Sunday, June 6, 2010

Let Me Explain Something to You...



Boxing is a mental sport. This might seem like a contradiction given the nature of this extremely physical contact sport but last night's fight between Cotto and Foreman proves it. You see, what you saw last night was nothing more than a set up fight. It allowed Cotto to get his confidence back while Foreman enjoyed his biggest payday. This fight allows for a possible rematch to be shown by Pay Per View versus another free showing in HBO. It had the story with an Undefeated Champion Yuri Foreman fighting Former Champion Miguel Cotto. The reality of it is that Yuri was a flipping injured figther ( I referred to him as a cripple but gotta show respect ) . He came in with a knee brace and went down on the 7th round a few times because of it. In boxing the least you need to be is completely healthy to have a fair chance to win, word to fights being cancelled because of broken pinkys. He fought cause it was more money then he has seen before so the show must go on.

Now the situation with Cotto is a little bit more complex. Cotto was poised to be one of the top fighters. He was undefeated and would fight any fighter. Great guy with a slow but deadly style in the ring. Everything went downhill for him when he fought Antonio Margarito. Long story short, Margarito made Cotto's face look like the Elephant Man (google that). He never received a whooping like that before and the real reason was later discovered. It was later found out that Margarito has been fighting dirty. In a fight with Sugar Shane Mosley, Mosley's trainer found that he had padded his hand wraps with plaster to make them harder thus increasing the damage to his opponent. Flat out, you could go to jail for this for attempted murder. The fight between Mosley still went on but after Margarito lost that night he was suspended for what he did. Now if he did it with Mosley, who is to say he did not do the same thing with Cotto. Post fight interviews and photos of the Cotto Margarito fight show a colored substance in his hand wraps. Hand wraps are always and should stay white. There is no reason for coloring unless something else was added. With that written, it clearly explains why Cotto got beaten like he did. Unfortunately, the mental damage that Cotto endured was done. His confidence was destroyed. Like anything in life, YOU NEED CONFIDENCE TO PERFORM AT YOUR BEST. This is why you practice at anything that you do so it can become habit to perform at your peak. When he fought Pacquiao (yes steroids, but I like the guy) it was apparent that his confidence was gone. He was satisfied after Pacquiao started wilding out on him that he was content with not getting beaten like with Pacquiao. He looked like an abused puppy that flinches cause his master has hit him a few times too many. This is why he needed a gimme. An easy fight. A fight where he could look more of a boxer for the fans so he could get back to Pay Per View Status but more for himself to know that he could still box.


Without a doubt it was purely a business decision that the fight was set up like it was. It was fought in Yankee Stadium (very pro Cotto) to show off the new stadium. As for the fight itself, I have never seen anything like that. Foreman as good as he could have been was not at a 100% because of his injured knee. He could have rolled into the Ring in a wheelchair because of that injury so fighting in the condition that he did was just ignorant. There was no way he was winning that fight without good use of both legs. During the fight, Cotto did what he did and started beating him like a drum. Foreman's face was showing the abuse and in the 7th round Foreman went down twice. Not from his beating but because of his knee. The funny thing is that his wife could be seen loosing it and wanting the fight stopped at the end of the round. That lady has some sense. But the fight went on until in the coming round 8 when a towel was thrown in. A towel being thrown in means that the corner is quitting the fight so their fighter is not hurt. Now in the weirdest and most unusual thing I have ever seen, the referee called the fight back on. After everyone got in the ring and they were about to do all the post fight stuff, he resumed the fight. Apparently it was not Foreman's corner that threw it in (I think it was his upset woman). Cotto still whopped him and there was a TKO in the 9th round.



All this said due to the drama that happened with Foreman being injured and Cotto winning and beating the undefeated title holder, this makes a perfect comeback for Cotto. He was able to regain his confidence and the public got to see what he does best. Unfortunately, it was doing so by beating a disadvantaged fighter. Foreman won many new fans after showing his heart and if there is a rematch it guarantees Pay Per View. Now funny thing, looking at Cotto's face after the fight, I would not be surprised if he retires. It was something in his eyes that indicated to me that he no longer posses the killer instinct or the hunger for this anymore.


So once again, Boxing (the sweet science) is a MENTAL SPORT!

5 comments:

  1. I hope that the paycheck that the Lion of Zion took home after last night's fight was BIG!! I've followed him for years and always have admired his ways. He took a beating last night, and hopefully it will payoff and help him make a bigger name for himself...although THIS Foreman fan is a little disappointed in him and his management :|

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  2. I would like to see a rematch but I doubt it will happen.

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  3. Interesting. Unfortunately, I missed the fight so can't really corroborate but well put.

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  4. Thank you. If you want I can send you the link so you can see the fight. Let me know.

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  5. That'd be great. Thanks!

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