The bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Miguel Cotto was everything promised, if not what was hoped for from Cotto fans. The unanimous decision for Mayweather was clearly the right call, as he outfought the valiant efforts Cotto put forth.
It was a battle from start to finish, and although Mayweather had the early advantage and carried that through the fight, Cotto rocked him several times. By the end of the contest, Mayweather had simply outworked Cotto, who exhibited all the drive and desire fans hoped for, if not the ability to take Mayweather down.
"You're a hell of a champion, the toughest guy I fought," Mayweather said after the fight.. "I had to fight hard, suck it up. He's no pushover."
I'm a fan who was hoping for an upset from Cotto, and I wasn't alone. The crowd at the MGM Grand cheered Cotto on, trying to give him the push that would get him past his opponent. Trouble was, he was already giving his all and there was nothing left in the well for him to draw on. Mayweather was just better enough to get the win.
Credit both fighters
This wasn't the lopsided pushover for Mayweather some had predicted, nor the KO for Cotto fans of the underdog wanted. It was a fight that lived up to the billing, and in a world where pay-per-view prices are outrageous, this was a fight that was worth paying to see. Still, what they charge is egregious, but at least fans weren't left with a sour taste in their mouths for spending money
Mayweather garnered his eighth belt spread over five classes, and perhaps was in his toughest fight. Now 43-0, his record seems more daunting with just the one more win.
Cotto, for his part, fought his best fight in recent memory. A three-division champion himself, Cotto pushed Mayweather round after round, relentlessly pressing and forcing Mayweather to counter. Unfortunately for Cotto, that's exactly what Mayweather did.
After the fight, Mayweather got back to his same irritating self that makes so many fans root for the other guy. He repeated his tired mantra about not facing Manny Pacquiao unless drug tests that have already been agreed to by the Pacquiao camp are agreed to. But for the time he was in the ring, all of that was out of the picture, and fans got to see an incredible bout.
Jeff Musall has been a fan of great boxing since he watched the Thrilla in Manila as a kid with his father years ago. He enjoys a good bout
