Key #2 for Miguel Cotto Make Canelo Find Him
Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images
By Lou Catalano
Canelo Alvarez enjoys a fight. In fact, he prefers it. He doesn’t like all that cutting off the ring stuff. He wants to go to war with a guy willing to stand and trade. James Kirkland tried that. Kirkland would stand in front of a diesel combine if he thought it was disrespecting him. Canelo teed off on him, landing one of the best knockout punches of the year when they fought back in May. Cotto doesn’t want to do that. Cotto needs to make Canelo come to him, so he can land counter punches and jab him incessantly.
If it becomes a war early on, I don’t think Cotto has the stamina to make it out of the ring as the victor. Cotto must box. That way, Canelo can get all pissed off at having to move around, become frustrated and make stupid mistakes. But… This will be easier written than implemented. Cotto has garnered the reputation as a guy who wilts as the fight wears on.
In short, he fades. He faded against Antonio Margarito. Faded horribly against Manny Pacquiao. Faded against Floyd Mayweather. I don’t see Miguel Cotto suddenly looking all spry and lively in the 11th round. He needs to have done enough by that point to have either stopped Canelo, or made him all doughy-soft like Stay Puft. Eating bombs won’t do that. Delivering them will. He needs to move, get his man out of position and put the hurting on him.
If Cotto can implement these keys, he should emerge as the winner Saturday night. Then he will talk in the third person and make a weird face when Max Kellerman asks him about Gennady Golovkin.
Key #2 for Canelo Alvarez Make Cotto Work
Photo by Peter Morgan/AP
By Tony Calcara
Canelo Alvarez must make Miguel Cotto fight every minute of every round. Cotto likes to pick his spots, lead, counter, move, box and blast away with his left hook. Alvarez must take away Cotto’s best weapon, that left hook, and leave him worrying about the incoming assault from Alvarez.
Cotto has concrete in his jaw. It would be unwise to come out and head hunt early. Yes, Alvarez destroyed Kirkland, however, Cotto is no James Kirkland. Canelo should look to use the entire ring, make Cotto work hard and at a fast pace, and sustain a deliberate and ferocious attack to the body.
Forcing the action–behind your jab while banging to the body–will pay dividends later in the fight where you can look to unleash combinations. It will provide Alvarez with the opportunity to be on offense while making Cotto worry about defending what’s coming at him.
