On Miguel Cotto

Let me do what I failed to do earlier, and that is give credit to Miguel Cotto. I always have empathy for the losing fighter. I know what it's like to lose. I know what it's like to taste your own blood in defeat and I know what it's like to have to face the people in your life when you have fallen short of your goal, in this case, winning the fight. It's a hell of a thing to climb through those ropes, whether it''s for a six round semi wind up, or an epic title fight with the entire world watching.

Up until the final seconds Miguel Cotto was still in the fight. Yes, the inevitability was obvious. But because this was Miguel Cotto, nothing was a sure thing, not even the obvious inevitable ending. Cotto continued to box, countering Margarito's right hand with his left hook, and even up until the end he was trying, hoping, doing his absolute best not to let his countrymen down. That is what made this such a great fight. Yes, at some point it became almost painful to watch, but you have to admire two professionals that took the shots they did and still kept punching. If Margarito was magnificent in victory, so was Cotto in defeat. Yes, he succumbed to the force of nature that is Antonio Margarito. There is no shame in that. Looking inward though, Cotto will not see that. His psyche has been damaged. How could it not be? When a man steps into the ring he lays it all on the line, everything, his pride, his career, his future, his reputation and sometimes even his life.

There was, from my perspective, high drama last night. Two warriors that gave every last ounce of strength in their bodies. I salute them both. That ladies and gentlemen is professional boxing, the king of sports.