Slugfest at the stadium: Cotto/Foreman picks

It’s been 34 years since boxers stepped into the squared circle in Yankee Stadium. It took a brand new stadium, a Puerto Rican with a heavy New York fan-base (there is a solid Puerto Rican population in NY, and Cotto holds many of his fights in Madison Square Garden), and, of course, a Belarusian transported to Israel and then New York who is studying to become a rabbi. Who didn’t see that one coming?

Tonight’s match up is an attractive one. Yuri Foreman, a skilled junior middleweight in his first title defence against Miguel Cotto, an older established former champion moving up in weight to fight at 154 pounds for the first time. The questions that will be answered tonight are: “how good is Yuri Foreman? and how much does Miguel Cotto have in the tank?”

Foreman is an interesting back story, one that several articles could be written about. But no time for that here, we have a fight to catch. Foreman is a boxer, plain and simple. He relies on his good speed, defense and superb footwork. He fights smart, doesn’t take chances and frustrates his opponents. Foreman impressed me against Daniel Santos, and though his lack of power was on display, he dominated the former champion who had no answer for Foreman’s skills.

Miguel Cotto has had two devastating losses. A somewhat controversial TKO loss to Antonio Margarito (were his hands plastered or not?) and a dominating TKO loss against Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao. In both of these fights he was brutally cut, a cause of much talk going into tonight’s fight. Will his scar tissues above his eyes hold up, or will it get torn open like it his in 3 of his past 4 fights?

One fact that is a bit overshadowed in the pre-fight buildup is that this is BY FAR the biggest step up in Yuri Foreman’s career. He has never headlined a bout, has only been in one championship fight, has never had pressure on him the way he does tonight.

How will he handle it?

Miguel Cotto’s defeats seem to mar his victories.  Cotto has defeated top rated fighters and is 14-2 in championship fights. Cotto has been here before having defeated Joshua Clottey, Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Carlos Quintana and Malignaggi. Quite a list but despite this his career is on the line.

Here is the reality: though Yuri Foreman is good, Miguel Cotto is better. Assuming he does not get seriously cut, I expect Miguel to pressure Foreman, and systematically break down him down with body shots and stop him in the 10th round (don’t be surprised to see a corner stoppage).

Here’s to a great night of fights, folks.

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