Boxing Scribe Vivek Wallace brings his Left-Hook Lounge mailbag to FightHype.com, answering questions for fans and giving his own unique perspective on all the latest current events in boxing. This week, check out his response to fans as they discuss the possibility of Floyd Mayweather peaking too soon in training camp, Miguel Cotto’s renewed confidence leading into their matchup, and much more.
Jacob H. (Las Vegas, NV): I read a recent interview about Floyd Mayweather jr. where his uncle Jeff stated that there’s a slight concern about Floyd potentially peaking too soon. A few weeks ago his trainer and uncle Roger said he encouraged him to take time off, too. What are your thoughts on the aggression in which Floyd has trained for this fight?
Vivek W.: I think there’s a ton of ways one can interpret his aggression in camp this time around, but the reality, I feel, comes down to three different things which all equate to the same. For starters, despite all who want to say that this is “easy work” and that Cotto is “a shell of himself”, Floyd and his handlers know full well that when the bell rings on the night of May 5th in Las Vegas’ MGM Grand, he’s got a helluva task on his hands. I’ve said from day one that this fight will be one of Mayweather’s toughest we’ve seen, and if it isn’t, I’d give him an incredible amount of credit for showing me that he still has what it takes to defeat the best at their best at age 35. There’s no catchweight here. There’s no padded glove controversy here.
What we have, in effect, is Mayweather entering another mans domain (jr. middleweight division), and that domain is one he isn’t too familiar with, while his opponent is most comfortable with, so his aggression in this camp can be first and foremost attributed to knowing that this is the hardest punching, most spirited fighter he’s faced in a long time, and this man happens to have an Olympic pedigree like he does. Secondly, you have to assess to some degree that Mayweather plans to enter the ring with something to prove. He has always had nay-sayers, but as his stock rises, so does the hater-count, and what better way to silence those who never seem to stop talking other than to take away their ability to talk?
For a long time, people have said that he “doesn’t face the best competition”, and this or that, but to that, I say this: Cotto is better today than the man Margarito and Pacquiao faced yesterday. He has a level of confidence and a more balanced attack than we have ever seen, which takes me back to the initial reason I cited for Floyd’s aggression in this particular camp. Mayweather is coming in with more to prove, and he knows he will have to do it against a man unlike any he has faced in a very long time. The final reason, which again entails the first and primary reason cited, comes down to the fact that somewhere in the back of his mind is the fact that he wants to solidify his legacy by meeting his most elusive target yet (Pacquiao). Although the past didn’t see this mega fight materialize, Floyd knows the future potentially will.
He has never really faced anyone Pacquiao defeated first, other than Marquez, and now that he plans to, I’m sure he again wants his victory to trump that of the Filipino’s finest. At the end of the day, no matter how we dice it up, Floyd Mayweather knows his undefeated record, and all the strong names it boasts, is his biggest claim to fame. If he can put up the type of effort that removes all doubt, he can effectively shut all mouths! For his sake, I hope Jeff and Roger Mayweather were a bit off in their assessment, because Cotto and his patented ‘stalk-til-they-can’t-walk’ style is the wrong type to be in front of when you’re out of gas. If he doesn’t bring his absolute best, he may not pass this test. Soon enough, the bell will ring and we’ll all find out. Stay tuned.
Cristian B. (Orlando, FL): I recently saw Cotto training and between what’s being reported and what I saw, I think he seems to have rededicated himself to the sport. Do you feel his confidence is back to what we saw in his early days?
Vivek W.: Why wouldn’t it be? It’s funny how people say, “Margarito beat the shit out of him and stole his confidence” when Cotto lost, yet don’t think the opposite is possible after Cotto found a way to vindicate himself against the same man. Yes, he took a severe beating, and yes, Pacquiao damaged him a bit as well, but I really think many underestimate the heart of a Champion. I will continue to say that the Cotto of today is not the same man we saw stand in his corner bloodied, looking at Uncle Evangelista letting him know he had no intentions to go on. This Cotto has tasted defeat at the hands of two men who held some type of advantage over him….be it the padded gloves or the catchweight.
With him overcoming that low point in his life, I have every reason in the world to believe he has totally regained his confidence. I’d even go out on a limb and say that a rematch with Pacquiao would go vastly different from the way the initial fight went under more neutral terms. I just really see Cotto as a fighter who has come full circle. I won’t say he would defeat Pacquiao, and I won’t say he’d defeat Floyd Mayweather, but I will say that at the end of the night, both men would know they were in with one of the best in the sport, and they’d depart the ring that night with many wounds to lick after a sure gun fight. Now, all that being said, I also have to admit that there’s an element to this that can’t be forgotten.
Although Cotto has been able to right his biggest wrong of the past, that’s only part of the battle. Defeating Margarito somewhat served as a time machine, rekindling that old confidence, but having that confidence alone doesn’t make him unbeatable. If there’s anyone out there with the ability to steal that confidence yet again, it’s a master pugilist like Floyd. The fact that Cotto will enter the ring today with more skill and yesterdays confidence is what makes this a great fight. How long Mayweather allows him to keep that confidence is another story entirely. Cotto’s people have said that they’re working on speed and counter-punching, and plan to “defeat Mayweather at his own game”.
As an ode to the Easter holiday, this rather bold move would surely take some big ‘juevos’ (eggs….nuts….whatever you wanna call it)! If this is the plan, then that Cotto confidence may be halted much quicker than many think. But that’s why we’ll all be tuned in.
Hector U. (Reseda, CA): In the past you have talked about Juan Manuel Marquez having what it takes to defeat a young and strong Brandon Rios based on his skills. How do you think the comment holds up now upon hearing that Marquez isn’t looking too sharp in camp?
Vivek W.: As the old adage goes: “time waits for no man”. Marquez is one of the best of this era, and probably my favorite Mexican warrior of this era, but that being said, I think you have to factor in the possibility of age and wear and tear creeping up on him. He made the sports co-P4P leader (Pacquiao) look beyond ordinary, but I’ve always felt that he’s simply that template of what a Pacquiao conqueror looks like. Doesn’t mean he defeats everyone else that easily, and doesn’t mean that he’s as competitive against everyone else. Rios can be hit easily, and Rios can be hurt under the right circumstances. Does that mean Marquez would or could be the man to do it? Absolutely not. Or at least not unless he’s at his absolute best.
I was a bit intrigued in Nacho’s comments myself, as Nacho is a guy who I’ve always taken at face value and can truly say, with him, rarely is there ever any smokescreens. He shoots from the hip and is deadly accurate when he speaks about the men he trains. The last time I heard a trainer who I could trust speak real talk and come out publicly like this, we were on the brink of seeing one of the great ones fall from grace, and that fall came quicker and harder than any of us knew it would. That was the case of trainer Alton Merkerson referring to Roy Jones Jr. before the initial Antonio Tarver fight. In this case, Merkerson spoke of how concerned he was because he felt Jones was getting hit in sparring far more than he was used to and there was great concern over fading reflexes.
Jones went on to pull out that first fight with Tarver in a blood and guts fashion in the end. Add fear to fading reflexes and it all went down hill quite fast the next time around. In this case, Beristain spoke of Marquez’s “slow” speed and far less than typical precision. Those are two things that come at an unparalleled premium in a fighter closer to 40 than 30 and could mean all the difference in the world when he enters the ring against an unorthodox European style, which he’ll be presented when he faces Fedchenko. I expect Marquez to win, but if he looks bad doing it, I’d strongly caution facing a young bull like Rios. I don’t find Rios to be as invincible as many do, but the kid comes to play ball, and an aging veteran is a ‘ball’ I could see him slapping across the yard and over the fence on the right night. Gonna be interesting to see how it all unfolds.
Vivek “Vito” Wallace can be reached at [email protected], Youtube (Vivek1251), Twitter (VivekWallace747), Skype (Vito-Boxing), and FaceBook.
