By John F. McKenna (McJack)
As evidenced by the sell out two days ahead of time, the Antonio Margarito – Miguel Cotto II fight has proven to be a promoters dream. The famed venue for the fight Madison Square Garden (MSG) sold all of its 17,943 tickets two days ahead of the fight. This is Cotto’s 2nd sellout in MSG. His first was when he fought Zab Judah in 2007.
As expected the nearly 80 year old Top Rank CEO Bob Arum is elated at the drawing power of Margarito and Cotto in New York City. The live gate for the match is expected to exceed $3 million. Cotto’s fights in New York City usually do well because of its huge Puerto Rican population.
Their first fight in 2008 was action packed as Cotto fought an intelligent strategic battle in the first half of the fight, but then Margarito started catching him with solid shots, he lived up to his nickname of “El Toronado”. Margarito took countless punches from the smaller, faster Cotto, but his punches appeared to have no effect on Margarito. Going into the 10th round you could sense the despair Cotto must have felt at not being able to stop the advance of the Mexican warrior who just kept coming at him.
Despite the numerous punches he had rained on Margarito he kept moving forward relentlessly. It was Cotto’s worst nightmare to realize he could no longer fend of Margarito. Towards the end of the 10th round Antonio forced Cotto to the ropes and launched a two fisted attack at which point for all intents and purposes the fight was over. Margarito had won his war of attrition with Cotto. In the 11th round it was just a matter of time before Margarito inflicted his total will on Cotto, causing his father to throw in the towel ending the battle. Cotto’s face was cut to ribbons at the end of the fight. It was the kind of beating that would give any fighter nightmares.
It is expected that the fact that Cotto concentrated on conditioning and stamina for his 2nd fight with Margarito will pay huge dividends later on in the fight. He has already stated that if the opportunity arises he will work on the recently surgically repaired right eye of Margarito.
Both fighters have an intense dislike for each other. It is not known whether emotions will play into the outcome of the fight.
Got an Opinion? Submit Your Articles and Press Releases to be posted on NowBoxing.com
*Please refrain from leaving any Racist, Profane or Derogatory comments*
Discuss this topic in the NowBoxing Forums (Membership is FREE)
