Does Miguel Cotto have a trick up his sleeve for his fight with Sergio Martinez on Saturday?
Will Martinez be able to wear a protective sleeve on his surgically-repaired right knee against Cotto?
Freddie Roach, who trains Cotto, admitted on Wednesday that he contacted the New York State Athletic Commission to eyeball the type of sleeve Martinez intends to wear for their WBC middleweight bout at Madison Square Garden.
Though he claims to be completely healthy, Martinez said he’s been told by his doctor to wear the sleeve for protection. Martinez’s promoter, Lou DiBella accused Cotto’s team of “messing” with him and Martinez by forcing a member of DiBella’s office to bring samples of the sleeve to the commission for inspection on Monday. DiBella’s attorney, Leon Margules, sent an email to the commission indicating that Martinez plans to wear a sleeve on each knee, one made by Thuasne Sport and the other by Aptonia for the bout.
The commission ruled that Martinez, who underwent surgery on his right knee last October, could wear them on Saturday after the state’s medical director examined them, according to a spokesman.
“We did ask to make sure it’s a sleeve and not a brace,” Roach said on Wednesday before the final press conference. The boxers were each given a Rangers jersey with their name on the back by former Rangers great Ron Duguay. “A brace has metal in it and could injure my fighter,” Roach went on. “A sleeve is just like a sock and we have no problem with that.”
