Is Cotto finding Any Excuse Not to fight Margarito?

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Miguel Cotto
Nov. 21, 2011, Orlando,Florida - Miguel Cotto works out during media day for his upcoming highly-anticipated World Championship rematch against Antonio Margarito. Photo by Chris Farina

This past weekend, HBO aired the first episode of 24/7 Cotto-Margarito II and I have to admit it was intense and a bit emotional when Miguel Cotto was crying over his father. Miguel’s father was traditionally the one guiding his preparation with his mother stepping in only after her husband passed away. The normally stoic Cotto tears up when talking about his late dad. The “54/10” symbols on Cotto’s signature clothing line represent the years of his father’s birth and death. There’s also a tattoo of his dad’s face on the back of Miguel’s left shoulder.

Cotto's tattoo
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I have to respect Cotto for not holding back and showing his soft side. But he’s showing his soft side a bit too much.

Recently the New York State Athletic Commission has been debating to whatever or not give Margarito a license to fight based on his eye injury he suffered against Manny Pacquiao.

Top Rank was making plans to move the fight in the event New York denied Margarito’s license to Phoenix, Fort Worth or Arlington, Texas. On Tuesday’s teleconference call, Cotto said something that shocked everyone including his promoter Bob Arum who hasn’t been able to sleep over this fiasco.

“I won’t fight Margarito if not in N.Y.,” stated Cotto. “I signed for this for New York. I’m not going to fight in another place. I’m not going to present myself in any other state. New York State. If New York says and the medical people from the commission say that Margarito is not able to fight because of his eye, any commission has to respect that.”

To me it seems Cotto is finding any excuse not to fight Margarito. In my previous article about the Cotto-Margarito Face Off, I expressed how Cotto kept accusing Margarito of cheating as if he didn’t want to fight and saying how his health is more important.

After days of uncertainty, the New York State Athletic Commission on Tuesday granted Antonio Margarito a boxing license. I could understand why the NYAC was being cautious. Margarito suffered a broken orbital bone and developed a cataract. He eventually had cataract surgery and an artificial lens implant, two procedures that normally disqualify a fighter from being licensed in New York. NYAC was basically covering their asses.

The 24/7 ends by revisiting the idea that the only way these two fighters could ever find resolution is by facing off again. Cotto claims Margarito is not a gentleman and that his dog is more of a man than Tony. Margarito asks rhetorically why Cotto cries and why he agreed to a rematch. They disagree one more time about Margarito’s hand wraps during the first fight as the first episode comes to a close making the Dec. 3 fight a much-anticipated grudge rematch.

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12 COMMENTS

  1. @jose
    U clearly didnt get the point of why people said he ” is” scared. It was because he wouldnt fight outside new york and he still didnt. Now to talk about what happend in the fight will make it seem like me putting excuses but margarito just lost his style his in my past now, not as a cheater but as a damaged fighter. Now to the future, canelo vs cotto.

  2. interested in your thoughts now. Cotto was never scared nor had a reason to be scared to fight such a low life, trash like MargaritA.

  3. Sounds like a Cotto bashing session and its 99% bullshit. Their last fight was in Vegas which is basicly Margaritos back yard, and it would be the same if they made the fight in texas or cali. This time Cotto gets to fight in New York which as close to fighting in P.R. as he can get. Judges wont make any difference in N.Y. or Vegas for any idiot that would say so, Cotto has never depended on the judges for shit unlike pussies like Mayflower. Cotto wants to fight where he will have the support of his ppl plain and simple. People need to stop trying to make Cotto look like he’s scared. Cowards are ppl like Floyd Mayweather who avoid the best fights, cowards are ppl like Margarito who would load their gloves. The ass whoopin Margarito took from Pacman was a stupid attempt to show that he has more heart than the next guy but the only thing he proved was that he was dumb enough to let himself get “FUBAR”. Margarito says that he never used illegal wraps but there’s evidence to suggest otherwise, the only reason he didnt use them against mosely is because he got caught. Margarito is full of shit and a cheater, pride is the only motivation for margarito and his fans. Fighting for pride alone will only get you hurt or killed. Apparently its become common to hate the humble guys like Pacman and Cotto, and love the proud minipulators like Margacheato and Mayflower. To elevate clowns and back up “your guy” even when he’s wrong because of pride is as wrong as it gets. Personally I think its sad when the only way ppl can lift their unworthy fighers up is to tare down a worthy fighter just because you may not consider him a reperesention of yourself (SAD). If the only reason your a fan of a guy is because of his color, race, or because you feel he represents you and not consider his integrity than your not a real fan of the sport your a “pink hat”, a “bandwagon jumper”. I think what bothers some you guys the most is when the other guy is moraly supierier because even if he loses the fight he’s still the better man. Whether Cotto wins or loses he will still climb out of the ring the better man and it will be the same when Pacman fights Floyd, Manny will leave as the better man win or loses. Eat your hearts out Mayflower, Margacheato fans. They may be able to win the match but they will always lose the war when it comes to integrity. YOU ALLREADY LOST.

  4. From Sergio Martinez Interview: 
    Will you watch the Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito rematch as a fan or as a scout for a new opponent? 
    I could be fighting either one of them, but I hope Margarito wins. I will say it again: I hope Margarito wins, because I know he wouldn’t have any problem fighting me, which is something Cotto won’t do. Cotto doesn’t want to face me. He will make excuses about the money, or about this or that day not being good for him, or about not liking the color of my socks — anything — I don’t know. Lately he has been saying that the money is too short. I have to tell Cotto that if all he cares about is money, then I promise to hand over my purse to him if he wins, no problem. I can sign on that, anytime and anyplace. But I know Cotto is afraid of fighting me, no matter what he says. It’s all excuses. If he is the champion he used to be, or the champ he believes he is, he wouldn’t have any problem facing me. But obviously now any excuse is good for him.less

  5. Now let’s think about this for a second when you have the mind set to fight some where you get prepared to fight there …you work and think about what’s going to happen and the people that are goin to be supporting you …now someone changes the plans your mind set has to change and motivation changes and especially on short notice …cotto is not scared a deal is a deal and to change the deal to benefit someone like (bob arum)that’s bull s//:-t cotto is not scared of anyone tell one person he has ducked ….hum NO one …will see on December 3 cotto will win by knock out ….mark my words …he is different now …

  6. Like I said before I respect Cotto, but saying he won’t fight Margarito outside of NY leaves some question about where his heart is because as of late it doesn’t seem to be in the ring at least that’s the impression I’m getting from the Face-Off and not wanting to fight outside of NY. I think he knows that he can rely on a decision victory considering his popularity in NY. Although I’ll say if he comes in with the little intensity he’s shown lately then it will end similarly to the first fight.

  7. To me, Cotto made it seem that Margarito beat him because he had plaster in his gloves. That implies that he believes Margarito can’t beat him fair and square. Not wanting to fight outside NY is contrary to that. Venue shouldn’t matter.

  8. What do you guys think of Cotto not wanting to fight Margarito IF the fight wasnt going to take place in New York?

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