No Lie, Cotto Has No Chance Vs. Mayweather

Published

13 years ago

April 5, 2012

Lee Wylie

MayweatherCottoLAPC Hogan25 As if by law, no HBO super fight goes by without receiving the “Face Off With Max Kellerman” treatment. It has become a customary pre fight ritual.

In the latest installment, Max Kellerman, Miguel Cotto, and more importantly Floyd Mayweather, do their best in trying to promote the fight. As usual, Mayweather is in top form – his promotional skills, along with his boxing skills, have made him boxing's highest earner. Kellerman and Cotto also provide intrigue by giving the viewers belief that Cotto may be the exception to Mayweather's undefeated rule. The truth is, this is not really an even contest. And all three participants of the latest Face Off likely know this. Despite HBO's best efforts to make you believe otherwise, the fact that the Face Off is a promotional tool, I offer, is the reason that Mayweather and Cotto don't say what is really on their minds.

With this in mind then, can you imagine if HBO changed their formula? And instead of a face off, we got an interrogation, with both fighters rigged up to a lie detector test? Now that would be compelling TV!

For fun then, here is how I think a transcript may look, if Cotto, and in particular Mayweather, were incapable of telling a lie in order to promote their fight.

Kellerman: How do you beat Floyd Mayweather?

Cotto: I really don't know. I defeated Zab Judah and Shane Mosley, two fighters with very fast hands, so I'm hoping that may help me in this fight. Maybe Floyd will suddenly grow old over night?

Kellerman: Floyd, how is Cotto going to fight you, do you think?

Mayweather: It's like this Max. I don't think, I know. I've studied hours and hours of Miguel. Because my boxing IQ is so high, I will have an answer for everything he can do in there, which by the way, isn't a whole lot. That's why team Mayweather picked Cotto for the fight in the first place. Big money for me, with little risk of defeat.

Kellerman: So why is he going to be the 43rd?

Mayweather: It's real simple Max. Miguel is a converted southpaw, a lead handed attacker. Have you ever saw my defense penetrated with a lead left hook? Neither have I. Look, it's like this…Cotto is going to come at me looking to land his left hook. I'm going to take that shot away, and put it in the back pocket along with Mosley's left hook, De La Hoya's left hook and Ortiz' right hook. You see Max, these one dimensional attackers with a primary offensive weapon are real easy for me to take care of. My defense is designed for these types of fighters. Once I take their best asset away, it's game over for them. And that's when my straight right hand comes into play. I'm gonna move away from his left hand and land my straight right all night long. Notice Max, Miguel seldom throws his right hand.

Cotto: He's right Max, I don’t have much use for my right hand on offense. It just doesn’t seem natural.

Mayweather: Not only that Miguel, but your footwork! Because you are a converted southpaw, your movement is awkward. Your legs are not in sync with your upper body. You don't seem to know which way to turn. That's what cost you against Pacquiao, not those few extra pounds you had to lose.

Kellerman: By moving up to junior middleweight then Floyd, you will be facing the best Miguel Cotto, right?

Mayweather: Absolutely not. My speed advantage will be even greater up at that weight. You see, while my technical skills are better than his, my speed is far greater than his. I'm gonna beat him to the punch every single time. Miguel, you only let your shots go when you are standing flat footed, right?

Cotto: Right.

Mayweather: There you go Max, as you can see, I've done my homework. I'll be keying off his feet all night long.

Kellerman: Miguel, it's difficult seeing you outboxing Floyd. Do you feel we will have to see more of the old Miguel? More of that hard left hook to the body?

Miguel: Exactly Max, although you have just told Floyd my strategy.

Mayweather: Don't worry about it Miguel, I had that bad boy scouted back in 2007. You rarely use it these days and if you decide to bring it on May 5th, that's all good. Like I’ve said before, Floyd Mayweather has you well scouted. Like all my opponents, they are carefully chosen as a result of an obvious trait I can expose. You are no different. I know exactly what makes you perform at your best in the ring, and what makes you perform at your worst in the ring. Guess what Max, I'm here to bring out the worst in Miguel Cotto.

Cotto: But my victory over Margarito proves I have improved. I can now box and move, can I not?

Mayweather: You can not. Sorry Miguel. Your victory over Margarito proved two things in my eyes. Firstly, Margarito was loaded up to the eyeballs in plaster of paris in your first fight, I suspect. I mean, your face, it was nearly as bashed as when Pacquiao messed it up real bad. Secondly, in your two fights with Margarito, I notice you don't seem to fight well backing up.

Cotto: I don't feel comfortable backing up, no. Margarito has exposed me not once, but twice in this area. Luckily for me in the second fight, Margarito's eye got worse. It's a good thing you don't have the power to back me up then.

Mayweather: That's what they all say, Miguel. Because my shots are so fast and accurate, it comes as a shock to be on the receiving end of such clean blows. By the middle rounds, you will be backing up, getting systematically walked down. Luckily for you, you seem like a real nice guy and I don't take too many risks on offense. I respect your left hook Miguel, and that's why I’m not willing to press for the knockout. If you landed it, who knows? I'm not willing to risk my undefeated record, which is my meal ticket by the way, just to give the fans what they want.

Kellerman: Predictions guys?

Cotto: I'm going to start off boxing, only to be outboxed. I'm going to try and close the distance and land my left hook, only for that to be taken away. Then? I don't know what happens.

Mayweather: Straight right hand city for twelve rounds, is what happens Miguel. It's like this, like I told him Max, he does seem like a great guy, I do like his watch and he is bringing a lot of money to the pot. I will back him up by the middle rounds, but I promise…pinky swear, I won't knock him out. We all know that ain't my style these days anyway.

Kellerman: Any final words?

Cotto: Thank you Floyd, you are giving me the biggest payday of my career. And now I realize I don't have much of a shot in this fight.

Mayweather: Tune in for yet another Mayweather fight seen as a risk. I'd like to thank Miguel, you have helped me create the illusion that this is a close and competitive fight. The reality is we are not gonna give the fans what they want to see. Which is to see me defeated. Do I respect you? Absolutely. Do you have a chance of defeating me? Absolutely not. Not in 2007, not now.

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Lee Wylie

Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City

Published

8 hours ago

January 24, 2025

Arne K. Lang

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Garry Jonas’ ProBox series returned to its regular home in Plant City, Florida, tonight with a card topped by a 10-round light heavyweight match between fast-rising Najee Lopez and former world title challenger Lenin Castillo. This was considered a step-up fight for the 25-year-old Lopez, an Atlanta-born-fighter of Puerto Rican heritage. Although the 36-year-old Castillo had lost two of his least three heading in, he had gone the distance with Dimitry Bivol and Marcus Browne and been stopped only once (by Callum Smith).

Lopez landed the cleaner punches throughout. Although Castillo seemed unfazed during the first half of the fight, he returned to his corner at the end of round five exhibiting signs of a fractured jaw.

In the next round, Lopez cornered him against the ropes and knocked him through the ropes with a left-right combination. Referee Emil Lombardo could have stopped the fight right there, but he allowed the courageous Castillo to carry on for a bit longer, finally stopping the fight as Castillo’s corner and a Florida commissioner were signaling that it was over.

The official time was 2:36 of round six. Bigger fights await the talented Lopez who improved to 13-0 with his tenth win inside the distance. Castillo declined to 25-7-1.

Co-Feature

In a stinker of a heavyweight fight, Stanley Wright, a paunchy, 34-year-old North Carolina journeyman, scored a big upset with a 10-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jeremiah Milton.

Wright carried 280 pounds, 100 pounds more than in his pro debut 11 years ago. Although he was undefeated (13-0, 11 KOs), he had never defeated an opponent with a winning record and his last four opponents were a miserable 19-48-2. Moreover, he took the fight on short notice.

What Wright had going for him was fast hands and, in the opening round, he put Milton on the canvas with a straight right hand. From that point, Milton fought tentatively and Wright, looking fatigued as early as the fourth round, fought only in spurts. It seemed doubtful that he could last the distance, but Milton, the subject of a 2021 profile in these pages, was wary of Wright’s power and unable to capitalize. “It’s almost as if Milton is afraid to win,” said ringside commentator Chris Algieri during the ninth stanza when the bout had devolved into a hugfest.

The judges had it 96-93 and 97-92 twice for the victorious Wright who boosted his record to 14-0 without improving his stature.

Also

In the TV opener, a 10-round contest in the junior middleweight division, Najee Lopez stablemate Darrelle Valsaint (12-0, 10 KOs) scored his career-best win with a second-round knockout of 35-year-old Dutch globetrotter Stephen Danyo (23-7-3).

A native Floridian of Haitian descent, the 22-year-old Valsaint was making his eighth start in Plant City. He rocked Danyo with a chopping right hand high on the temple and then, as Danyo slumped forward, delivered the coup-de-gras, a short left uppercut. The official time was 2:17 of round two.

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Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing Ye Joon Kim

Published

18 hours ago

January 24, 2025

Arne K. Lang

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Japan’s magnificent Naoya Inoue, appearing in his twenty-fourth title fight, scored his 11^th straight stoppage tonight while successfully defending his unified super bantamweight title, advancing his record to 29-0 (26 KOs) at the expense of Ye Joon Kim. The match at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena came to an end at the 2:25 mark of round four when U.S. referee Mark Nelson tolled “10” over the brave but overmatched Korean.

Kim, raised in a Seoul orphanage, had a few good moments, but the “Monster” found his rhythm in the third round, leaving Kim with a purplish welt under his left eye. In the next frame, he brought the match to a conclusion, staggering the Korean with a left and then finishing matters with an overhand right that put Kim on the seat of his pants, dazed and wincing in pain.

Kim, who brought a 21-2-2 record, took the fight on 10 days’ notice, replacing Australia’s Sam Goodman who suffered an eye injury in sparring that never healed properly, forcing him to withdraw twice.

Co-promoter Bob Arum, who was in the building, announced that Inoue’s next fight would happen in Las Vegas in the Spring. Speculation centers on Mexico City’s Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) who is ranked #1 by the WBC. However, there’s also speculation that the 31-year-old Inoue may move up to featherweight and seek to win a title in a fifth weight class, in which case a potential opponent is the winner of the Feb. 2 match between Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton. In “olden days,” this notion would have been dismissed as the Japanese superstar and Figueroa/Fulton have different promoters, but the arrival of Turki Alalshikh, the sport’s Daddy Warbucks, has changed the dynamic. Tonight, Naoya Inoue made his first start as a brand ambassador for Riyadh Season.

Simmering on the backburner is a megafight with countryman Junto Nakatani, an easy fight to make as Arum has ties to both. However, the powers-that-be would prefer more “marination.”

Inoue has appeared twice in Las Vegas, scoring a seventh-round stoppage of Jason Moloney in October of 2020 at the MGM Bubble and a third-round stoppage of Michael Dasmarinas at the Virgin Hotels in June of 2021.

Semi-wind-up

In a 12-round bout for a regional welterweight title, Jin Sasaki improved to 19-1-1 (17) with a unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai (29-15-3). The scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112.

Also

In a bout in which both contestants were on the canvas, Toshiki Shimomachi (20-1-3) edged out Misaki Hirano (11-2), winning a majority decision. A 28-year-old Osaka southpaw with a fan-friendly style, the lanky Shimomachi, unbeaten in his last 22 starts, competes as a super bantamweight. A match with Inoue may be in his future.

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Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino

Published

1 day ago

January 24, 2025

David A. Avila

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Model turned fighter Eric Priest jabbed and jolted his way into the super middleweight rankings with a shutout decision win over veteran Tyler Howard on Thursday.

In his first main event Priest (15-0, 8 KOs) proved ready for contender status by defusing every attack Tennessee’s Howard (20-3, 11 KOs) could muster at Commerce Casino, the second fight in six days at the LA County venue.

All ticket monies collected on the Folden Boy Promotions card were contributed to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation as they battle wildfires sprouting all over Los Angeles County due to high winds.

Priest, 26, had never fought anyone near Howard’s caliber but used a ramrod jab to keep the veteran off-balance and unable to muster a forceful counter-attack. Round after round the Korean-American fighter pumped left jabs while circling his opposition.

Though hit with power shots, none seemed to faze Howard but his own blows were unable to put a dent in Priest. After 10 rounds of the same repetitive action all three judges scored the fight 100-90 for Priest who now wins a regional super middleweight title.

Priest also joins the top 15 rankings of the WBA organization.

In a fight between evenly matched middleweights, Jordan Panthen (11-0, 9 KOs) remained undefeated after 10 rounds versus DeAundre Pettus (12-4, 7 KOs). Though equally skilled, Panthen simply out-worked the South Caroliina fighter to win by unanimous decision. No knockdowns were scored.

Other Bouts

Grant Flores (8-0, 6 KOs) knocked out Costa Rica’s David Lobo Ramirez (17-4, 12 KOs) with two successive right uppercuts at 2:59 of the second round of the super welterweight fight.

Cayden Griffith (3-0, 3 KOs) used a left hook to the body to stop Mark Misiura at 1:43 of the second round in a super welterweight bout.

Jordan Fuentes (3-0) floored Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) in the third round and proceeded to win by decision after four rounds in a super bantamweight fight.

A super featherweight match saw Leonardo Sanchez (8-0) win by decision over Joseph Cruz Brown (10-12) after six rounds.

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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