By Scoop Malinowski, Boxinginsider.com; This is it. These are the real warriors, the true champions. Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito are daring to see who is the best. They both believe it’s themselves. No doubt about it. I’m the best and I will face anyone who thinks he’s the best. Bring it on, is the mighty statement both Cotto and Margarito are saying as they have signed to fight each other in Las Vegas on July 26..
These are two warrior spirits who have never ever shown any, as Tim Witherspoon calls it – bitch – and never ever would or will. Cotto and Margarito are the essence of the symbols of what makes boxing the greatest sport on earth. Cotto and Margarito would never make any excuses to avoid fighting the best. Not a milligram of ‘bitch’ exists in their mighty compositions. Unlike the lying, double-talking hypocrite who has the nerve to call himself the best even though he has habitually ducked and dodged his most dangerous challengers. “I’ll beat anyone from 154 on down.” “I don’t duck or dodge anyone.”
Cotto and Margarito are genuine and authentic entities to the core. And they are going to fight on July 26 just like we all know they will. They will battle like the ultimate warriors they are. These two champions are fearless and it will be bombs away until one or the other is subdued. Some ring observers believe Cotto will play the role of the matador and Margarito as the relentless raging bull, but we really don’t know. Thomas Hearns was supposed to box and use his reach and jab to nullify Hagler but we all know what happened there. Pugilistic strategies and 10-week training plans sometimes get thrown out the window in the first 30 seconds. But something about Cotto and Margarito suggests neither will or can take a backward step. It’s the competitive spirits of Puerto Rico vs. Mexico. This is not about money. National pride is at stake. In my opinion, all these factors guarantee this monumental July 26 showdown will be a spectacular night of furious and ferocious fistic warfare, and one we won’t ever forget.
The fraud of boxing, the business boxer who doesn’t care about pleasing boxing fans or the integrity of the sport, the ducker and dodger who only handpicks opponents he knows he can beat, has to be scratching his head and thinking to himself, Boy, I can’t believe those two warriors are fighting each other. They should have ducked each other like I would have. I ducked them both and would never think of fighting either, ever. And they are fighting each other. Boy what fearless courage both have. I sure do hope Margarito wins so I can whine that I won’t fight him because he has five losses. If Cotto wins, Damn, I won’t ever go near him! Leonard Ellerbe better come up with some good excuses for me to duck and dodge him again.
Yes this is the real fight. “The Battle.” The showdown between the two best. I went to play tennis at the park last night and it seemed everyone there was good-naturedly jiving about Cotto and Margarito. Next to the courts is one of those little outdoor gyms where the brothers congregate every night to do pull-ups, pushups, dips, etc. They were debating this fight with such volume and animation, it was astounding. The buzz about boxing is back big-time. It’s been a long time since I heard sports fans on the street talking about a fight like this one. I just had to go over and listen. “Cotto’s got those body shots, he gonna break Margarito down with body shots,” said one. “Noooo, Margarito puts on relentless pressure, he just keeps on coming, throwing bombs. He gonna bust up Cotto. Cotto was hurt a few times, Margarito will finish him.”
Unfortunately I did not have my notepad so I couldn’t record all the comments, but you get the gist of it. Of course, the brothers made mention of the pound-for-pound pretender but it wasn’t complimentary. “Floyd don’t want none of Cotto or Margarito. He’s nervous.” “Floyd does not want any of Cotto. He’s too rough.” One fella defended with the typical Floyd excuse. “Why should Floyd fight Cotto or Margarito for $7 million when he can make $30 million for an easy fight with Oscar?”
Why wouldn’t Money May fight both for $37 million? After all, he’s on record as saying Margarito would be “easy work” and also called Cotto “a punching bag.” Enough about the WBC Welterweight fraud. After July 26 he’ll be eliminated from the equation because, like Bob Arum and Emanuel Steward both said earlier this year, he will never ever step up and box Cotto. And if Margarito beats Cotto he sure as hell won’t go near him either. Even if Margarito calls him “Fraud Gayweather” again, on HBO, Floyd will not step up. “I won’t do business with Bob Arum because he’s a grumpy old man.”
But there is about to be a passing of the torch. Cotto vs. Margarito is a celebration event which will be a turning point in boxing. The legacy of the historic welterweight division is going to be restored which will revitalize interest back into the sport, just like the Leonard-Duran-Hearns-Hagler quartet accomplished so much for boxing in the 1980’s. And Cotto vs. Margarito will stimulate an era of exciting and dramatic matchups which will include Victor Ortiz, Paul Williams, Joshua Clottey, Andre Berto, Carlos Quintana, Timothy Bradley.
Hagler vs. Hearns has been the standard for the all-out slugfest which has not been eclipsed in over 20 years. Hagler vs. Hearns is generally considered the most dramatically exciting fight between two of the greatest ring legends of modern history. If ever there is one fight that seems like it could possibly exceed what happened on that legendary night of April 15, 1985, it could very well be Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito.
Buckle your seatbelts. The thrill ride is about to begin. It’s the fight of the summer, coming soon. Press conferences are next week and without a doubt the psychological warfare will begin. Stay tuned, we will be watching this rivalry develop every step of the way…
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