Anybody give Mayorga a shot against Cotto on March 12th?

[johnswan1]

Wondering what people think of this fight? I actually think it could be very interesting.

I've always thought Cotto to be a much overrated and overhyped fighter. His five biggest fights came against Judah 34-4 (good TKO 11), Mosley 44-4 (close UD 12), Margarito 36-5 (lost TKO 11), Clottey 35-2 (close SD 12) & Pacquiao (lost TKO 12).

I actually felt that Mosley gave him too much respect allowing Cotto to build up a sufficient lead to hold on for the win, despite being on his bike for the last couple of rounds.

Looking at this record, he went 3-2 in his five biggest fights, with two of his wins being unconvincing, and both of his defeats being decisive.

People talk about Cotto being a future Hall of Famer but the only Hall of Famer he beat himself was a past his prime Mosley.

Having his second fight at Light Middleweight against an opponent like Mayorga, I just wonder whether he will be vulnerable against a bigger, tougher, stronger, harder hitting, and intimidating opponent with an unorthodox style.

As for Mayorga, he has always been somewhat of an enigma. His success against Forrest seemed to go to his head and after Corey Spinks showed the blueprint to beating him, he didn't appear to take the sport as seriously.

He came in half a stone overweight for his next fight before cashing in on lucrative bouts, firstly against Trinidad at unsuitable Middleweight where he sustained a career shortening beating, and then against De La Hoya at Light Middleweight two years later having had only one fight in between.

After that he had another long lay-off before getting the better of the badly faded Vargas, and surprised many with a good showing against Mosley before almost getting decapitated in the closing seconds of the final rounds.

Two years on and a venture into MMA was a non-starter, leading to another boxing comeback against an opponent whom had won only one of his previous seven bouts.

On paper it looks an uphill task for Mayorga with one meaningless fight in two years and at 37 years of age, but I just wonder if he can make his size, strength, unorthodox style and power count in his fight against whom I feel is a vulnerable opponent.

StanJames go 13/2 Mayorga.

[Dioufy]

No chance, I would say. Mayorga's all about intimidation - he'll gas after 5 or 6, then get stopped. But I also give him no chance against Sugar Shane, and he nearly pulled it off.

[youngrell]

I give him a chance definitely, one thing about Cotto is when he gets tagged he opens up and is far too easy to hit, if Mayorga can stun him with one of his clubbing hooks then Cotto will be very vulnerable to a haymaker. I think the fight will be interesting just to see if Cotto can hold him off with his skills and power. Good fight I think.

[chinny]

No chance, but Mayorga is an almost perfect promotional B side these days

I need to watch Forrest v Mayorga again. Its hard to believe that ever happened

[johnswan1]

No chance, but Mayorga is an almost perfect promotional B side these days

I need to watch Forrest v Mayorga again. Its hard to believe that ever happened

Mayorgas style has not really changed but he's a lot slower now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN8BS_2hmcg

[deadpan]

He's gone at top level, but would love to see him hit the UK against Witter or Hatton.

[Chambers2]

No chance at all IMO

[THEBUTCH]

Very little chance at all, but if Cotto is damaged goods, he may have a slim chance.


EDIT: Just remembered Cotto has already come back and beaten Yuri Foreman, in which case, I give Mayorga even less chance.

[Matt W]

Cotto will box his head off.

[Poncey]

Mayorga has lived off the wins over one arm Forrest for years.

[orbtastic]

It could be interesting in a freak show way, not sure what I'm more curious about - Whether Cotto can stop Mayorga, or Mayorga can catch Cotto with something big. Don't forget that Foreman's knee was as much about the win as anything Cotto did (his inability to move enabled Cotto to cut the ring off more and basically took away Foreman's main asset).

I don't think Cotto's really a legit light middle.

[slapbangwhallop]

Wasnt Mayorga supposed to be fighting some MMA bout?

[johnswan1]

Wasnt Mayorga supposed to be fighting some MMA bout?

Yeah but Don King had it pulled on the day it was supposed to go ahead due to an existing contract they had.

[DavidPayne]

Cotto will box him for 3 rounds and then turn up the heat for an easy win in 7.

Mayorga is old and was limited at his best (at this level).

Cotto may be post-peak but he's a more rounded fighter than Mayorga, can box and fight and wont be intimidated.

[stujones]

I think Mayorga has some sort of chance, crude punchers have given Cotto fits before.

Ultimately though, Mayorga don't like the agressive types with strength. I could envisage a Tito trinidad style beat down.

[Jeff Thomas]

Mayorga?? your having a laugh ain't you.... how many shots can this guy get.

[Lenny]

Mayorga is a one shot wonder. The knockout in the first Forrest fight is it. In my opinion he was soundly beaten in the rematch, then beaten by Spinks, then fed to a comebacking Trinidad and stopped, fed to a comebacking De La Hoya and stopped (with both fighters proclaimed to be back to their best after the victories, only to look not so hot in their form afterwards), then the win against fat Vargas, Shane Mosley looking as bad as ever and still knocking him out and now more than 2 years later he gets another shot off the back of nothing

Why people like him I do not know, sh*t person, sh*t fighter

[Counter-puncher]

It could be interesting in a freak show way, not sure what I'm more curious about - Whether Cotto can stop Mayorga, or Mayorga can catch Cotto with something big. Don't forget that Foreman's knee was as much about the win as anything Cotto did (his inability to move enabled Cotto to cut the ring off more and basically took away Foreman's main asset).

I don't think Cotto's really a legit light middle.

agreed. agree too with the comment that wild-punching types have given Cotto some trouble-
however, whilst Mayorga's chin should be able to take Cotto's punch early on, I wonder if Cotto can hurt him downstairs where Mayorga's always looked a bit easier to hurt.

I am making my bet that Cotto's first serious lowblow will happen before 4 rounds are up.

[johnswan1]

Anybody know if this will be shown on UK TV? Sky have shown a lot of Cotto fights in the past. I would love to see it on delay like they did with the Hatton-Alvarez fight.

[bad mamma jamma]

fckin hell, mayorga is past it, has been for ages, cotto will fckin break him in half..a joke fight. a fight that takes the p:ss out of the true knowledgeable boxing fan. but then i think the same about pacman v mosley