140, 147, 154. Never thought I'd be pro-Golden Fag in a MM, but I pick him over Mig at every weight. At 140, by stoppage. Possible late stoppage at 147, or clear UD. Competitive, but clear UD at 154.
And yet here we are, 2015, and Cotto is in the 2nd biggest-fight in the sport that you're all salivating over. Astounding.
He is. I don't expect him to win it though. Any version of DLH that had a decent amount in the tank would beat the Hell outta Canelo. In fact, the DLH of the Trinidad fight likely either stops Canelo late in one sided fashion, or it's a shut out.
My point is, De la Hoya (who everyone rated back in the 1998-period onwards as a 147lb'er who fell short each time he stepped-up), can now handily beat a guy still considered one the best going today, one they most wanted to see re-match Mayweather and now is in boxing's 2nd biggest fight.
I've never rated Cotto that highly. And neither has many people on this forum. I hate Oscar with all my heart, but circa 97 he had a legit claim as the P4P #2 behind Jones. Cotto's never been rated that highly. Miggy's not a great fighter IMO. He's a very good one. In terms of H2H, Oscar rates higher at every weight. Wanna know the difference between them? Oscar went life and death against Quartey in a fight that coulda gone either way. Cotto went life and death in a fight that coulda gone either way against the HOMELESS man's version of Quartey in Clottey.
I think it would be tougher fight than many of you are thinking. We already know that DLH wasnt good at taking shots to the body. Cotto would be putting some hurt on him. Not sure DLH had enough Power to do something significant. And we know that boxing Cotto wont really work because Cotto can slug or box.
Cotto is NOT, I repeat, NOT winning a boxing match with DLH. Christ Almighty Mig is getting overrated! From the outside DLH is too rangy, jab too good, and too fast for Cotto to hang. Cotto would have to get inside to have success, and I just don't see him having the chin to take the firepower necessary to do that. It's not like he's some relentless pressure fighter like Duran. Cotto, just like Oscar, has often been stuck between styles. Difference being, Oscar just had a lot more talent. Cotto has become INSANELY overrated since beating hobbled Martinez. Oscar wins a boxing match or a firefight. He wins a boxing match because he's much faster and rangier, and wins a firefight because he's the bigger puncher with the FAAARRRRRR better chin. Oscar would be more inclined to trade with Cotto than was the case with Trinidad. Tito could end/alter a fight with one punch. Cotto's not that typa puncher.
If Oscar could stop a much bigger Vargas @ 154 (yeah i know Tito "ruined" him) you better believe he could take out Cotto.
I have virtually no doubt he stops him at 140. 140 was the peak of Oscar's power and handspeed, and Cotto's chin was highly iffy at 140. The reason I could see Cotto lasting the distance at 154 is because Miggy's never been as ballsy as Vargas. He's not afraid to go into survival mode when the firepower is too much. Cotto's hyped as this fuckin Matthew Saad type warrior, and he's not. He's not heartless, but deep down he DOES have some give in him. That's a reason why Canelo-Cotto should NEVER EVER EVER be compared to Tito-Vargas. Tito & Vargas had willing to die in the ring attitudes. Canelo and Cotto both have "play nice" when the going gets tough in them.
I don't believe Cotto's approach matters very much. Oscar can land the big left hook if Cotto is defensive or aggressive and he'd be on his ass in big trouble.
Not only did I not say Cotto would win, I didnt even say he would outbox DLH. But it's funny that you read that. Cotto isnt overrated. It's people like you that think he is being overrated by who knows what kind of Reading comprehension is taking place up there.
Cotto is VERY MUCH overrated. Lately I've heard Cotto (not on this forum) argued as being Puerto Rico's GOAT... or at least one of them. Cotto is MORE than one level BELOW the likes of Ortiz, Gomez, Tito, and Benitez in terms of quality.
If Cotto's on his ass and in big trouble, the fight is basically over. DLH was a DAMN GOOD finisher. Not a Leonard-caliber finisher, but a very good one. I think it's as simple as this - Oscar would have been able to handle Cotto's best hook. Cotto wouldn't be able to to handle Oscar's best hook. I say that because neither one is capable of doing fuck all with their right hands.
It's opinion man. People see what Cotto has accomplished and it's not crazy for people to feel that way. People feel Kobe Bryant is The Goat or Lebron. People often think their generation has the best ever. Cotto has a good claim on being on the best Puerto Rican fighters out there. It's hard to take anything away from him.
So what if he was a Good finisher? In what Universe is Cotto known to just going down from someone with slightly above average power letting them finish them? Cotto took shots from some Hard ass punchers in the sport. People that punch much harder than DLH and not only did he not go down, he in some cases, just walked right through them.
Not to turn this into a basketball convo, but no SANE human being claims Kobe as the GOAT. I don't even think THE most fanatical Laker fan would call Kobe the GOAT. Top 10 all time, perhaps. But there's no logical choice for Kobe ahead of Jordan, Kareem, Shaq, ect... just no argument whatsoever. And Lebron fans have stopped calling him the GOAT. He has too many post-season failures for people to still claim that.
Huhhh??? Bryant was a terrific, phenomenal player, but it's an indisputable fact that he was inferior to MJ in virtually every area. Kobe was a better 3-pt shooter than Mike, but that's about it.
At welter the safe pick is for it to go the same way as every oscar fight against anyone decent - contentious decision.
3 contentious decisions - to a past prime, but still quality Whitaker, and to prime versions of Ike and Tito. That's more respectable than contentious decisions to a past prime Mosley, and fucking Joshua Clottey. For the record, I thought Clottey beat him clear as day.
I know he aint on MJ's level man. But many people dont know that. Especially people born well after MJ retired.
Disagreed. People know that. Make no mistake about it, Jordan is STILL more famous than Kobe, and it's not even remotely close. Even these kids who grew up in the Kobe era, thanks to youtube and ESPN Classic, they've all seen games of prime Mike. PLUS... the media has never hyped Kobe as the GOAT, so young fans would never get that impression. The media hates Kobe and always has. If anything, younger fans think Lebron is the GOAT - since ESPN worhsips Lebron.
Basically he fought 4 decent welters and registered contentious decisions with all 4 (I'm counting Mosley there since the second loss was contentious).
No, I think it's YOU who's out of touch with reality. NEVER EVER EVER have I heard a claim of Kobe being better than Jordan. NEVER. Not from a young or old fan. But have I heard claims of Lebron being better than Jordan? Yes. Plenty of them.
