On December 3rd, live at Madison Square Garden, we will see a legacy changing fight. Miguel Cotto will be given the chance at redemption against one of the most infamous characters in modern boxing, Antonio Margarito. In there first fight, which was a very entertaining blood bath, has Margarito weather the on coming Puerto Rican storm to stop Cotto in the late rounds. It was a devastating loss for Miguel as he was badly hurt in front of his adoring fans. For Margarito, it was a career changer. Margarito had been a great fighter for a long period of time, but did not hit the big spotlight until he stopped Cotto. Margarito was the most dangerous man in the division.
Margarito was on top of the welterweight division as a big, strong punching, and relentless fighter as Cotto was sent back to the drawing board. Had Cotto’s previous wars finally caught up to him? Margarito had the options of opportunity in his hands. Being the top dog, Margarito went into a fight with Sugar Shane Mosley, who was now under the tutelage of Nazim Richardson. While watching Margarito get wrapped, Nazim had the commission inspect a curious move and substance. This was later to be determined as plaster of paris- a substance that would to harden as it dried. Without Richardson’s sharp eye, Margarito would have gone in to the ring with cinder blocks on his fists.
Could it be true that Team Margarito used that same criminal trick against Cotto? Cotto had been beaten worse than ever before. Was this due to Margarito’s fighting skills or because he illegally hardened his fists to make each blow that much more punishing? Most boxing fans have felt gym boxing gloves at one point or another. These gloves are padded for safety of the fighter and opponent. Actual fight gloves are very thin, light, and with a proper and legally wrapped hand, are weapons of destruction. Legal wraps that consist of gauze and tape protect the fighters hand as well as give the glove a harder feel. When fighters fight, they bruise, cut, and get knocked out because their opponent’s fists are well wrapped (and used well in the fight). A thin hard layer of plaster is like getting hit with a cinder block in the head. After repeated shots, one (Cotto) should be severely damaged and either quit or be knocked out. Although it was not proved, it is very popular and safe to assume Margarito’s hands were illegally wrapped in his destruction of Cotto.
Cotto, who later beat Joshua Clottey, then suffered his second career loss to Manny Pacquiao, and rebounded with a win against Ricardo Mayorga is ready to fight for redemption against a legally wrapped Margarito. Tony was stopped by Shane Mosley, suspended for a year, won a tune up fight in Mexico, was dismantled and broken by Pacquaio and sees him self also fighting for redemption against Cotto. Can Tony beat Cotto legally? Can Cotto beat Tony legally? These questions will be answered on December 3rd.
Personally, I believe Antonio Margarito should have never been allowed to fight again. Many people disagree with me, but even though Tony did not know his hands were illegally wrapped, he still fought with rocks and could have apologized for that. That never happened. He was given the pay day of a lifetime against Pacquaio and will receive another huge pay day with the fight against Cotto. I do give Margarito his credit. He deserves the respect of being a warrior due to his respectable trainer changes and post suspension moves.
Boxing is a brutal sport. Two men enter the ring with enough respect for each other to come in on the same playing field. Both men have made weight and both men have legally approved gloves and wraps. The preparation, game plan and skill then determine who uses these tools to beat the man in front of them. Adding any additional element such as hardened wrapped, increases that man’s odds to win. It is unfair and dangerous.
Like any criminal (Margarito is a criminal of boxing, or was an accessory to his trainer who was the criminal), he has served his sentence and has been allowed to resume his boxing life. He has ditched his trainer and is still a dangerous man (without the plaster). He is one of the toughest men in boxing. He is relentless, powerful, and has the heart of a lion.
The biggest question is will Tony be able to rebound from the beating by Pacquaio? Tony has rebounded from other losses as well as being the most hated man in boxing, but this loss was unlike anything he has ever seen. He had to get surgery and was truly beaten to a pulp.
Cotto on the other hand is coming off an entertaining fight with Mayorga, and still looks sharp. Cotto has always had the heart of 2 lions. The boxing world respects Cotto and his skills. Cotto has suffered his losses and had the Mayorga fight to rebound. He also beat Yuri Foreman somewhere in his recent history. He is already heading towards the top of his mountain. Margarito is just coming off his loss. He has had no rebound fight. His rebound fight is against Cotto, not an easy comeback fight.
The argument for Margarito is that he walked through all of Miguel Cotto’s punches. Cotto was landed more punches at a higher accuracy until round 8. All of Margarito’s very hard punches finally wore down Cotto. Had Margarito not been able to have wear down Cotto, Cotto would have easily have made it to the scorecards in which he would have won the UD.
Cotto will not be able to stop Margarito. Antonio Margarito has a punchers chance. Miguel has looked sharper in his past fights, been busier, and is not coming off a loss resulting in surgery and hospitalization after a one year lay off. Cotto has the elements of success. Margarito is always a threat but circumstantially, the cards are stacked against him. Looking at the first fight, had Cotto not been surprisingly beat up; I believe he would have won. Cotto knows how to win fights.
We will see an interesting fight, but I believe that Cotto is the more skilled boxer with the right team and situation around him to redeem himself from his first loss against Antonio Margarito. For all Cotto supporters (like myself) let us hope that he does get revenge for us all.
I wish we would all put the plaster of paris incident behind us. The CSAC punished Margarito as they saw fit. Time was served. Let’s move on. Weather the wraps were loaded or not for his fights with Cotto, Cintron, etc is all history now. Let’s look forward to the rematch and see what happens.
It’s an appealing fight and a definite crossroads for both men, I’m sure they will give us another war. I do have concern about how Margarito will look after all after that beating he took from Pacquiao this will be his first fight back. Who knows what he has left, as for Cotto he’s slowed down a bit himself but still looked good in his fight with Mayorga. I’d say at this time Cotto has the advantage but as fight time closes in on us I might give Margarito a better shot at winning here. It all depends if he comes out prepared to leave it all in the ring as always or if the wars have taken their toll on him and it’s time to hang them up.
Will be a good fight. I hope we dont get another bs mayweather vs ortiz tv novela.
-it was never proven that it was plaster of paris. It had elements that are found in plaster of paris but also in hand cream so for him to say definitely it was plaster of paris is irresponsible.
-Cotto looked beat up because he got beat up. Margarito didn’t look any better, does that mean Cotto’s gloves were loaded?
-it has been said that Evangelista Cotto watches the wraps even more than Nazim and Vegas does too so I think its BS that he had illegal wraps in the Cotto fight.
-you states that Margarito knew his hands were illegally wrapped in the Cotto fight? Where is the evidence?
Go get him Cotto.
On Dec 3 many questions will be answered.
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