The date is set for two protagonists Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito who will make their way to the ring to fight for the WBA Welterweight Championship on July 26th at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Miguel Cotto’s astounding record of 32-0 and 25 by way of KO’s is listed as the favorite boxer to win the fight and that is not a big surprise for any boxing aficionado.
Miguel Cotto, who moved from the WBO in 2006, has reined the WBA Welterweight Title since December 2nd of 2006, when he challenged and defeated Carlos Quintana by TKO in the fifth round.
Going back last year of March 2007, Miguel Cotto was challenged by Oktay Urkal, but Urkal's corner threw in the towel in the 11th round. The Puerto Rican was challenged again in June of 2007 by Zab Judah, a fight Miguel Cotto won, but not without a controversy. He defended the title by TKO in the 11th round, but Zab Judah argued that two low blows - points deducted landed by Cotto were intentional and led to the TKO in the 11th.
If Cotto decided to go toe to toe with Margarito this might be a bad idea and might spell suicide for the Puerto Rican. Cotto can try and use Margarito’s arm reach against him by staying in the pocket, feinting and keeping Margarito off balance with fluid combination punching; alternating between the head and body. Margarito is one dimensional, so Cotto must take advantage of his versatility and follow his game plan. Margarito is pretty flat footed and prefers to plant his feet so he can throw straight punches and maximize his power. Cotto could perhaps make his punches a little more roundhouse rather than straight and give Margarito a degree of discomfort.
Antonio Margarito decided to challenge Cotto after a successful defense of his IBF title on April 12th 2008 in New Jersey against Kermit Cintron, knocking him out in the sixth round. But instead of fighting with Joshua Clottey whom he has beaten before, Margarito decided to vacate the IBF and face Cotto instead.
Antonio Margarito hails from Tijuana Mexico and at five feet eleven inches tall is considered to be a tall boxer for a welterweight. He’s a brawler with sneaky power in both hands and has a damn good chin. Margarito is pure warrior—a “fighter.”
Margarito likes attacking the body and keeping up the kind of pressure that takes opponents out of their game plan and into his favorite fashion of fisticuffs; the brawl. Considering the way he is trained, with a high focus on endurance, Margarito’s main asset is his stamina and these factors could be the big difference in beating Miguel Cotto.
Miguel Cotto vs Antonio Margarito at MGM Grand