to the limit, but he'd still have to work for the win. Tszyu TKO10 Cotto.
Tszyu hated pressure but Hatton, who brought it, had a better chin and stamina at 140 than Cotto, and was a lot faster with the old in-out-in-out. Hatton also had the volume required to work Tszyu over, and set an incredible pace from the opening bell. Cotto cannot do that, and we know this. Tszyu took around 1 round to figure Zab Judah out, took Judahs best shots without being hurt as Cotto was, and then Judah out with 2 clean blows. Judah was hurt badly. And that was undefeated Zab. Miguel needed 10, 11 rounds, and even at that resorted to throwing low blows when Judah had him badly wobbled early on. Of course, it is Tszyu who is remembered as the dirty fighter. I just think Miguel was too slow, really, to discomfit Tszyu. Hatton had that windmill action, and Tszyu hated that. But Cotto is a bit more deliberate, definitely a heavier hitter at 140 than Hatton, but not enough of it.
Hatton also had his hometown ref helping him out. Nope, I didn't see you throw that jumping uppercut to the balls Ricky. Good clean fight.
Your also talking about the 05 Tszyu. That Tszyu might beat Cotto, but would struggle. I thought we were talking about the MAG version of Tszyu.
No, I think ANY Tszyu struggles with a flailing pressure fighter. MAG bore NO resemblance to Hatton, at all.
No, I think ANY Tszyu struggles with a flailing pressure fighter. MAG bore NO resemblance to Hatton, at all.
Lets not act as if Hatton just ran over Tszyu. The fight was damn near even until the last few rounds where Hatton completely took over. The 05 Tszyu wasnt NEARLY as fast, sharp, or as ruthless as the Tszyu of 99. I can see the pressure and style of Aaron Pryor, or a prime Chavez beating Tszyu... but I dont see Hatton being durable enough to beat a prime Tszyu.
"I tried everything to stop him coming forward...everything to put him down...I wanted to continue, but Johnny had the final say. Ricky was better than me in every way." - Kostya Tszyu, excerpted from From Russia, With Gloves. Tszyu is magnanimous, though he does complain about the low blow which dropped him, & claims it impacted him negatively. He makes no mention of how he would have done had he been a little younger, a little fresher, or how he would have approached a rematch. It is interesting to note that, while Tszyu is gracious in defeat to Hatton, he is almost delusional in his defiant excuse-mongering for the loss to Phillips --- a defeat he plainly does not accept, in his mind.
?.. I thought he was honest as honest can be,.. I may not have caught the excuses you speak of,.. obviously you heard something,.. what did he say?..
In the book, he puts a lot of the loss on a managerial dispute at the time reaching court, frustrations with his wife & personal life, & claims the fight should have been stopped, in his favour, on a cut Phillips sustained.
I'm not too sure on this one. I'm liking Cotto to impose his will on Kostya after a rough 1st half where he is hurt multiple times.
Tszyu is a perfect example of someone who is overly humble, to the point that he is flat out dishonest the cheating Hattton + crap ref means nothing Cotto dies
Tszyu, I dont think Cotto can take his punches, particularly the right hand, for 12 rounds... and he's not quick enough to outbox him either Competetive fight, for sure, because Cotto is a solid pro and Tszyu is crazy overrated as this great dominant champ, but Tszyu is the better fighter and he'd get Cotto late TSZYU TKO 11
