Never underestimate the heart of a champion?
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Tungod, Inabanga, Bohol – Almost everybody thought Miguel Angel Cotto no longer had what it takes to win another major title after he was badly beaten from pillar to post by pound for pound king and newly-elected Congressman Manny ?Pacman? Pacquiao of the Philippines. This was compounded by an earlier submission, although via controversial fashion, to Mexico?s Antonio ?Loaded Hands? Margarito prior to that fateful bout. Yet in light of the Puerto Rican?s successful dethroning of erstwhile super welterweight champion Yuri Foreman, he proved once and for all that his name still deserves mention in the discussion among the sport?s elites.
It can?t be denied that the biggest and most important boxing event of this era is the highly anticipated Pacquiao-Mayweather faceoff. However, owing largely to the seemingly unending disagreement on both parties concerned, boxing buffs have somehow gazed at the possibility of a Cotto-Pacquiao rematch as option B. This, quite apparently, raises some eyebrows, noting the very lopsided manner that the first encounter was decided. Nonetheless, several still argue that the much-debated catchweight issue could have been a huge factor in its outcome and scrubbing it off of the equation might, in one way or another, level up the competition. A few others suggest that Cotto would have a lot more chance at an upset if he employs the same strategy he used in the first canto of their welterweight showdown, when he almost boxed Pacquiao?s ears off with precise jabs, instead of engaging his foe into a bell-to-bell confrontation. Cotto?s newly wrested world championship belt is a very voracious chip for Pacquiao to pursue if he guns for an unprecedented 8th world title in as many weight divisions. It is definitely a major subject for debate? so let?s just leave it at that for the moment and go back to the topic at hand. Read more in Sports ? A Few Tips in Basketball Adventure Sports in India ?
On the flipside, Margarito is well back in harness after a yearlong layoff. Cotto?s loss to the Mexican was his first and arguably a major turning point in the Puerto Rican?s boxing career. Regardless of the possibility that Margarito?s hands were ?loaded? when they traded mitts, nobody can deny the fact that Cotto?s aura of invincibility was eradicated that fateful evening. Along went away with it was a huge chunk of Cotto?s confidence. It is for this reason that Cotto should push for a rematch with Margarito before and more than he should with Pacquiao. A win over Margarito will be a huge morale booster and a key bargaining chip in future negotiations with Pacquiao?s camp, if and when their rematch talks resurface.
Everybody wants to see a Pacquiao fight, but this ought to be an exception. Cotto deserves to set the records straight and vindicate himself from that controversial loss against Margarito. For sure, a bout with Pacquiao would definitely be much more financially rewarding? but a chance at erasing the stigma of a humiliating beatdown at the hands of someone who could have cheated his way to victory remains nobler in my eye and probably in those of many as well.
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