The Mexican-Puerto Rican rivalry in boxing is SERIOUS BUSINESS.
I didn’t know how serious until I saw a near riot at Cotto-Margarito 2. When Cotto-Canelo was originally announced my first thought was Canelo was going to run right through him. The reasoning was simple, when it comes to Mexicans & Puerto Ricans fighting, it is normally a war. No one is winning a war with Canelo, just ask James Kirkland.
That is when I got a call from a little birdie, who told me whatever I was thinking, I was wrong.
The birdie said there will be a war, but a strategic one and one that might have Cotto looking more like Floyd Mayweather than a young Manny Pacquiao.
Canelo is a fine young fighter, but he has a fatal flaw. He simply has no plan B when anyone boxes him with any intelligence.
He couldn’t touch Mayweather, the only reason he beat Lara was because Lara didn’t engage at all. If Lara threw 5 more punches a round he wins easily.
Cotto isn’t Mayweather, but he is better than Lara and he has a trainer who is good at coming up with a game plan in Freddie Roach.
Cotto isn’t going to stand in the middle of the ring and let Canelo get in his comfort zone, he is going to hit him and move away. A more aggressive Mayweather, but still a Mayweather style plan. Hit and don’t get hit.
Eventually Canelo will get frustrated because he never have a plan B, where Cotto has so much experience, he has a Plan B, C & D.
It won’t be the war people are expecting, it will be a boxing clinic and clear victor for Cotto. The birdie never lies.