By Jim Cawkwell

Photo © Ed Mulholland/FightWireImages.com

When a star attraction such as Floyd Mayweather, Jr. enters a weight class, he alters its equilibrium; perhaps even inhibiting its growth. Naturally, fighters of lesser financial appeal seek to engage him and reap the rewards offered by his pound-for-pound prestige while many more entertaining matches go unmade.

But as quick as the “Pretty Boy” gathered his desired statistic as the legitimate welterweight champion, he has relinquished it in pursuit of a final green belt owned by one Oscar de la Hoya. The promotional pleasantries of that super-fight shall soon begin; but what of the division Mayweather, Jr. leaves behind?

 

Carlos Baldomir’s Cinderella story is over; but unless he is unreasonably frivolous, he will never have to sell another feather duster. Therefore, with dominance of the welterweight division fair game, we turn our attentions to any fighter talented and hungry enough to challenge for it. This weekend, four such fighters collide in a welterweight championship doubleheader; at least three of which are eligible suitors.

 

Puerto Rico is spoiled for choice of world class welterweights. Fate determines that two of them, both unbeaten, shall meet in this weekend’s main event; with a third, Kermit Cintron, of Puerto Rican heritage, in waiting. Miguel Cotto and Carlos Quintana deserve their moment on the great stage; though they walked very different paths to reach it.

 

From the beginning, the shadow of once great Puerto Rican champion Felix Trinidad cast itself over Cotto, and pressure from fans to succeed Trinidad gnawed at him. Always, Cotto responded that he and his followers must be content for him to forge his own legacy apart from his predecessors. He has; and it contains enough success and controversy to be a tale worthy of its own telling.

 

Intensely determined, Cotto once seemed altogether unstoppable. His critic’s search for weaknesses made pivotal events of the moments in which he struggled for stamina or was shaken by an opponent’s punch. Perceptions change, opinions vary, but Cotto remains undefeated.

 

Only one foe has forced Cotto to concede a defeat of sorts: His weight. Appearing emaciated and desperate to make 140-pounds for his last outing, against Paul Malignaggi, Cotto decided that he was in the business of punishing opponents, rather than punishing himself to stay at light welterweight. But the move to welterweight carries as much risk as it does opportunity; therefore, comparisons between Cotto and the man whose former title he aims to win are irresistible.

 

Ricky Hatton somehow managed to pack 140-pounds into his massive frame; yet almost buckled under the force of Luis Collazo. Cotto’s debut in the division is also a championship fight against one of its best, natural welterweights. In preparation, Cotto may feel at ease thanks to the greater weight margin; but if Hatton’s experience is visited upon him in the ring, he will find no comfort.

 

Of course, quite apart from the physical adjustment Cotto faces, there is also the very real threat of Carlos Quintana. Since the runner-up prize of “Worst Management Decision of 2006” goes to whomever decided to replace Clemente Medina as Vicente Escobedo’s trainer - Exhibit A: Escobedo’s first loss - the grand prize winner must belong to whoever in burgeoning prospect Joel Julio’s camp decided that Quintana qualified as a decent “opponent” en route to a world title fight.

 

No fanfare or external pressure to bring his people the glory of their past idols accompanied Quintana on his journey to the most important night of his career. As Cotto defended his light welterweight championship in Madison Square Garden, New York; Quintana also fought in New York: Westchester County Center that is. Cotto had the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas; Quintana had the Buffalo Run Casino in Oklahoma.

 

It didn’t matter. Superior talent, wherever it is displayed, cannot be denied for long, as Quintana’s current position affirms. His record contains nothing of the quality opposition Cotto claims; but one need only watch Quintana perform at all to understand that he oozes quality. Though always full of class and poise, Quintana’s talent appears to gain its true clarity when matched against a significant challenge. Julio found that out to his cost.

 

Fighting to prove himself worthy amongst the world’s elite, Cotto is a fighter partial to box when necessary; while, Quintana, fighting to prove his worth on the stage Cotto has occupied for years, is a boxer with the taste for a real fight.

 

Quintana’s style is smooth, flowing, and full of movement as he administers an accurate command over his array of punches. Though most capable, he is no southpaw jinx and will not look to befuddle Cotto out of a championship with trickery. Quintana’s aggressive nature ensures that he comes forward, looking to land his hard straight punches. As such, he leaves himself open to counters more often than the reputation of his slick style suggests. Most often, he is hit by short right hands, the like of which Julio scored an early flash knockdown over him.

 

After several years of acquaintance with Cotto, it may be safe to say that he is less an explosive performer than he is a grinding, workmanlike operator. Despite the obligatory quick dismissals in his early career, many of his notable wins have come through his grueling attack wearing opponents down, or, most recently, forcing them into submission.

 

Well versed in perhaps every area necessary to make a fine champion, Cotto might be the favorite against Quintana; but one senses this is only because of Quintana’s comparative inexperience at the top level. Both fighters will have their credentials severely tested in this fight. Victory is the priority for both; but a show-stealing performance wouldn’t hurt considering the presence of the chief protagonist in the card’s main support bout.

 

Talking is not Antonio Margarito’s forte, yet he’s wasted much of his year doing it. Making cameo appearances at press conferences as if tailored by the Mafia, he’s looked more like Tony Salerno than “Tony” Margarito while confronting the “Pretty Boy.”

 

Cut open Floyd’s desire and you’ll see dollars and diamonds. As such, it’s a relief to hear that Margarito has given up chasing a Mayweather, Jr. fight that always felt unlikely to happen. While financial alternatives exist, no fighter is going to queue up to fight Margarito; at least not while he remains capable of destroying the majority of his 147-pound peers. The only place Margarito can change his lot is in the ring. Thankfully, he returns to begin that task anew.

 

Meanwhile, if Carlos Quintana is an unknown quantity to boxing fans, then Joshua Clottey is fresh off the milk carton. Of course, he is Margarito’s opponent on Saturday; though not considered one of the three likely successors to the welterweight throne alluded to earlier.

 

The Ghanaian, reportedly an aggressive puncher, has but one career footnote of consequence: a disqualification loss to former lineal welterweight champion, Carlos Baldomir. That means that while he has never suffered legitimate defeat at another’s hand, we are none the wiser as to his capability. Of Clottey, Margarito’s only concern will be

whether he falls early or late; that he will fall is not a debate the Mexican entertains.

 

Of greater importance to Margarito should be how he is received by the audience at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. It is realistic to expect their eagerness to witness Cotto in the flesh once again since his last performance there was the thrilling back-and-forth battle with Barranquilla banger, Ricardo Torres.

 

That and the potential excellence of Cotto-Quintana in the main event appear to place Margarito in a no-win situation. However, he does possess something of an equalizer: a raging desire to fight, and the power to bring a swift and brutal conclusion to the proceedings.

 

You won’t find Margarito taking many rounds off to coast behind the jab, or worrying whether he’s ahead on the scorecards. His philosophy involves the express removal of heads from shoulders. Fight crowd candy.

 

Sadly, greater numbers of boxing fans, and even some writers, are becoming Boxrec.com buffs. The statistical source presents information useful enough for revision purposes, but it can serve also as an obstacle between the viewer simply assuming by the numbers rather than witnessing and knowing for themselves.

 

Thus, we have the disregard to those fighters whose statistics are not as impressive as their abilities. Manuel Gomez was one such fighter. Unbeknownst to many was Gomez’s destructive capacity at the time he fought Margarito. Generally, one doesn’t smile after taking Gomez’s punches flush in the face. Unfortunately for Clottey, Margarito did.

 

An even more popular trend is to degrade Margarito and describe him as a slow, predictable puncher of little achievement. In reality, there is no queue of fighters wanting to feel those punches; nor is there a procession of champions willing to risk their hard-earned wares to the man throwing those punches. Whatever ground Margarito has lost this year, he can begin to reclaim by putting Clottey down and assuring everyone that he’ll do the same to whomever prevails between Cotto and Quintana.

 

It is a night for warriors such as these, rather than negotiators or businessmen boxers. It is the time to rise for fighters that understand that their right to be known as the best is earned in blood.

 

The welterweight class - one of boxing’s prestigious glamour divisions - requires a new leader. As soon as Saturday night, we may know his identity.

 

Contact Jim Cawkwell at jimcawkwell@yahoo.co.uk