Last Saturday, Miguel Cotto received what may be the first legit beating of his life inside the ring. Consequently, he’s been written off and many have been too quick in advising him to retire. Maybe he should, not because he no longer has the ability to become a champion again, but because his resume already speaks for itself.
Despite being only 29 years of age and having 36 fights under his belt, he’s already done more than many boxers at the same stage. Too much attention has been put on his loss to Margarito and Pacquiao, along with his “controversial” win against Clottey. Since his fights with Ricardo Torres and DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley, where he struggled and was clearly hurt, people have been waiting for him to be exposed as an overrated fighter.
But since he went up to the Welterweight division, he’s proven that he’s got enough skills to be competitive and beat the best. His boxing skills and versatility were on display when he fought and beat Shane Mosley. He used his timing and accuracy to nullify Shane’s speed while using his jabs to keep Shane at bay.
His chin has also been more reliable since moving up in weight. He’s been in there with some of the best punchers in the division. His loss to Margarito has now been put into question and his loss to Pacquiao is due to the Pound-for-Pound King’s skills rather than the lack thereof of Cotto.
When people talk about the great fighters of this generation, Miguel Cotto should definitely be on the list. Arguably, Miguel Cotto has fought the best competition in the last few years. You’re bound to suffer some wear and tear as a boxer when you constantly face the best. One can argue that he has not just fought the best at his division, but also fighters that were considered some of the best pound-for-pound. As he said to Larry Merchant after the fight with Pacquiao, “I fought everybody. Miguel Cotto comes to boxing to fight the big names. I’m always available.” Simply put, this man knows no fear and I wouldn’t be surprised if he would have fought Paul Williams if he didn’t go up in weight. What more can we ask from a boxer?
Would Floyd Mayweather Jr. still be undefeated if he faced the same level of competition as Cotto had in the last few years? If he did, maybe Mayweather would be facing the questions, such as if he is washed up or a damaged fighter, instead of Cotto. Miguel Cotto has suffered two devastating losses, but it’s not always about an undefeated record. It’s about the constant drive to be the best and he’s shown that throughout his career. He personifies the modern day warrior and even if he is on the downturn of his career, it doesn’t take anything away from what he’s accomplished in such a short time. Unfortunately, his accomplishments may never be fully appreciated until he’s gone from the sport.
