JEWISH & PUERTO RICAN FANS TO FILL STADIUM?
New York, NY– The upcoming match between WBA 154 lb. kingpin Yuri Foreman and ascending former two division (140 & 147) titleholder Miguel Cotto pits fans speaking Yidish in the Big Apple against the Spanish speaking Puerto Ricans. In my memory, I can’t recall a Jewish-Puerto Rican fight of major significance in NYC. Are you wondering how significant a fight is this locally? Folks, the master of promotion Bob Arum, “The Sheik” has rented out the new 70,000 seat Yankee Stadium.
EACH GUY HAS LEAKS, COTTO HAS MANY MORE
The twice beaten (and we need to emphasize beaten) Cotto was last seen being pounded on like a set of conga drums by the phenom Manny Pacquiao. In 2008, Antonio Margarito, yes, that Antonio Margarito, he busted Cotto up in an inside the distance win. But the “loaded” hand wraps that Antonio was caught with in Los Angeles prior to fighting Shane Mosley, this casts doubt over Margarito’s wins. This is what will make this contest such as closely watched match. This is sure to be a match to remember, and even fans who are usually more concerned with football statistics or poker news will want to make sure they tune in to hear to results of this game. Until then, there is likely to be much speculation about each player’s abilities, and the probable outcome of this historic fight.
COTTO JUST TOO SLOW…NOW?
Fighting in a most relaxed manner, Miguel Cotto went to 32 & zip, but only after having been dropped a couple of times along the way. The Margarito fight ended in round 11 with Cotto looking like he had survived a fall from an airplane. His stones (heart & guts) were on display again when Manny Pacquiao thumped him in Cotto’s last fight in November 2009.
TOO SOON TO RETURN FROM BEATING? REMEMBER DIEGO?
There are those in the trade that will say that Cotto is being brought back way too soon. Look at it like this, it has been six months since the Pacman fight. You have to figure that Cotto trained two and a half months for this fight. Do the match, that’s only 3 1/2 months of “real” rest. This reminds me of Diego Corrales post Jose Luis Castillo I, and how Diego was back in the gym two months after luckily winning a fight in which he took a horrific beating.
LACK OF KO POP GIVES COTTO CONFIDENCE?
There are those in the trade who will say that Foreman’s having only 8 KOs in 27 wins, that is the reason why Team Cotto is willing to put Miguel’s career on the line this Saturday night. Even though he is only 29, Cotto has answered the bell for battle 238 times, and had the look of being “old” against Pacquiao.
TEAM YURI THINK COTTO IS TOAST!
Although it can be said that Yuri Foreman could never make the kind of money he will defending against Cotto anywhere else, the real question here is why would Team Foreman take a “dangerous” fight? But after upsetting Daniel Santos for the belt last November, can you think of a better direction in which could they take him? Foreman’s people think that the four-inch height advantage that Yuri holds over Cotto, that and Cotto’s lack of foot speed, this enables Yuri to out box the Puerto Rican in a 20-foot ring.
FOREMAN IN SAME SPOT AS PAULIE?
Back to the 8 KOs of Foreman, could this be an encore of the Amir Khan-Paulie Malignaggi fight? Paulie had no pop, 5 KOs in 25 wins, and Britain’s Khan walked through the American with no regard for any incoming fire.
IS THIS ALL ABOUT COTTO?
And how much he might have left? Not only did Cotto start 238 rounds, he had some rough times and could be considered shot! Is that what this is all about? Once the Top Rank “franchise” fighter, Cotto was considered one of the better fighters ‘pound for pound’ in boxing before (and even after) meeting Margarito.
WHAT ABOUT YURI…
Nobody, and I mean nobody thinks Yuri Foreman is a “great” fighter. Cotto could stop him, or he could beat Miguel. Either way, a fight in the latest version of Yankee Stadium, this alone creates intrigue for me. The last big fight I remember in the Bronx was Muhammad Ali-Ken Norton III. In March, the standard bearer Manny Pacquiao filled Texas Stadium, can Yuri & Miguel do the same?
Pedro Fernandez