What if Billy Collins had taken a knee after 5 rounds,
recovered and been able to face a Luis Resto who was not
wearing unpadded gloves? All those years ago another Bob
Arum star in the making was victimized by a Puerto Rican
boxer who did not have the talent or cache of Miguel
Cotto. All those years ago in New York's fame Madison
Square Garden Resto shamed himself and precipitated a
downward spiral that led to Collin's untimely death.
Billy Collins was a tough Tennessee based fighter who
knew the punches "felt" different but had too much heart
to stop trying. UFC fighters tap out every other
Saturday, but boxers are bound (and burdened) with an
expectation that borders on the morbid.
Kill or Be Killed
Three years ago sitting at the MGM Grand I saw Miguel
Cotto take a knee, I also saw him get busted up
unusually fast against a fighter we all presumed to be
capable of the butchery. Antonio Margarito was no
journeyman like Luis Resto, he'd damaged Kermit Cintron
and many others so when Cotto started to backpedal and
wilt- I like many observers readied for another chapter
in the Mexicans myth. I wasn't interested in getting all
over Cotto for "shutting it down" because as he
explained in Max Kellerman's "Face-Off" he had kids. What
Cotto "did" took on more relevance in January 2009 when
Nazim Richardson on behalf of Shane Mosley discovered
what many are now guessing Cotto "felt" that night. The
defense and cover up added another layer of cynicism
about Boxing, and Bob Arum's support of Margarito had to
only add insult to Cotto's injury.
Had Margarito been any less of a Mexican ticket seller
would he have been so "supported?"
Bob Arum who watched a young Billy Collins swell up like
a pumpkin should know the ramifications of tampered
gloves in an already dangerous sport. However, had Resto
-a journeyman opponent- been with Top Tank, how vigilant
would Arum have been in making sure he kept food on the
table?
Miguel Cotto the pragmatist, the thinker, his
father's son, was not only securing his families future
on that night in 2008. He also inadvertently secured an
opportunity many in the sport don't receive after foul
play. Had that fight gone 12 rounds it wouldn't matter
if Margarito was caught cheating post-fight because
Miguel Cotto would have ended up inactive or a shell of
himself. That one act of "discretion before valor"
salvaged Cotto and allowed him to sit across from an
unrepentant Margarito three years later. The thoughtful
Cotto who is measured in the ring, truncated and
measured in response (even in Spanish) is now given the
opportunity to not only avenge his loss but eliminate
Margarito as a viable earner at 154 lbs. Few of us have
to work with or be reminded of those who intended on our
literal demise; Cotto under the banner of Top Rank was
reminded daily. Watching Arum shill for a man he
believes would have damaged him for life, a man who when
faced with incriminating post fight photo's scoffed "if
you have a problem with it why did you sign for another
fight?" is enough to make the lesser of us take it to
the streets. But Boxing is unique in that way, normally
in the streets you don't get an unimpeded 36 minutes to
"do your thing" within strict parameters.
Billy Collins didn't get 36 minutes.
Madison Square Garden, "The Mecca" AKA the House that
Cotto Fills
Ethnic rivalry is in the DNA of Boxing; and I don't mean
the tasteless crap you read online from Pacquiao and
Mayweather fans. I mean fervor rooted in pride not
personality disorder; mutual respect was something I
noticed throughout the MGM halls leaving the first fight
but I fear something (thanks to Margarito) has changed.
As an attendee of the first Cotto vs. Margarito clash
the drums and the beautiful women were worth the price
of admission alone. Little did I know "something"
sinister may have gone down in the ring that night;
Miguel Cotto had every reason to insist on "NY or bust"
whether Margarito was licensed or not. The only place to
commence ethnic rivalry is MSG which in previous
buildings hosted neighborhood clashes between the Irish,
Italians and Jews in the 1930's. Puerto Ricans are
synonymous with New York and who else to witness payback
but a lot of the same Boricuas who respectfully gave
Margarito his "props" in 2008. Arum may have defended
Margarito to keep Mexican fans happy but no current
fighter owns a major venue like Cotto owns Madison
Square Garden.
Cotto is not unlike you or me; he wants to "handle his
business" Saturday night but sometimes we have to
realize the cost of revenge and whether we can pay it.
Margarito may be a cheater but he's a cheater with a
style that welcomes an aggressive dance partner; a man
hell-bent on revenge may play into his strength.
The wrong fight plan can open the door for "The
Criminal"
Ever see a guy from your past that you wish you could
step to, but realize you've grown in two totally
different life directions? In order to settle the score
you may have to be willing to get locked up because this
cat obviously wasn't on the "live a productive life"
plan...
Antonio Margarito is a few beatings removed from his
assault on Cotto but what differentiates him is he'd
fight any one of the men who pummeled him tomorrow. His
orbital bone is of no concern to him; and that is the
kind of machismo that made him a nightmare in the
welterweight division for years. He really wants Cotto
to come through the front door guns blazing because if
he does, Margarito is at ease with the notion of
bloodshed. At the final presser he sits there in shades
looking the casual Columbian drug kingpin daring Cotto,
and comparing the Puerto Ricans power to a Super
Flyweight-all with the hopes Cotto will come to brawl.
How can you "box" when you're in with a man who wanted
to maim you? How do you use the movement needed to keep
him from being effective when you want to take his head
off? This is for Cotto to decide, for new trainer Pedro
Diaz to calibrate and monitor between every round.
Hatred is to Boxing what needles were to cocaine; the
effects of something already visceral and violent rush
to the forefront of conflict. As if violence needed a
rush of adrenaline. Through this "unique" opportunity
Miguel Cotto will have no "feeling out round;" nothing
but 60 seconds to get his anger in check before entering
the fray again. If his words ring prophetic he will have
to be calm to take advantage of Margarito the same way
he (allegedly) took advantage of him three years ago.
And we will see...
Revenge is a dish best served cold, but will Cotto
remember?
Disclaimer ~ Billy Collins left that 1983 fight
with a torn iris and could no longer compete as a
professional boxer. This led to his alcoholism,
depression and many say his car crash in 1984 was a
suicide.
Antonio Margarito is entering this fight with legitimate
concerns about his right eye due to damage sustained in
the Pacquiao fight.
I believe Margarito had tampered
wraps in his fight vs. Cotto in 2008, and this isn't the
opinion of BRC, it is my subjective opinion solely.
I,
as an observer, am excited for this fight but I am leery
about the status of Margarito's eye. I would like to see
an action packed bout comparable to the first clash but
in no way (in case of a Cotto victory) do I "want" to
see any long-term damage done to Mr. Margarito's eye
that may lead to blindness in spite of what I believe
him to be guilty of.
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For Fight Recaps between January and June 2010, click
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For Fight Recaps between January and May 2009, click
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Fight Recaps - Part I - (January-May 2009)
For Fight Recaps starting June 2009, click
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Fight Recaps - Part II - (June-December 2009)
11-23-2010
