The Official Cotto-Margarito II Prediction Thread!

They did show photos. It was the biggest handwrap I've ever seen.

No doubt adding to the weight of Tito's punches, when those leaden footed hooks swing round like they had an anvil attached to them.

 

That, and there was tape on the knuckles which is illegal.

 

Plus the handwrap was almost twice the size of a normal handwrap ::

Like a solid block of tape and gauze.

 

I defy anyone to watch:

Trinidad/Thiam
Trinidad/Reid
Trinidad/Vargas
Trinidad/Joppy

Then watch:

Trinidad/Hopkins
Trinidad/Mayorga
Trinidad/Wright

And tell me there wasn't a marked difference.

I'd be interested in Whitaker's take on Trinidad's pre-Hopkins punching-power, given he was on the wrong side of it.

 

Well, Hopkins is a significant step up in quality. And Mayorga (who he knocked out for the first time) and Wright were after time away. He barely laid a glove on Wink. He looked awful all around.

It's not like he was cracking Wink with big shots. ::

 

Guys like Vargas and Joppy looked like they'd been hit by a baseball bat.

His punches even looked different pre Hopkins, literally like the gloves were heavier, they way those hooks would swing round, it was almost like an extra weight was adding to the inertia of the arm and fist.

His punches looked lighter from Hopkins and beyond.

Tito was a glove loader, but they did it in the sneakiest way, basically just a huge heavy wrap. They sacrificed speed for added, more effortless power.

 

He hit Winky with a couple of clean hooks and they did nothing, same for Hopkins.

Also, Mayorga reacted worse to Oscar's punches. Tito KO'd him but he had to hit him a LOT, the punches sure didn't look as devastating as those he hit Joppy and Vargas with, larger men than Mayorga.

 

Well, whereas blocking Trinidad's punches was a viable option for Wright, it simply wasn't for Reid, for example, who ended up hurt even by shots he did block (not referring to the cleanly landed left-hook that first put him on queer street).

 

Reid fought Trinidad when he was an active fighter. Wink didn't.

I just don't think anything is a clear cut as you guys are suggesting.

 

He had him hurt as early as the first round. Mayorga was known as rock chinned at the time.

 

not to mention wright would have whipped reid.

 

I agree it's not clear cut. That it's strictly a judgement call on my part. I'm just reporting my thoughts, based on careful observation and what makes sense to me. And what best explains the series of events.

 

Without question.

 

well, that wasn't mentioned for a very specific reason which is that it's entirely irrelevant.

 

I just think you have to factor in quality of opposition a little. Guys like Vargas, Reid and Joppy have ALWAYS been easier to hurt than Hopkins and Wink.

 

Sure, but Joppy is a naturally bigger man than Mayo and Winky, and by god he reacted worse to Tito's punches by a mile.

It's not that clear cut but I've always believed he basically loaded his gloves, by having huge, heavy wraps.

Watch him fight before and after Hopkins, look carefully at the form and energy of the punches. Pre Hopkins, the punches look heavier, in the literal sense.

He could still punch obviously, but those big heavy wraps gave added weight to the shots.

 

But Joppy was fighting with his hands down and his head up in the air, getting hit square on the chin with massive punches.

 

I'll never forget that answering a phone dance, it was fucking hilarious, even as a big Vargas fan.

Poor Nando, the fight might have gone differently if Tito didn't have huge, hard, heavy wraps in his gloves.

 

:atu: very true...could you blame Oscar for running for his life after feeling that shit?

 

::

 

and joppy isnt in fact any bigger than wright. also clearly had a worse chin, which was proven throughout both of their careers.

 

::

Yeah, that is true, then again so was Mayorga - a welterweight - and they had FAR less effect. Joppy looked like he'd been hit by a bat.

Again, this is just my opinion, but I think pre Hopkins Tito basically had "enhanced" wraps to add weight to his punches.

If you don't believe me, like I said look at the form and energy as he swings those hooks before and after Hopkins. They look different, and heavier, pre Hopkins.

 

::

Honestly no, that was probably a big part of it.

 

Well, I'll just say Hopkins has a history of making everyone he fights look impotent.

 

Forget the Hopkins fight then, look at the form of his hooks against Joppy and then Mayorga, and tell me they don't look like they had an anvil attached to them against Joppy. They look more normal against Mayo.

 

:laughing: