This weekend the Puerto Rican day parade will be unleashed upon New York City. Leading up to the parade you can be sure to see cars with Puerto Rican flags emblazoned upon them and chants of “Que Bonita Bandera” not far behind. Yet, there’s something else going down this weekend in New York City, which especially for Latino sports fans deserves just as much fanfare – Miguel Cotto, Puerto Rico’s favorite son will be squaring off against Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez in the mecca of boxing – Madison Square Garden. Here are five reasons you should not miss this potential fight of the year.
1. History Could Be Made
Puerto Rico is a boxing crazed island. Over the decades the Boricuas who have repped the island in the ring have become rock stars back home. Juan LaPorte, Wilfredo Benitez, Felix Trinidad were all island gods and Miguel Cotto is the latest. Yet, ironically enough Puerto Rico has never had a four-division champ. If Cotto beats Martinez he could be the first and make boxing history for the island.
2. Potential Fight The Fight of the Year
Two maybe three years ago we would have easily picked Martinez, he was coming off an ESPN worthy knockout of Paul Williams and Cotto’s career was only just on the mend after beating Yuri Foreman at Yankee Stadium. But Martinez last performance showed signs of slowing considerably. He suffered a knockdown and career threatening injuries. Whereas Cotto with the assistance of new trainer Freddie Roach, seemed to have turned back the clock with a third round knockout of Delvin Rodriguez. Seems as if these differing directions could make for a more competitive fight. Add to that the neither has ever shied away from slugging it out and we could have some fireworks.
3. The Fourth and Ninth Rounds Should Be Interesting
Miffed at what he calls Cotto’s diva demands, such as requesting top billing and order of entry into the ring, Martinez has claimed in he will knockout Cotto in nine rounds. Cotto’s trainer Freddie Roach said Maravilla would be done in four. Interesting proclamations from both camps, which will make these rounds interesting to watch. Nuff said!
4. Its Madison Square Garden on Puerto Rican Day Parade Weekend
If you’ve never been or seen a Miguel Cotto fight at Madison Square Garden, you are missing a high-energy event. The Garden is always packed and the Boricuas are never bashful about demonstrating their support, from middle-aged men donning customized Captain America/Boricua outfits to those aforementioned chants of “Que Bonita Bandera” every punch of every round is met with thunderous applause. Think Yankees-RedSox if they ever got to meet up in the World Series.
5. We’re Sure the Winner Gets Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez
Whether the Canelo camp will admit it or not, the winner of this bout is whom they want. In either case its another Latino superfight to enjoy. If Cotto is the victor it tees up another in a long line of Mexico v. Puerto Rico bouts. If Martinez wins he could cap off a Hall of Fame career, should he choose to do so. Plus, his native Argentina only further solidifies its stature in the boxing game. Martinez, along with Marcos ‘Chino’ Maidana, have come to be viewed as the Argentine version of the Bash Brothers.
