This Saturday, June 7th at New York’s venerable Madison Square Garden, the WBC Middleweight title is up for grabs as Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto takes on Argentina’s Sergio Martinez. Right now at BETDSI, Martinez sits a (-215) favorite, with the comeback on Cotto at (+185). Both fighters have long and respected resumes, but both have open questions and are at a crossroads in their career.
On paper, Martinez does have a lot of edges. He would seem to be bigger, stronger and faster and there is no discernible edge as far as technique, as the two are both among the best. Martinez however has not fought in over a year, and he is recovering from knee and elbow issues that he is stating in public, no longer bother him and he is at 110 percent.
But the week of the fight is not without controversy, as Martinez was counting on wearing a knee protector for the fight, until the NYS boxing commission stepped in and ruled out the sleeve. For Martinez, it is a setback any way you cut it. If he doesn’t need the sleeve, at least psychologically, why ask for it?
Cotto is coming up in weight class, and getting hit by bigger guys is probably not good for Cotto’s long term health. Martinez will use a lot of lateral motion, and Cotto will be looking to get to Martinez and slow him down. This means taking punches, and it means working the body. Perhaps people for years will be talking about the ‘knee knocking’ that Cotto did in the clinches that finally did Martinez in.
Martinez has looked good and fast in workouts, and he seems to have the right mindset about going into Cotto’s home in Madison Square Garden as a favorite. he knows what he has to do, and after years of toiling for little pay, Martinez more than most has to feel motivation for the big paydays.
That gets weighed against Cotto’s desire to stay on top. Cotto is 1-2 in his last 3 bouts, and he has already cashed in big checks. He needs a win to stay on top or he risks losing his spot as a top 5 draw in boxing.
