As I sat down this morning to figure out my day, I came across a few sources which suggested that a March 8th date is being tentatively considered by Golden Boy Promotions for a showdown between Miguel Cotto and Saul Canelo Alvarez. This is rather interesting because Cotto just basically got involved with HBO, and unless you’ve been on Mars, you know that there’s no love lost between the cable giant and rival Showtime and especially Golden Boy. But if enough money talks- and the other stuff can definitely walk.
Immediately following Miguel’s complete destruction of Delvin Rodriguez last month, I wrote about such a bout. It makes a lot of sense. Not only is it a great action fight for fans, it would serve as a general litmus test for both fighters, who are sort of at a crossroads. Cotto is already headed for the Hall of Fame – no matter what he does from here- but we don’t really know if he’s all that different from the guy who Trout swam past, or who Mayweather left out in the cold. While Alvarez, who’s been busy flattering himself in a ri-DIC-ulous way on facebook [visit him why don’t cha], has had his bust for infinity put on hold, following his elongated stint in timeout at the hands of Floyd. Is he already too far gone and revealed as an “over-hyped” sensation? We’ll see. But I hope this fight happens, and feel very firm about who would win.
T@z
I admire the spider.
He carefully cultivates and spins a network of silky thread with a devastatingly delectable design of precision. It?s produced to catch small prey, but it all too often ensnares much bigger prey.
Us.
Often times, this will annoy and make one rather uncomfortable for awhile, and we?ll try to avoid walking into this ?trap? if we can see it. And if you can do both- you might stop and stare. For not only did you not ?see him do it?, but you may pause to wonder how he even created something so dangerously beautiful, while focusing on what he?s captured and about to kill.
Alcatraz was once home to the most notorious killers in the nation. Located off the coast of San Francisco and now a world renowned tourist attraction, it was known more for being on an island no one could escape. Much like the aforementioned spider – once entangled in its web ? you were doomed.
When Saul Canelo Alvarez faced Floyd Mayweather last month, he tried to out-spider the spider. The problem for him is he could not design a web faster or better than Floyd, and wound up being out-styled and trapped in one of his own. When Miguel Cotto challenged Floyd last year, he did so as a creature who tried to prevent him from being able to design anything, until he got ?stupid? (as Team Alvarez famously stated in an episode from Showtime?s ?All Access?).
Interestingly enough, who looks smarter than Miguel Cotto now?
He brought in Freddie Roach, much to the chagrin of many (including myself), and the two proceeded to make a smashing debut out of Delvin Rodriguez. Depending on who you ask (don?t ask Brandon Rios or Robert Garcia- who said Delvin ?fought like a little bitch!?), this fight didn?t really prove much, and didn?t offer definitive proof as to whether or not Cotto isn?t ?reaaaaally? shot.
I don?t agree with that.
The Miguel Cotto I saw nearly two weeks ago, just using the eye test, would?ve beaten virtually anyone at 154lbs and was markedly improved under Roach in a few ways, thoughts of the competition be damned.
But could he actually beat Canelo Alvarez? Could he employ the same strategy he unveiled against Rodriguez and escape the island that is Alvarez?
Very good questions? Let?s get some answers.
Saul Canelo Alvarez vs. Miguel Cotto
I always marvel at how one fight can so change the perception of a fighter, both in ways good and bad. Many times these perceptions are false, and I?m going to go ahead and stake my entire reputation on the line and tell you all that so many will be wrong about the negative perception surrounding Manny Pacquiao. He?s going to destroy Brandon Rios and re-ignite talks of a superfight with Floyd Mayweather (WATCH.) in the process. Miguel Cotto ?seems to be? a devil of a different kind following his possession of Rodriguez, but I believe that?s misleading too. Freddie Roach is very good at determining the psychological make-up of a fighter and what may leave him undone, and he inculcated this into the mind of Cotto. He never relented or waited on Rodriguez, and correctly advanced him in a way that called his bluff.
Let him try that with Alvarez.
Many are misinterpreting Canelo?s performance against Mayweather to be some sort of indictment that he?s ?overrated?. This isn?t fair to him- or to Mayweather, because Floyd understood who he was and executed after staunch preparation. Canelo is a ?trapper? and a counterpuncher by nature. He wants to lure you into exchanges and in his range, so as to engage you with sneaky power shots and damaging inside combinations. Miguel Cotto does not possess Floyd?s escapability, defensive prowess, movement or overall boxing ability.
No one does.
He would ultimately realize his punches would not have nearly the same impact on Alvarez as they did on the very frightened Rodriguez, while immediately understanding that Canelo can hurt him badly. The fight would be a scintillating one, featuring fierce exchanges and heavy action. I believe the tense nature of it would be similar to Miguel?s duel with Mosley.
For awhile.
Then Canelo would start to break Miguel down and get him into retreat, and once Miguel starts backing up- the fight is OVER. Saul Canelo Alvarez would patiently and methodically overwhelm Miguel Cotto with a faster and more overall lethal attack, subduing the game Puerto Rican great in the 9th round of a terrific action fight.
