Casual talk via LAS VEGAS, Nevada – If ever Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga would be given a chance to dream status post fight tonight, he would rather want to spell out an embarrassing moment against
his Puerto Rican opponent. Ring Magazine taunted him: “The craziest man in the sport”. More, it further puts him better: “Mayorga lights up boxing.” Other than these two intimations, he is bent to spoiling himself and to getting himself richer a bit faster just for a moment, even briefly before he quanders his money somewhere. And it’s not an end yet for him. He thinks big, even bigger. Just like any other fighter, he wants to take a sweepstake shot at Pound-for-Pound Manny Pacquiao. But, Mayorga, ranked No. 46 in the light middleweight division, may just serve as a good marketing ploy to boost Cotto’s popularity and to help the latter regain a formidable image in the world stage. Cotto, ranked No. 1 in the light middleweight division, may just look more compelling against the “bubble-bath” of Nicaragua.
Cotto will be defending his World Boxing Association Super World light middleweight title against Mayorga. Dubbed “Relentless”, Hall of Fame promoters Bob Arum and Don King have joined forces in their first boxing event in five years, at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The same will be shown via Showtime Pay-per-View beginning 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
One thing, Mayorga, not really “El Matador”, meaning “a bull fighter”, but perhaps the most self-
indulgent, incontinent and dissolute fighter, has nothing to offer Cotto but a brand of campaign
courting relevance for a Pacquiao rematch. Mayorga may just be too slow of a bull fighter for a technically fearless fighter from Puerto Rico. Imagine, he kicked off his professional career in 1993 and busted himself with a first loss via TKO in round 6 and still unrepentant to self-impose a better training regimen and self-restraint from depreciating health practices such as heavy smoking and drinking, gambling and womanizing even during and after 18 years of boxing trek. Yes, for 18 years, he has only 38 professional fights inclusive of 7 knockout losses. He has 29 wins, boasting 60.53 % knockouts. Still, he has nothing to offer but a boisterous, an oppressive marketing outfit and behavior to make Cotto a better loved composite of fighter’s fans fascination.
Cotto has just reached his milestone marking a decade of being a professional boxer. He launched his professional fights since 2001 with75.68% knokouts out of 35 wins. His two losses to Antonio Margarito and Pacquiao never stops him from advancing his feisty targets. He believes he has more left in him and more unexplored in the light middleweight class.
“I believe I am stronger and quicker in my current weight class,” says Cotto who felt that his loss to Pacquiao was secondary to his weight issue. “You will see a different Cotto tonight.”
For Cotto, it’s even more lucrative because an impressive win for him tonight will put him in the pedestal of two blockbuster choices. It’s either a second chance against Pacquiao in the lower weight class and a more intriguing fight in the same weight class against the humble Argentinian, Sergio Martinez.
“I think this is the best stage of my career. Something big is coming up after this fight,” says Cotto. “I would love to fight Martinez; I think have the tools to beat him.”
Martinez, who captured No. 3 after Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao in the pound-for-pound ranking according to Yahoo!Sports, ESPN and about 98% of the boxing analysts based on surveys, is scheduled to fight tonight as well against the undefeated Serhiy Dzinziruk of Germany for the vacant WBC Diamond middleweight title at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket in Connecticut.
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