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There’s nothing quite like a live underdog for your money in a major prize fight. You can back one tonight when Joshua Clottey takes on Miguel Cotto on HBO in a welterweight title match in Cotto’s adopted second home at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Cotto is nowhere near as far ahead of Clottey as the odds suggest (Cotto is -350, Clottey +270 at www.bookmaker.com). Cotto has proven his defense is suspect and he is vulnerable to taking shots against top-caliber opponents, which he has done against just about everyone he has faced.
For the longest time, the Puerto Rico-born Cotto (33-1, 27 KOs) relied on a proven fallback position, which was simply out-hitting his opponent (Carlos Quintana), out-hearting him (Zab Judah) or finding a way to outscore him with a combination of both (Shane Mosley).
Even so, he had to pick himself up off the canvas several times or rebound from an opponent’s onslaught to pull out some of these wins. Rarely did he emerge unscathed from fights against top-caliber foes.
Cotto’s high-wire act was bound to catch up with him against an opponent of similar skills and determination. This happened last year when Antonio Margarito beat Cotto at his own game, handing Cotto his first loss with a devastating 11th-round knockout.
Clottey is cut from a similar cloth. He has never been blown out in a fight and, in fact, the Ghana native took Margarito to a close decision despite breaking his right hand in the fourth round. He also lost on a controversial disqualification against Carlos Baldomir. His victories include a triumph over Judah, a common opponent for he and Cotto, and another over the late Diego Corrales, whose legacy remains unchallenged as one of the toughest fighters to ever set foot in the ring.
To be certain, Cotto does have some advantages in the fight. For one, he is unlikely to lose a decision before 20,000 partisan fans in New York, where many of his fellow Puerto Ricans show up en masse to back their man. He also likely holds a slight edge in power, while the technical skills of each boxer likely is a push.
However, history has shown that against an opponent of similar skills and will – and Clottey has both – Cotto’s lack of defense can be exposed, and it’s difficult to envision him having an easy go of it against Clottey.
A bet on Cotto at this steep of a price is a high-risk, marginal reward venture. A gamble on Clottey might not result in a payday, but he is bound to give you a reasonable run for your money. The price can’t be beat, and Cotto has shown that he can.
Side note: the over/under is set at -300 for over 9 ½ rounds, the under at +240. Keep in mind that Cotto has been vulnerable to cuts, and Clottey has been known to lead with his head. The potential for a fight-stopping gash, along with the relative given that these two will come out slugging from bell to bell, makes the under worth a look as well.
Cotto is nowhere near as far ahead of Clottey as the odds suggest (Cotto is -350, Clottey +270 at www.bookmaker.com). Cotto has proven his defense is suspect and he is vulnerable to taking shots against top-caliber opponents, which he has done against just about everyone he has faced.
For the longest time, the Puerto Rico-born Cotto (33-1, 27 KOs) relied on a proven fallback position, which was simply out-hitting his opponent (Carlos Quintana), out-hearting him (Zab Judah) or finding a way to outscore him with a combination of both (Shane Mosley).
Even so, he had to pick himself up off the canvas several times or rebound from an opponent’s onslaught to pull out some of these wins. Rarely did he emerge unscathed from fights against top-caliber foes.
Cotto’s high-wire act was bound to catch up with him against an opponent of similar skills and determination. This happened last year when Antonio Margarito beat Cotto at his own game, handing Cotto his first loss with a devastating 11th-round knockout.
Clottey is cut from a similar cloth. He has never been blown out in a fight and, in fact, the Ghana native took Margarito to a close decision despite breaking his right hand in the fourth round. He also lost on a controversial disqualification against Carlos Baldomir. His victories include a triumph over Judah, a common opponent for he and Cotto, and another over the late Diego Corrales, whose legacy remains unchallenged as one of the toughest fighters to ever set foot in the ring.
To be certain, Cotto does have some advantages in the fight. For one, he is unlikely to lose a decision before 20,000 partisan fans in New York, where many of his fellow Puerto Ricans show up en masse to back their man. He also likely holds a slight edge in power, while the technical skills of each boxer likely is a push.
However, history has shown that against an opponent of similar skills and will – and Clottey has both – Cotto’s lack of defense can be exposed, and it’s difficult to envision him having an easy go of it against Clottey.
A bet on Cotto at this steep of a price is a high-risk, marginal reward venture. A gamble on Clottey might not result in a payday, but he is bound to give you a reasonable run for your money. The price can’t be beat, and Cotto has shown that he can.
Side note: the over/under is set at -300 for over 9 ½ rounds, the under at +240. Keep in mind that Cotto has been vulnerable to cuts, and Clottey has been known to lead with his head. The potential for a fight-stopping gash, along with the relative given that these two will come out slugging from bell to bell, makes the under worth a look as well.
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