Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez Fight News 2015: Antonio Margarito says Cotto 'hits like a girl' and won't stand a chance
Former WBO, WBA, and IBF world welterweight champion Antonio Margarito shared his thoughts on the upcoming Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez title fight on November 21st.
Currently on the shelves since his last fight in a rematch against Cotto in 2011, the "Tijuana Tornado" says there is no way his former opponent could stop the younger Alvarez. Speaking to ESPN Deportes (as reported by Boxingscene), he explained why.
"He doen't have the punching power to knock out Canelo Alvarez. I'm serious when I say that Cotto has no punching power and therefore I have to say it again that he hits like a girl."
The 37-year old fighter out of Robert Garcia's boxing gym in Oxnard, California was fought Cotto twice. Prior to their second encounter, the two fought in July 2008, with the WBA welterweight title up for grabs. It was a contest that was marred by controversy, as the Cotto camp alleged that Margarito had some hardened substance placed on his hand wraps underneath his gloves.
True enough, Margarito was found guilty of the said claim when he fought Shane Mosley in January 2009. The California State Athletic Commission then slapped him with a one-year ban from competition in the United States.
But despite the dispute, Margarito maintains his innocence, and even went on to further lambast Cotto's punching power.
"I failed in the second fight because I chose the wrong strategy, not because of whatever he thinks or says," Margarito said. "He only contradicts himself, because after the second fight he was asked about to compare my punching power between the two fights and he said there was no difference, it felt the same."
"So I bought in something illegal [to the first fight], as he says, then he would not have felt the same effect of the punches in the second fight," he continued. "I think Cotto is a girl. He has fear, because everyone wants to see a third bout. Right now we each won one fight."
"I think he's afraid to face Antonio Margarito in a third fight to see who is the best."
Cotto will be defending his WBC, Lineal and Ring Magazine middleweight world titles against Alvarez at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.