For the last few years, both casual and hardcore boxing fans have been hoping for one fight: Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. Yet time and time again we’ve been let down as these two boxing superstars have danced around what could have easily been the richest fight in boxing history, leaving fans with a lingering taste of disappointment. Now, the mere idea of the mega bout has lost its luster after a prison sentence sidelined Mayweather for several months and a few blind judges sabotaged Pacquiao’s momentum via a bogus loss at the hands of Timothy Bradley, Jr.
None of this is surprising though, since boxing has an innate ability of finding new and creative ways to alienating its fans. So what type of monumental disappointment can boxing provide us with to closeout 2012? Pacquiao – Marquez IV: the sequel nobody wants to see.
Let me be clear in stating I have nothing against Pacquiao or Marquez. Both have carved out excellent careers and will be shoe-ins for the International Boxing Hall of Fame. But let’s be honest, who really wants to see them back in the ring together? The three previous bouts have all been close and compelling (1 draw and 2 Pacquiao decisions) but all they’ve proven is that these two fighters have each other’s number. While fight #4 may very well be close, dramatic and possibly controversial, I just don’t care.
It’s probably fitting that Pacquiao trains at Freddie Roach’s Wildcard Gym in Hollywood because this matchup reminds me of those successful movie franchises that try to milk too many sequels. This bout has about as much buzz as a thirteenth Friday the 13th. Sure, I hear the chatter: Marquez is bigger and stronger; Pacquiao is focused and aggressive; both men are ready to gain a definitive win. Been there. Done that. We’ve heard it all before. Since Pacquiao and Mayweather can’t get it together, I’d rather see Pac-Man use his weight-class jumping powers to take on somebody new like Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (154 lbs), Danny Garcia (140 lbs) or even throw a bunch of cash and a bucket of Dax to Floyd Mayweather wannabe Adrien Broner to move up to 140ish for an exciting bout.
But sadly Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum are content with recycling Top Rank retreads, so we’re stuck with more shrug-worthy reruns. Let’s all pull for a definitive Pacquiao victory so we can put this rivalry to rest once and for all.
Cotto can’t cope with Trout
Outside his better-than-expected bout versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. (who’s not a true Jr. Middleweight) Miguel Cotto (37-3) has never been especially effective fighting at 154 lbs. Sure, he demolished a concrete-less Antonio Margarito and an overweight, past-his-prime Ricardo Mayorga but Cotto’s best days were at welterweight. So it wasn’t a major surprise this past weekend when the pride of Puerto Rico lost an entertaining bout to the younger, longer, undefeated Austin Trout (25-0).
Trout used his advantages in reach and quickness to pepper Cotto with combinations all night long. Cotto had his moments as he stalked Trout around the ring, but Trout surprised onlookers by besting his opponent on the inside exchanges for much of the bout. With only 14 knockouts on his resume, many questioned whether “No Doubt” Trout had enough power to keep Cotto out of his personal space, especially in a hostile environment such as Madison Square Garden where the fan-favorite Cotto had never lost a bout. Question answered.
By the end of the bout, Cotto’s face was swollen and bruised and he looked winded from the high activity level of the WBA Light Middleweight (Regular) Champion. With the win, the nearly unknown Trout made a major statement on the big stage and likely put himself in a good position to land some seven-figure fights. Cotto stormed away in disappointment, but shouldn’t be dismayed as he simply lost to a better, albeit unknown, fighter.
