http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2010/04/...ladimir-klitschko-miguel-cotto-american-heav/ FH: So as you're in Tampa, now, training Miguel Cotto, what's your assessment of him right now after his past few fights? Steward: I've always been a big fan of Miguel Cotto, but I've noticed and realized that in his past four or five fights, even the ones that he's won with Zab Judah and Joshua Clottey, and, naturally, against Antonio Margarito and Manny Pacquiao, that he has taken a lot of punishment. He's a very good fighter, but like Tommy Hearns and Shane Mosley, he hasn't dodged anybody. He's fought everybody at 140, and, 147 and he's left a lot of blood on the floor. But he's fought everybody, and that's earned a lot of respect for me. Now, with this fight with Yuri Foreman, it's going to take some serious work. It's going to be a challenge for me to see if we can resurrect this guy at this stage in my life, because he's fighting a guy who is the naturally bigger guy. He's fighting a guy whose style is very, very difficult for anyone to fight. It's a challenge like it was for me with Evander Holyfield for the second fight with Bowe, and for Oliver McCall to beat Lennox Lewis. I just find it very challenging situation. FH: Are there any whole sale changes that you are making? Steward: Major, major changes. All of his basics were all screwed up. I've watched him go from being a pretty good little boxer-puncher earlier in his career to just being a squatting down guy with his hands way apart. All of his basics are all screwed up now. It's a very difficult assignment, but I find it challenging. I have to see what I can do in the few weeks that I have. But the one thing is I'm not teaching him things that he's never done. At one time in his career, he was very good. It's about taking this guy back to being what he was and he's forgot. It's like getting Evander to beat Riddick Bowe the second fight. I was reminding him about what he was like as an amateur when he used to have foot movement, and then, he turned into a strictly aggressive fighter. And that's why Riddick Bowe just distroyed him that first fight. The second fight, I made him go back to his amateur days -- changing direction, punching. That's how he won the title back. The third fight, when I wasn't with him, he went back to his old way just trying to walk in and just exchange with Bowe. But Miguel used to be a beautiful little boxer who was beating all of our American guys. He would get on his toes, and he could box and he could box. And then, some kind of way, he became this squatting down, peek-a-boo defense, coming forward little guy. And he couldn't be effective that way anymore. What we're working on is his basic stuff......
Here is another interview with Stewart via El Nuevo Dia. The translation isnt great ,I got it off another poster. What was your first impression of Miguel? I have always been a fan of Miguel.What he needs to do is go back to his roots. He has all the talent in the world but he needs to go back to being the boxer and puncher he was. Her has gone away from the movement he had. What is your mission with Cotto? We are going towork with speed, with legs speed. In this fight Miguel can't be running at 40 mile an hour and Foreman at 70. He is going to have to cut the ring really fast and he is going to have to fight more straight insted of leaning foward so much. But our focus is on speed and speed and putting pressure. When you signed with Cotto the fight with Foreman was already signed. Do you like this fight in your debut with Miguel? No. No. I don't like it because Foreman only runs and makes everyone look bad. Is the last thing in the Miguel needs. But is already signed and I have to do my part. We going to have to put lots of pressure with the legs and attack with his power. W e have to cut the ring. You seen Cotto fight in most of his tittle fights. Which one is your favorite and the one that disappointed you the most? The one that disappointed me the most was probably the one against Pacquiao because he fought so down and made Pacquiao look big. I really thought he was going to beat Pacquiaio. He disappointed me. I knew Margarito was going to put pressure and force Miguel to fight faster than normal and I knew that was a problem. The one I liked the most was the Pinto fight, he beat Cotto in the amateurs and Cotto fought beautiful. Miguel has lost 2 of his last 4 fights. he's been champion and dethroned. He is close to being 30 years old. How muchg boxing he has left? We don't know. But we think that with a new style, new motivation, new technique, new image, Miguel will get help. He's taken two KO's and he was not that interested anymore. Now with new techniques he will get motivated and I will get motivated aswell because he's lost two of his last four fights, and is a challenge for me. Much has been said of Miguel's lifestyle when he is not training. Did you have to tell him anything about that? Everyone in Puerto Rico told me different things. But he is going to be fine with me. The thing is he knows he can't lose anymore because the people will stop supporting him. His lifestyle won't be a problem because we will really focused in training in Tampa We will discuss it. How is your contract with Miguel? We don't have a contract. We only had a hand shake. If we work well we keep going. The first hand wrap was special. I have always been a fan of his and now I am in his corner. But the most important thing for me was when I was at the airport of Puerto Rico on thursday, I could not believe the amount of people that stop to tell me "You have to bring back Miguel to his seat of honor". Not even in Mexico that has happen to me. Puerto Rico is the countrythat is most proud of his boxers. I have come to understand that. Now I know how Puerto Rico felt with Tito Trinidad. If the project with Cotto doesn't work, how much are you risking your reputation? A lot. They have told me I am taking a big risk in training him. But I have told themMiguel is not done, that what he needs is helpand I think I can help him. At 140 he was big. At 147 he was somewhat big. Now at 154 he is going to be fighting boxers almost 6 feet tall and Foreman will be fighting at his home. Wer know we got a lot of things going against us.
