BERT SUGAR PRE-FIGHT ANALYSIS

by Bert Sugar with Steve Small

STRENGTHS OF BOTH FIGHTERS

MIGUEL COTTO

- Cotto throws some of the most crippling body shots in all of boxing, thudding punches that have the sound of surf hitting shore which tend to break down his opponent in the later rounds--for evidence, see the Zab Judah fight.

- A bull-like fighter, Cotto walks through his opponents punches, all the better to deliver his own.

- Most effective when he has his opponent against the ropes.

- Younger and stronger than Mosley, Cotto will use his strength in an attempt tp wear down the older Mosley

SUGAR SHANE MOSLEY

- Mosley has blinding speed of hand and foot and used both in his last fight to dominate Luis Collazo.

- Possesses one of the fastest and most dominating jabs in boxing.

- Mosley has a looping right hand, one of the major weapons in his offensive arsenal, and uses it effectively--here, see fights with Vargas and De La Hoya.

WEAKNESSES OF BOTH FIGHTERS

COTTO

- Believing that his offense is his best defense, Cotto's offense comes with a price, many a time leaving him open when he comes in. He has been wobbled by the likes of Ricardo Lopez, DeMarcus Corley and most recently by Zab Judah whose punches, in Cotto's own words, "made my legs dance a little."

- Cotto has literally no head movement at all and leads with his head every time he walks in.

- Lowers his left hand and left shoulder when he hooks making him vulnerable to right-hand counters.

- Holds hands to side of head which should enable Mosley to punch around his hands--and is especially open to right-hand uppercuts.

MOSLEY

- Shane, at 36 years of age, is nine years older than Cotto and although apparently "suffering" the Indian summer of his career could flag in the later going under the pressure of Cotto's body attack.

- Once a dominating lightweight, where he was 32-0 with 30 knockouts, Shane has not brought his punch north with him, winning only two of his nine fights at welterweight by knockout.

- Once one of the best combination fighters and jabbers in boxing, Shane has, with the exception of the Collaso fight, foregone the jab and must revert to his former style of using both hands and doubling and tripling up on his jab against Cotto to keep him outside.

WHAT EACH MUST DO TO WIN

COTTO

- Cotto must crowd Mosley, staying in close and keeping his head in Mosley's chest where Mosley can't hit him with his looping right hand.

- When trying to get inside, Cotto must--even if just occasionally--try to block or evade Mosley's straight-on punches.

- To win, Cotto has to punch to Shane's body, then throw uppercuts. Mosley can be hit with both, especially right-hand uppercuts.

- Cotto cannot afford to give away early rounds to Mosley in the belief that he can wear him down, Mosley never having been stopped in his 48-fight career.

MOSLEY

- Mosley must avoid the ropes where Cotto is most effective and fight the fight from long range.

- With a reach and height advantage Mosley should fight the fight from the outside, moving to his right outside Cotto's left hook and keep turning him.

- Sugar Shane must counter Cotto's left hooks to the body when he dips with right hand uppercuts to discourage Cotto from going to his body.

Bert Randolph Sugar is the co-author of "My View from the Corner" with legendary trainer Angelo Dundee, now in bookstores.