THE VIEW'S BOXING REVIEW
JUNE
Even when the champion was finding success the challenger would invariable find more. By the end of the 7th Cotto was in complete control. The 8th would see an air of desperation form over Sergio’s work, missing wildly. Miguel was now on his heels, bouncing up and down, moving in and out…in his groove, confident with where he was at and what he was doing. Such was the transformation in his work he even had his jab working and his defence involved much more than simply walking through punches.
The Puerto Rican stormed out of the corner in the 9th round clearly intent on putting away his opponent
a right/left to the head missed but it was merely a delay in the inevitable. With Martinez looking tired and frustrated, Cotto landed a hard uppercut which buckled the knees of the champ once more. A right hand landed, then a left, Cotto was dominating Sergio and it was painful to watch. With the round drawing to a close Junito landed a left hook to the body which had Maravilla in all kinds of trouble as he dropped to his knee.
Though he got up it was soon all over, his
corner stopping the contest at the start of the 10th despite the Argentine shouting for them
to give him another round. Cotto had done the unthinkable and not only beaten the best middleweight in the world but he had dismantled him.
middleweight in the world but he had dismantled him. He had displayed the type of skill and power which had seen him tear through the Light - Welterweight division all those years ago. Now under the guidance of Freddie Roach their appeared to be a new found hunger and ambition. A 4 weight world champion…the first Puerto Rican to achieve the feat; for Miguel it may well be dawning of a new era in his career…but for Sergio Martinez it looks likely to close the book on his.
Like every story there were two sides and as impressive as Cotto was, it would be doing the Martinez a huge disservice to suggest he was anything more than 25% of the boxer he once was on the night. Despite his refusal to discuss or blame the knees following the defeat, the fact he entered with knee braces on pointed to things not being all too well with them in the first place. His movement was almost non-existent, of course not helped by the shuddering 1st knockdown. Gone were the awkward angles created by superb upper body movement, gone were the fleet feet which allowed him to circle and counter. This was the shadow of a once great champion…and it was shadow which made for uncomfortable viewing.
Where Martinez goes now is up to him; but following his bumper pay day he is best served calling time on a career which was defined by difficulty, grit and determination. He got the recognition he worked so hard to get…he was involved in the big fights that for so long deserted him. His sunset is hoping and I’m one fan who hopes that he rides off into it.
As for Cotto, the pickings are rich. Now the number 1 middleweight he will have a plethora of opportunities and opponents but in truth only a couple really whet the appetite. Early talk centered around a possible rematch with Mayweather and though it would do bumper numbers it’s a fight I don’t see going any different to the first. Besides should it happen chances are it would be at a catchweight and quite simply I have had enough of those. Saul Alvarez is a very real possibility perhaps as early as December, yet first the Mexican must get past awkward and savvy Erislandy Lara. However the one I want to see is Gennady Golovkin. He was Sergio’s true rival before this fight and he is now Cotto’s. A fight to decide the true Middleweight king….a fight which surely has to happen…sadly the reality is it most likely won’t.