The fight between Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto has only one thing written all over it — revenge. Cotto’s first defeat came at the illegally wrapped hands of Margarito. Since then Cotto has recovered nicely and has beaten Yuri Foreman for the WBA Super Welterweight Championship. Even with the way he has bounced back, Cotto is still considered damaged goods because of his loss to Margarito.
On the other hand, Margarito has been fortunate he?s allowed to fight again. Unfortunately for him he was tricked into thinking that he had a chance at beating Manny Pacquiao without plastered wraps. Some say it was quid-pro-quo that he was savagely beaten by Pacquiao in their fight.
Now Cotto and Margarito are set to meet on December 3 in a fight that must happen. Cotto must prove that he can face his tormentor and show everyone he isn’t shot. In all the fights after Margarito, Cotto fought like he had a monkey on his back. There was less confidence and he was easier to break down. He lost something that night — mojo, game, confidence — call it whatever. Something went missing after the fight with Margarito. He needs to punish the Tijuana Tornado to get it back.
While it was never proven Margarito had illegal hand wraps during the fight against Cotto, all of us believe he indeed fought with plaster of Paris. Cotto broke down in that fight and his face looked like it was beaten with a baseball bat. However against Shane Mosley, Margarito was caught trying to insert wraps (saying he was unaware of his trainer inserting wraps is complete utter BS). It was a complete reversal of fortune as it was Margarito who badly faded as the fight wore on.
This fight is more meaningful for Cotto than it is for Margarito. Cotto has a chance to return to pre-Margarito form and fulfill the promise he showed before his first professional loss. He needs to take back what he lost that night.
