Cotto vs. Margarito Odds: Cotto Favored By Decision
The following Cotto vs. Margarito odds preview was from the first meeting. Odds on Cotto vs. Margarito were available at BetDSI.com here
Rot # Fight Outcome Moneyline
1 Cotto by KO, TKO or Disqualification +330
2 Cotto by Decision or Technical Decision -120
3 Margarito by KO, TKO or Disqualification +400
4 Margarito by Decision or Technical Decision +600
5 Draw or Technical Draw +2000
What the experts are saying:
This is the best match that can be made at this time in the hottest division in boxing. We as boxing fans crave this kind of match up. In this generation we have had very few of these fights. This is going to be our Haggler/Hearns. We know that going into this fight, our best guess as to the outcome is just that, a guess. No one knows what's going to happen. The intangibles in this fight are too many to count, and make it very much next to impossible to predict with any kind of certainty who will win. One thing I do know is that with this match the fans win in a huge way. This is what we wanted, and now we've got it.
Every punch Antonio Margarito throws is with very bad intention and can put someone down in an instant. He has been a slow starter in the past, but seems to have recognized this as a problem and is in the process of correcting it. He throws his punches in combinations, never just one at a time. When he takes one to give one he usually ends up the better for it. When he gets close and inside his resolve is devastating.
Cotto seems very focused as he has for all of his previous 32 fights. He's a great fighter with wear you down skill, but no one punch KO power. Against the likes of Margarito though, no one has had one punch or any kind of knockout power. I wonder if the strained relationship between him and his uncle/trainer will play a factor in the corner on fight night. Will that somehow get in his head at all? Should he get on the inside and avoid the uppercuts he has been susceptible to in the past it could be key to getting those vicious body shots in on Margarito. We know he can throw a very fast and accurate jab, but will he attempt to continue jabbing if it's not effective early in the fight?
Endless blows will be landed and it is almost a sure bet that one or both of these men will hit the canvas before this bout is over.
Cotto vs. Margarito. Puerto Rico vs. Mexico. It's a boxing rivalry that has been and will be just that much bigger when these two men once again take the forefront in boxing.
These are two countries that respect and love their fighters because they know that the men will leave every last drop of sweat and blood in the ring for them. It's a rivalry that sparks intensity and can make an arena shake. You better believe that the MGM Grand Arena is going to be electric this Saturday night, with the huge followings of both men making their presence felt at the arena.
As for my prediction, I'm going to say Margarito comes out strong in the first few rounds, landing shots on Cotto that have never been landed on him before. I feel that Margarito will be able to control the fight in the early rounds and may even be able to score a knockdown before the midway point of the bout.
However, I see Cotto surviving this flurry, maybe even a knockdown, and strengthening as they reach the later rounds, as he has done time and time again.
This change in the control of the fight will coincide with Cotto working from the inside and focusing on the body, with Cotto landing an eventual knockout in the ninth round. Cotto TKO 9, setting up the unavoidable clash of the titans in late 2009 between Cotto and my man, the P4P greatest, Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
And from BraggingRightsCorner.com
ALADDIN FREEMAN: Three years ago I would have said Antonio Margarito, but now Miguel Cotto has too much to lose. With Floyd and Oscar gone and various other stars getting older he needs to win and do it convincingly. Miguel Cotto has improved his skills greatly since the Ricardo Torres fight and he'll need it vs. Margarito. I do think the biggest edge he has going into the fight is that he's built a little more sturdy and his hands appear faster. All that being said in the past he's been rocked with some right hands and this is boxing so one good shot could change everything. At the end of the night I think Cotto wins by late TKO."
RIZWAAN ZAHID: The most awaited fight of the year is almost here. Unlike many other major fights in boxing now, this one does not involve excessive weight jumping and it is for what could be considered the welterweight supremacy. Both men have power and the ability to box as well. However, Cotto's boxing skills are far better than Margarito's in my eyes. Margarito will not give up, however, as he is known to often throw 80-90 punches a round. Look for Cotto to start early and take advantage of Margarito's slow start. Margarito will roar back in the second half of the fight; however, it may be a little too late as I personally expect Cotto to take home a close decision.
-----
Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
Originally published July 24, 2008 12:41 pm EST