Sergio Martinez will make the seventh defence of his WBC middleweight title against Miguel Cotto, it was formally announced on Thursday. Negotiations for the June 7 fight at Madison Square Garden in New York have been protracted with Cotto's team reportedly digging their heels in. However, the 39-year-old champion has resolved to 'give Cotto everything he wants' to make the bout happen, including the first name in the billing of the fight. Martinez has been knocked down in his last three fights against Matthew Macklin, Julio Cesar Chavez jnr and Martin Murray, but came away with the win on each occasion. But with injuries keeping him out of the ring since last April the crown sits uneasily on the Argentinian - although Cotto is no spring chicken either. At 33, the Puerto Rican has enjoyed a stellar career that has seen him reign in three weight classes, however numerous hard fights have taken their toll of late. Cotto snapped a two-fight losing streak with victory over the unheralded Delvin Rodriguez in October, although that fight - his first under trainer Freddie Roach - proved that the veteran still had plenty to offer. And he is looking forward to fighting for the ninth time in New York, in front of his huge fan base. "I am very happy to be back again to my second home, Madison Square Garden in New York, to once again make history in front of my fans," said Cotto. "I will be ready and prepared to do whatever it takes to bring the WBC middleweight title of the world to my country of Puerto Rico." Southpaw Martinez is also looking forward to what could be his swansong. "It has been my dream to fight in the big room at Madison Square Garden, a place where many great fighters have showcased their talents," he said. It will be Cotto's first fight at middleweight and a catchweight of 159lb - just one pound under the division's normal limit - has been agreed.
Yup - lookin forward to this one! Cotto's Jonesin for it badly, very much wants to make the history books. Won't be a walkthrough for him though. Cotto by decision.
Based on seeing SM in many of his fights not, I don't think Cotto will be able to hurt him as far as head shots (though yes, anyone can be hurt). Cotto's absolute best chance has to be to beat Martinez' body into pure submission and in the past Cotto's stamina has been in question. He has said he felt much better than in the past training with Roach... however, Roach DOES NOT know how to fight a pure boxer. If you watch many of his fights he has a terrible track record against them. Martinez is there to be hit, but he has the speed advantage. His surgeries worry me though. That knee has given him a lot of issues for a few years. It's a difficult pick for me. I am not convinced based on 1 fight against a B-fighter that Cotto is back to being the body wrecking machine he has been in the past, but he gave Floyd (a sick Floyd) a good fight and was close with Trout. Either way, he goes for his 4th weight class title and if he wins he's the first PR fighter to do it... if not, he gave it his best. I'll predict when I see how Cotto fills out at 160.
Don't expect him to look like GGG! He's stretching no doubt and if there are speed issues with Cotto, those 'issues' are going to materialise into major factors after the weight. Cotto's good on the inside and does very well in short, intense sessions but if Sergio comes into the fight with good legs, conditioned for a body-working then the slight edge for a decision that I give Cotto could turn. But one has to flip a coin and I think the heads will fall with Cotto this time. Like our boxing coach pointed out not long ago, if you want to see how a fighter's gonna do, watch how he goes into the ring and tests out the ropes - see him hopping up and down? Now that I think about it, I might just hold my prediction till Sergio enters the ring
This is actually interesting because though I think Golovkin is a great fighter, I think he falls just a bit short of elite and the reasons are the following: 1. Rosado... well he lost and was a bloody mess afterward, but he gave GGG a lot to think about. His movement seemed to cause some real issues for Golovkin. 2. His last fight against Stevens proved he could certainly take a punch and Stevens is a hard puncher. However, the word is Golovkin was recently knocked down in sparring... does that mean anything? Not to your average fighter who just gets up and tries again. Golovkin in 400+ amateur fights and however many pro fights now which I don't recall ATM, has NEVER been knocked down. Little things like that might or might not shake his confidence. While GGG wasn't "hurt" by Stevens, I believe he was stunned... put in a guy with good movement AND pop and what would happen? Sergio perhaps? If he's still got the legs for it I do not rule out a Martinez win at all. Ultimately the probable scenario IMO is that Martinez beats Cotto and then losses to Govolkin. If Cotto wins, we won't see Cotto vs. GGG ... and I HOPE Cotto would retire with such a great, history making win, then the money hounds start to chatter in your ear about this fight and that one which might just be downhill from there. Side note: I have heard that Floyd will be at the Cotto Martinez fight. If Martinez wins, look for some negotiations to possibly start there.
I'd heard that the one who knocked down Golovkin during sparring was none other than Cotto himself! Presumably training for a 160 match. Saw it from two different sources but they are too dodgy to list. I'm doubtful but it would be eye-opening if it were true
Are you sure it wasn't Jose Cotto? Miguel's brother. I just see Cotto being to prideful to be anybody's sparring partner that is another "star" boxer. It's almost looked down on in the boxing world for some reason. I couldn't find that on a search, but I did see Jose Cotto in there somewhere.
I found this... it was Tyrell Hendrix LANGUAGE WARNING! [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBc0c9CEPcg"]Tyrell Hendrix on Sparring Gennday Golovkin and his Power EsNews Boxing - YouTube[/ame]
Nahh. it warn't Jose - it looks like it had been back during Cotto's training for the Trout fight...my bad. Anyroads, there'd been some chatter about GGG taking a few dings during the sparring, but you know how much chatter is worth... http://www.boxingnews24.com/2012/10/cotto-sparring-with-golovkin-to-get-ready-for-trout/
I agree with the article... I don't see why he would have used GGG to spar for a fight with Trout... they are as far apart stylewise as east and west. Dumb move if it were true.
Ahhh...here some of it is - just bs chatter - "There Were rumors that Cotto Sparred with Golovkin when he was training for austin trout in big bear camp, and schooled golovkin in sparring even knocking him down , ofcource it never came out because according to to his ppl he didnt want it to come out, i see cotto beating Canelo , not by ko, but by punishing him all 12 round, exsperience is key and cotto has plenty of it, No one really gives cotto Credit for giving mayweather the fight of his life and not to mention, He got robbed in the trout fight… Posted May 8, 2013 " http://www.boxingnews24.com/?comments_popup=147464 Anyroads, you expect that Martinez will still be retaining Middleweight C on 8 June? Odd thing is, if Cotto did manage it, that would place him above Gennady, Felix Strum, etc. at least on paper. A bit daffy in some respects but overall, I like the Martinez/Cotto fight.
