[jackman]

Django, your last line sums it up. Cotto is a decent fighter but he's not in the elite class.  He is fairly versatile with a good jab and decent power but he's taken a lot of punishment and is slowing down quickly. He cuts easy and is easy to hit. I think Floyd expects to cut this guy up and finish him off without taking any return fire.

Floyd is a great defensive fighter and I can not envision a scenario in which Cotto wins this fight. If he tries to stay on they outside, Floyd will pick him apart. If he tries to go on the inside, Floyd will knock him out early. 

I'd rather see Floyd fight a 154 pounder still in his prime. Someone like, oh I don't know, James Kirkland!  Not saying it would be easy but Kirkland is so strong and ready to step up. I think he would be a much better fight than a shot fighter like Cotto.

[dB Cooper]

Cotto isn't exactly "shot" but has a good amount of city miles on him, mainly from the first Margacheato fight and from Manny. Cotto would have to hurt Floyd to win; Floyd can win just by outboxing Cotto (the most likely scenario imho). It took Pacquiao until the second half to really start taking control though and he hits harder than Floyd so who the hell knows. I won't support anything until Manny vs. Money.

BTW I predict Floyd will be dead broke less than 10 years after retiring for real. Probably 5 years will do it.

[ecramer]

To many groomed fights. And a lack of top tier talent boxing needs an other tyson. Ivebeen watching a lot of UFC. The sweat science has lost its sugar l.

[Rclark]

 

 Yeah.. everything comes in waves..

 I do think these two will fight after these next bouts....

 Meanwhile I want to see some new boxing movies. I want a movie about Sugar Ray Robinson. THE GREATEST.

[django11]

To many groomed fights. And a lack of top tier talent boxing needs an other tyson. Ivebeen watching a lot of UFC. The sweat science has lost its sugar l.

I don't know why but UFC has none of the magic that boxing has for me.  It reminds me too much of fighting with my big brother or certain "friends".  A lot of the best boxing match ups are the unheralded stuff that nobody expects much of and they turn out to be great.  Berto vs Ortiz comes to mind, Alcine vs Lemieux, Rodriguez vs Wolak, Khan Peterson etc...

Tyson was breathtaking to watch but he wasn't in a lot of great fights.  He was a real locomotive for the sport though.

[jackman]

Tyson was a great media marketing creation, a cartoon character, but he was never a legitimately great fighter.  His opponents were carefully selected and he was never in a truly great fight - unless you enjoy seeing overmatched bums getting dusted off. Dont get me wrong, it was fun to watch, but it wasnt great boxing.  Lennox Lewis would have killed Tyson in Tyson's prime.  Evander Hollifield unmasked Tyson as a coward. A guy who intentionally got disqualified by biting off a guy's ear because he was getting his ass kicked in the ring.  Ali, Foreman and Frasier would have destroyed Tyson at any point in his career.  I would have paid to see a young Foreman or Ali face Tyson.  Tyson wouldn't stand a chance.

Say what you want about Manny, but he has faced the best at every weightclass and has been in some great fights. He is a true champion. Floyd is a loudmouth punk who has hand picked guys he knows he can beat.  Cotto is shot and easy to hit. He lacks the speed to catch Floyd, the power to stop him and the skill to make this a good fight.

I disagree regarding Floyd's power. When he decides to let his hands fly, he has surprising power. He is a much bigger up than Manny but Manny has more heart. If Manny and Floyd ever meet in the ring, it will be fun to watch.

I am a UFC fan but like boxing so much more.  The thing I like about the UFC is that they make the best guys fight the other top contenders. MMA fighters are not protected or allowed to hand pick guys they know they can beat. Ive seen very few great mma fights but have seen countless great boxing matches.

[dB Cooper]

Agree with almost everything jackman says about Tyson. The classic frontrunner. He actually was in a couple great fights- only problem, they were the ones he lost.  Peaked during one of the weakest eras in modern heavyweight history. (One of his title "challengers", Bruce Seldon, went down from a "punch" that didn't even land). Thoroughly exposed, first by Douglas, then by Holyfield. When it came  time to dig deep and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, he couldn't. He should have been banned from the sport after the second Holyfield fight.

Agree that Floyd is a loudmouth punk. Perfect example, when he met Ray Leonard: Instead of shaking his hand, saying something like we-woulda-put-on-a-real-good-fight, maybe put on a fight-poster pose for the cameras, he goes off about how he would kicked Ray's ass etc. FWIW I think Ray would have knocked him out late.

A loss might actually be one of the best things that could happen to Floyd as a human being. But I mean a decisive loss, not one his big mouth could argue with.

Floyd is not feather fisted but neither is he a one-punch type knockout guy. His KOs tend to follow accumulation-of-punishment scenarios.

[jackman]

DB - I agree with your comments. Tyson should have been suspended for intentionally biting off part of a Evander's ear!  In what other sport can you do that without being suspended, banned or even have them stop the match?  Evander's was a warrior for continuing and kicking Tyson's sorry ass. That was perhaps the biggest act of cowardice I have get seen in the ring.

Floyd has power and speed. You know the old saying about the most dangerous punch...the one you don't see coming. He can punch from all angles and has the foot speed to get out of trouble quickly.  Having said that, I think Sugar Ray Leonard would have beat Floyd.  Sugar Ray won some great battles against Hearns and Duran. Floyd has no memorable fights I can recall.

[dB Cooper]

jackman- I heard that the reason the second Holyfield-Tyson fight wasn't stopped on the first bite was that when Mills Lane went over to Holyfield's corner to tell him he was DQ'ing Tyson, Holyfield said something along the lines of "Hell no, I'm gonna knock him out", and Mills thought he deserved the chance.

Thought I remembered Tyson did get suspended, but  imo that wasn't enough. We're not talking about a low punch or a head butt here.

Ray TKO'd Benitez, a hall-of-famer with legendary defense. If Ray could find him, he could find Floyd.

[django11]

  Cotto is shot and easy to hit.

I don't think Cotto is shot.  He has been fighting smarter since being squashed by Manny and is still widely regarded as the top guy at 154.  He doesn't have Floyd's physical attributes (who does?) and is more methodical.  And I don't think he can win but I do think he deserves a bit more respect.   He is arguably Floyd's biggest challenge in a long time.  When you look at the list of guys Floyd has fought it is really quite weak:http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=352&cat=boxer

I disagree regarding Floyd's power. When he decides to let his hands fly, he has surprising power.

Floyd hits guys very clean with punches they don't see coming but he his not a big one punch KO guy.  (I ignore the Ortiz fight)  Floyd's last KO was of a blown up Hatton in 2007 and the one before that was Sharmba Mitchell in 2005.  Cotto at 154 should be more able to handle his punch.

[dB Cooper]

That list makes an interesting read. There are some good names on it, even a few Hall-of-Famers, but top-tier fighters who were in their prime, and at their best weight, when Floyd fought them? I couldn't find a single one. Most of the "names" were too old, too ringworn, too small, or some combination of these. I think Mayweather would have lost to Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, and possibly a prime Oscar. Maybe Duran even.

Two and a half years ago, when Manny was thought to be peaking, Floyd wanted no part of him. Now that some think he is slipping, based off his less-than-dominant showing vs Marquez, all of a sudden he wants the fight bad. What a d**k.

[Rclark]

I can't abide all this anti Mike Tyson talk. I'll be back later to "duke it out".

[jackman]

Django, okay, maybe Cotto has a bit of gas left in the tank but his style is tailor made for Mayweather.  He is slow footed, easy to hit and cuts easy these days because of all of the punishment he has taken over the years.  I don't care what the bogus boxing ratings say, Cotto is not the top fighter at 154.  I would have preferred a rematch with Victor Ortiz who was holding his own and starting to get to Floyd when he was cheap shotted/sucker punched.  I also would have preferred to see Floyd face a real contender like James Kirkland.  That would be a fun fight. 

DB - I'm not saying Floyd is a knockout artist but he hits harder than you think.  He will find Cotto easy to hit and could finish him if he wishes.  Pretty Boy doesn't have lots of knockouts but that's by choice in many cases.  He doesn't need to knock guys out and can win easily by staying outside.  I think he will knock out Cotto.  Also, Floyd would have beat Duran and would have killed a young Oscar.  I hate Floyd's attitude and they way he acts but he is a tough guy, especially with hand picked opponents.  He picks guys who are good enough to make it look legit but with styles he can easily handle.  Smart guy but I give him no respect because he refuses to fight the best. 

[django11]

I don't care what the bogus boxing ratings say, Cotto is not the top fighter at 154.  . 

I am not referring to the fraudulent  sanctioning bodies(WBA,IBF etc).  But sites like Ring Magazine, Fight News ESPN Sports and Box Rec and their commentators.

DB -  Also, Floyd would have beat Duran and would have killed a young Oscar. 

Come on, Floyd only beat an old, semi retired,  coke fatigued version of Oscar by split decision...  Many think that Castillo won one of their fights at 135 so I say a prime Duran would have made Floyd say "uncle"...

[jackman]

Maybe you are right.  I would fork over the cash to see Floyd face any of those guys.  Heck, I'd pay double to see him face the toughest guy in the lightweight division I have ever seen, the guy Sugar Ray and Duran both dodged...the Hawk, Aaron Prior.  Prior was a beast and would have walked through Floyd's punches like he walked through the great Alexis Arguello's punches. 

[django11]

I agree with you that Floyd is incredibly talented but his resume is more notable for guys he managed to avoid at 135,140 and 147. 

Having said that other stuff it is pretty incredible watching Floyd in the ring.  He seems way above everybody.  A bit like Roy Jones looked over his opposition.  Until that Tarver fight  .

[dB Cooper]

Roy also avoided virtually every remotely credible challenger until Tarver got him. As a result, he was a great fighter who was never in a great fight. Michalzweski, Collins, Benn, Hopkins rematch, Roy ducked 'em all, strongly preferring the no hopers. Floyd seems content to go down the same road but wants to be thought of as the best ever.

[django11]

Agree on Roy.

Pacquiao-Bradley is now signed ..  Arum is hoping to do Marquez Peterson too ( I kind of like that one).  With the winners to meet.  The point  being to irritate Mayweather (and the fans)...

[dB Cooper]

BIG 'NO' on Pacquiao-Marquez 4. ENOUGH ALREADY. Bradley could be a decent challenge even if it has little edge-of-seat potential. I admire Peterson and his determination but he is not a top-tier talent. He got a hometown decision against Khan. Marquez is better defensively than Khan and much more experienced than Peterson, and Peterson will have trouble with him even if he might be a little bigger (haven't seen a 'tale of the tape'). Action while it lasts though.

[django11]

I agree about Bradley.  He might even find a way to win.  That would be anticlimactic...