SecondsOut Team Pick Cotto vs. Clottey

Both men are champions with a desire to become the true world champion at 147lbs, but that hasn’t stopped SecondsOut’s team of fearless writers from making their confident picks for Saturday’s WBO welterweight world title match between Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey at Madison Square Garden in New York, televised in the USA on HBO’s World Championship Boxing.

“Puerto Rican star and New York favorite Cotto seems to be back on track following his February blow-out of Michael Jennings. Despite the fact that the transplanted Ghanaian Clottey fights out of the Bronx, the Madison Square Garden crowd will definitely be behind Cotto. Clottey is a serious test to Cotto, however...he’s technically sound and does everything well, but nothing particularly great. Cotto gets by on majority points. Cotto W.MD.12.”
- Gregory Juckett, Content Editor - New York, USA

“Is Cotto damaged goods after the Margarito loss, or is he back to his best. Clottey will certainly test where Cotto is at. At their best, Cotto wins on points, but I will not fall off my chair if Clottey pulls off an upset. This is one of Cotto’s tougher career fights. Cotto W.12.”
- Paul Upham, Content Editor - Sydney, Australia

“This is an extremely interesting fight. I attended a Miguel Cotto bout at The Garden on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade a couple of years ago and the atmosphere was unforgettable. He will have a distinct home field advantage in this one but Clottey is a very strong and fundamentally solid welterweight and he could give his opponent a lot of trouble this Saturday if he plays his cards right. He needs to ratchet up his volume and, if he can do that, he has a real shot at causing an upset. Cotto, however, is an offensive juggernaut and I think he’ll be able to ride the coattails of a loyal and boisterous packed house of Puerto Rican fans to pull through. Cotto W.SD.12.”
- Michael Norby, Contributing Editor - New England, USA

“Clottey has an iron chin and will push Cotto all the way, but the Puerto Rican’s extra flair will see him prevail on the scorecards in an entertaining fight. Cotto W.12.”
- Mark Butcher, Founding Editor - London, UK

“This is a very live fight. Neither man is taking on an opponent. Both have speed and punch. Both could be considered unbeaten because a loss to Margarito has to be suspect and Clottey was DQ’d against Baldomir. They are both strong and an unyielding type of warrior. It can go either way but I must go with Cotto because he has the ability to adjust his style to find a way to win. This time that way will be by decision. Cotto W.12.”
- Jerry Glick - New York City, USA

“This is going to be a very tough fight. I have called as a ringside commentator a number of Clottey fights. He is a tough, fit, talented customer, who could give Cotto fits if he applies consistent pressure. Clottey sometimes takes a few rounds off as he did against Diego Corrales and Antonio Margarito. He cannot afford to do this against the very good boxer Cotto. Miguel should be able to box his way to a decision, but I think I’ll go with Clottey by TKO late. Why not? I told Clottey years ago he had the goods, well here is his shot once more to prove it. Clottey W.TKO Late.”
- James Smith aka. Smitty, Host, In This Corner TV - USA

“I expect a hard night of work for Cotto. Clottey is too strong and tough as nails. I can’t imagine a knockout, but Miguel ring wise and ability will establish a difference. Cotto W.UD.12.”
- Juan Pablo Manfredi - Buenos Aires, Argentina

“The positive pick: Two similar styles and attitudes that on paper, add up to a Fight of the Year candidate. I think Cotto will have just enough of an edge in sharpness, power, and activity to gut out a decision. Cotto UD. The negative pick: Part of me wonders if Clottey’s hard shots and tenacious attack might just reveal that Cotto’s brain either psychologically or physiologically isn’t the same after the now-tainted Margarito pummelling. We’ve seen many cases of a boxer never being able to absorb punches the same way after those kinds of brutal loses. If that’s the case, Cotto’s career is compromised, Clottey doesn’t get full credit for a big win, and Team Margarito tarnishes yet another bout. Sad... . Cotto W.UD.12.”
- Sean Waisglass - Canada

“I like Joshua Clottey a lot, he’s a real honest fighter, but I feel that Cotto may be just a higher class of fighter. Let’s not forget Cotto will be out to silence the doubters after he was beaten by Margarito last year, and he’ll be looking to put in a good performance. Look for Cotto to come on strong with the body shots in the second half of the fight, but a durable Clottey should hear the final bell. Cotto W.12.”
- Craig Phillips - UK

“This is an excellent fight between two of the best welterweights in the world and should be a good one. Clottey has the toughness, defense, power and style to require Cotto to alter his game. If you consider the Margarito-Cotto bout, some of the things that created issues for Cotto were Margarito’s ability to absorb whatever punishment Cotto could dish out and the nullification of Cotto’s bodywork. We don’t know if Margarito was armed with plaster of paris fists that evening, but we do know that Clottey has real power. If Clottey can stay injury free, apply sufficient pressure and keep his hands moving, this could be a tough night for Cotto. The trouble for Clottey is that he tends to be a fighter that goes either forward or backward and relies too much on the one-two. This limits the trajectory and range of his offensive providing a fighter like Cotto who effectively utilizes multiple angles a significant offensive edge. If Cotto can apply consistent side to side movement, he will not only increase his chances the land effectively, he will decrease Clottey’s options. The combined result of all these factors should produce more opportunities for Cotto to score than Clottey and a Cotto victory. Cotto W.12.”
- John Lumpkin - Madison, Wisconsin, USA

“My expectations for this fight are not high. I’ve read a lot of Clottey supporters’ theories, but they just don’t add up. Clottey has never beaten or come close to beating a fighter of the magnitude of Cotto. It’s been argued that Clottey was ahead of Margarito after five rounds, but that would only matter if it was a six round fight. These men will be going twelve. Clottey is not the most conditioned welterweight and he will have to be if he’s going to beat Cotto. Clottey will also be hard pressed to hurt Cotto in the ring. He was unable to hurt a shot Zab Judah and only just edged him on the scorecards. Heck, he let a shot, welterweight version of Diego Corrales go the distance when his lightweight contemporaries managed to stop him in better days. Clottey can take a punch. That’s about the only strength I see him having in this fight. Cotto by comfortable UD. Cotto W.UD.12.”
- Derek Bonnett - Connecticut, USA

“I like this match-up a lot. I’m going to go with Cotto by unanimous decision. He just does everything better than Clottey and I think he really ups his game a notch or two when he’s at Madison Square Garden in front of his vocal fan base. Clottey is tough though. It should be a very entertaining bout. Cotto W.12.”
- Matthew Hurley - Boston, USA

“I am a huge fan of Miguel Cotto and I really can’t se how Clottey could deal with the Puerto Rican’s youth, power and confidence. Interestingly enough they both sport a loss to Antonio Margarito and even though the African has a slight edge there, going the distance with the man, I still believe Cotto is the stronger and more durable guy. This fight could very well go the distance, I wouldn’t be surprised if it does, but I don’t think it will. Cotto gets him in the 10th round with good hook and floors him. That’s my prediction. Cotto W.TKO.10.”
- Teddy Stenmark - Sweden

“I have never bet against Cotto for obvious reasons, he is a super fighter. I pick him here again not only for his skills but his hard punching. This I feel will be the fight where he shows what the loss to Margarito did. Cotto W.UD.12.”
- Lwazi Ndzobongo - South Africa

“Joshua Clottey is a dangerous foe for Cotto, having given Margarito problems and downing the late Diego Corrales. He keeps coming which could play into Cotto’s hands, especially catching Clottey with his left hook. I see Cotto setting the pace with his boxing skills early, wearing down Clottey with his body attack, Clottey will have his moments but it won’t be enough. Cotto by late round stoppage. Cotto W.TKO Late.”
- Andy Rivera - New Mexico, USA

“Joshua Clottey has only lost twice, with each defeat being questionable. In his loss to former world welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir, Clottey was disqualified for head-butting in a fight he was clearly winning. His second defeat came at the hands of Miguel Cotto conqueror Antonio Margarito. Clottey was ahead in the fight before breaking his hand, eventually losing on points. This is Cotto’s first formidable opponent since his devastating stoppage loss to Margarito last summer. Clottey will use his tight high-guard and strength to combat Cotto’s counter-punching. Cotto will look to outbox Clottey with his jab and sharp, accurate punching. In the end, it says here that Clottey’s iron will, chin, and non-stop motor will wear Cotto down an he will take a razor-thin decision at the Garden. Clottey on points. Clottey W.SD.12.”
- Michael Coppinger - Washington D.C, USA

“Madison Square Garden should be electric on Saturday night as Miguel Cotto clashes with Joshua Clottey in front of Cotto’s raucous fans in New York. Questions abound about Cotto following his brutal and now-controversial TKO loss to Antonio Margarito and his violent split with trainer and Uncle Evangelista Cotto before this fight. Clottey is a tough, dangerous opponent but I expect Cotto to regain his career momentum with a decisive decision win. Clottey is determined and durable but he is not a big puncher and he does not accelerate in the second half of fights the way Margarito did against Cotto. Cotto will land his patented left hook to the body early and often and will outbox the tough Ghanaian in an entertaining fight. The championship rounds could get interesting if Cotto’s stamina becomes an issue, but I expect him to survive. Cotto W.UD.12.”
- Scott Kraus - Morristown, NJ, USA


Total:

MIGUEL COTTO = 15

JOSHUA CLOTTEY = 2