What if? Cotto v martinez

What if a rejuvenated cotto shows his impervious pre margarito 147 form and beats the carp out of Martinez? Cotto is a free agent, he can fight on either hbo or showtime. Is a mayweather rematch for the lineal middle weight crown the biggest fight that can be made in world boxing, is a pacquio rematch for a questionable 9th division a close 2nd?

There are some here that see a cotto win as the probable outcome, imagine the possibilities of a cotto win. A cotto v ggg fight would be the most unlikely outcome I'd guess.

A Martinez win may bring GGG into the picture, a Cotto win probably leave GGG out in the cold.

Personally I think a one legged Martinez beats Cotto, and possibly quiet badly. Cotto has been one of my favourite fighters of recent times, but margarito stole something from him that night, and I don't see him finding it at 160lbs.

Anyway, how do you see the fight going? And what do you see as the consequences of the outcome?

Martinez late stoppage.

If Cotto did somehow pick up this miraculous upset (Of which he simply can't) I would imagine a big payday with Canelo is most likely, mate.

I think Martinez is shot..It's a real 60/40 fight...and the odds reflect that.

My concern for Cotto is his power at 160...

Why I'm picking Martinez by late tko

Peak for peak Sergio > Cotto. Don't know what would have to happen for Sergio to lose to Miguel, but I don't think it's happened yet.

Probably Alvarez if he does win

Austin Trout at LMW showed how Cotto will struggle to these much bigger men with huge height and reach advantages, Martinez has genuine power to go with that.

Cotto is in for a shellacking and I say that a tad upset as I am a huge Cotto fan.

I think Sergio is too big and hits to hard, its a real shame that two of my favourite fighters are fighting each other =/

I miss judged the cotto sentiment, everyone picking a Martinez to win. I have to agree, I think the one of the most likely outcomes after this fight is a double retirement. Cotto could get an awful beat down if Martinez is 100% mobile.

I feel its a bridge too far for Cotto,but I've alway's had a lot of time for Cotto and would love to see him pull it off,don't see it though.

I'm a big cotto fan love to watch him fight but can't see him beating Martinez he's too big too strong and awesomely talented. I think cotto has to drag him into a war and hope he can get a win that way but think Martinez will keep him at a distant and win by UD

I have no idea how this will go. Martinez, as great as he was, hasn't been stella in his last couple of outings. I think he maybe slowing with age. He's been out ofthe ring for si long it will be intetesting what hechas left.

titaniumjaw wrote:I'm a big cotto fan love to watch him fight but can't see him beating Martinez he's too big too strong and awesomely talented. I think cotto has to drag him into a war and hope he can get a win that way but think Martinez will keep him at a distant and win by UD

That's how I'm seeing it,just too big for Cotto, even Cotto dragging Martinez into a war can he take Martinez's big shots I don't think so.

It was only two fights ago that Martinez was making Chavez look like an amateur, the thing is Murray was a big strong Middleweight who could take a punch. A small relatively light hitting former Welterweight isn't going to expose the same vulnerabilities.

I really cant see an upset happening here, and I too am a big Cotto fan.

Martinez too big, powerful and far too awkward/quick for Cotto to handle.

Pacquiao from round 3 onwards just bamboozled Cotto with his in and out style, awkward shot selection, and general speed.

Martinez fights very similar in that he throws from the hips, quick in and out style (see vs Pavlik fight) and has the power to detonate big named fighters (see vs Williams).

Saying that, he can be made to look bad by a stand up boxer puncher and intelligent pressure fighters as well (see vs Murray/Barker).

Cotto is a brilliant stand up puncher, boxer, body snatcher...........but that does simply not work against a mobile fighter who throws from everywhere in and out.

It may have worked a bit against Floyd who is happy with side to side movement and sits on the ropes firing counters, but Martinez will be more powerful and will end up hurting Cotto around the 6th.

Im expecting a cagey start with Cotto boxing nicely, popping that jab and working the body with a high guard.

After around the 4th, Martinez settles, and takes over, stopping a bloodied Cotto between 6-8in what will be (sadly) his last appearance in the ring.

Martinez vs GGG in the September.

The biggest factor to me is if Martinez's performance against Murray was a one off or if age and injuries have caught up with him and he's dare I say it 'past his prime.'

If the Martinez pre Murray is there then I expect him to cruise past Cotto. If not then it may be a little closer.

Martinez is not a big MW but Cotto is tiny at the weight. Martinez has everything to his advantage in this fight except age so even if he has slipped a little he still has enough to handle Cotto.

They are two of my favourite fighters so don't want to see either embarrassed.

'If' Cotto wins I expect either him to fight Canelo and the winner fight Mayweather for a chance of a 6th divisional title or fight Mayweather straight after.

Either would be huge and I expect guarentee the PPV sales Mayweather needs. One stumbling block is Martinez is bound to HBO.

He only has the one fight left on his HBO deal after the Cotto fight, slowly they are losing a lot of their big name fighters.

Martinez was pushed by macklin and murray (two people I dont believe would have lived with him in his pomp).

I'm not sure what it means for a slick truly world class fighter to outbox chavez.

I haven't seen the barker fight so I dont know how he looked in that one.

He's been out the ring for such along time none of us know how he will perform.

Cotto is my all time favourite boxer, but, Going to have to go with the general consensus here and say Martinez will have too much for Cotto. He'll dwarf him, should beat him to the punch and his footwork should be too good for Cotto to swarm him.

In the age of the internet prophet, if Cotto does pull off a stunning upset he'll get no credit as Martinez was totally shot and we all knew that.

I'm more excited for this fight than Froch Groves. Mainly because I'm going ! First time in MSG as well. Top banana!

Enjoy mate - Yah, there'll probably be mutterings of Martinez's demise if he loses, and absolutely no credit to Cotto if he wins, byte I think the reality of the matter is Tom and his dog know who wins in a peak for peak fight, especially at 160. Cotto himself has more or less stated that he's taking this fight because he's of the opinion that Martinez is done, so it's rare, but this is one of the few times I go with the internet prophets.

Thanks, bit of a bucket list thing for me and softens the blow of getting diddled on Froch Groves tickets by all those touts.

In a way, I won't be gutted if Martinez does the business. No disgrace to Cotto and we'll probably see Alvarez/GGG fights on the horizon.

Wow, what a fight to see live. The atmosphere with cotto's fans rocking the place will be a crazy experience. Cotto on the eve of Puerto Rican day in MSG is one of those classic events, and against Martinez it could well be the best atmosphere to date. Jealous doesn't quite cover it.
Please post about it when you get back.

I think Martinez is pretty shot. 40 yrs old, body and reflexes breaking down. That said, Cotto is also worn and nowhere near a genuine LM, let alone a MW. If Martinez knees hold, he wins comfortably.

Martinez will knock Cotto out.

Should Cotto spring an upset, expect Mayweather to suddenly become interested in winning the middleweight championship.

Will do, jimdig. Will do

Let's hope Cotto wins then...Haz !!

Shame Hagler wasn't as ambitious as Floyd...Spinks may have been more interesting than banging out Hamsho and Obel twice..

If Hagler was fighting now you wouldn't rate him Mate..

Seeing your favourite fighter at MSG. Fantastic, hope he puts in a performance for you dipper.

I guess the fight is really about whose fallen furthest. Given his natural advantages, it would need a big slide from martinez, but the signs are there. Martinez obviously favourite, but not the kind of fight I like to make predictions on.

Thought he lost to Murray..and he was half dead in the last against JCC..

Has Cotto got a dig at 160 ??

Enjoy it Dipper. Have never been to MSG, is definitely one on my personal bucket list. Vegas was great but MSG has the history.

Any chance we can avoid turning this into a thread about Floyd? Realise he is obviously absolutely fascinating but if we aspire to maintain around 50% of threads on here that do not degenerate into the same discussions we have been having about him for what seems like eternity that might potentially be nice.

You can potentially avoid the thread..

According to Roach, Cotto has fantastic power at the weight and he will stop Martinez in 4.

He also mentioned Pacman would stop Bradley, Rios and Marquez as well so id take it with a pinch of salt.

Unfortunately I can't Truss, I have to try and read them all. You however have the option of ignoring Floyd jibes.

You'd think I'd know better Rowls...

But I'm a dumb teenager stuck in a 39ish body..

Enjoy Dipper should be a fantastic event, I believe the fight will be closer than many believe, I dont rate Macklin/Murray that highly and they pushed Martinez, appreciate Cotto is a smaller man to those two, but his skills are at a much higher level. Martinez to nick it but not by much.

Cheers Rodders

Miguel is a much smaller man, and hasn't been a middleweight since he was ten. He should be on a hiding to nothing, but who knows.

I hate this fight. Really hate it.

kingraf wrote:Peak for peak Sergio > Cotto.  Don't know what would have to happen for Sergio to lose to Miguel, but I don't think it's happened yet.

Probably Alvarez if he does win

Equally, one missed call by the ref in Buenes Aries saved Martinez from losing to Muirray.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Let's hope Cotto wins then...Haz !!

Shame Hagler wasn't as ambitious as Floyd...Spinks may have been more interesting than banging out Hamsho and Obel twice..

If Hagler was fighting now you wouldn't rate him Mate..

A guy that cleaned up his weight division and repeatedly took on the top ranked contenders? Na, wouldn't rate that guy. Just like I don't rate Andre Ward.

kingraf wrote:Miguel is a much smaller man, and hasn't been a middleweight since he was ten. He should be on a hiding to nothing, but who knows.

strange but true, he was a fat kid wasn't he.... Just think, he's been boiling down all this time, and finally he gets to fight at his natural weight.

Just think you have a real downer on modern fighters...Haz...

Bit like Grandpa moaning about the kids of today.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Just think you have a real downer on modern fighters...Haz...

Bit like Grandpa moaning about the kids of today.

I have a downer on the system rather than the fighters. The fighters are the only reason I still watch.

But yeah, I'm right grumpy these days.

Cotto will lose

I think he'll get absolutely spanked.

Easy night for Sergio.

Counter punchers Cotto's face off until Cotto quits or his uncle throws in the towel.

Nothing Cotto throws will bother Martinez, it will be easy pickings and Cotto will deffo be stopped

Cotto's power didn't really travel great to 147 and even less so at 154 so imagine what it'll be like at 159. Yes Sergio struggled with murray and has had injuries but Murray is 6ft and a huge naturally strong middleweight who may not be in cotto's class but would whip cotto at 160

Sergio by late ko

Reminds me to a degree of Duran facing Hagler, nobody gave him a chance but he surprised a few, maybe Cotto will do the same however unlikely that is.

I'd love to see cotto competitive, no actually on 2nd thoughts I wouldn't. He's the sort of guy that'd fight GGG next. He isn't competitive above 147, he couldn't handle the big welters, Margo obviously, but clottey also. This could end like Williams 2. Cotto is well past prime and fighting at his highest weight against an elite fighter, it's a bit mad really.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Reminds me to a degree of Duran facing Hagler, nobody gave him a chance but he surprised a few, maybe Cotto will do the same however unlikely that is.

Get a feeling it will be a tad more like De La Hoya/Hopkins to be honest.