As expected, Miguel Cotto had too much for Ricardo Mayorga at the weekend and stopped his foe in the 12th round to reclaim his WBA Light-Middleweight belt.
Mayorga put up a spirited display but the ice-cool focus and undoubtedly better boxing skills of Cotto shone through, marking something of a resurgence for a fighter who had looked dispirited with the sport since losing to Antonio Margarito in 2008.
Bringing in respected trainer Emanuel Steward appears to have helped Cotto rediscover his zest for boxing. Margarito, on the other hand, is coming off the back of a brutal beatdown to Manny Pacquiao in which he absorbed 12 rounds of punishment.
Rewind to the night in July 2008 after Cotto and Margarito fought and their prospects were very different.
Julio Cesar Chavez entered the ring to cogratulate Margarito on his 11th round stoppage of Cotto after a thrilling fight in which Cotto had boxed well to take charge in the first half before Margarito's relentless pressure caught up with the back-pedalling Puerto Rican.
At that stage Margarito was king of the welterweights and looking ahead to fortune and fame but a downward slide was to follow after Margarito was found to have had tampered handwraps before taking on Shane Mosley. That night he was taken apart in nine rounds and his reputation and legacy were called into question.
People asked: Was the win over Cotto legitimate?
The roles have reversed and after beating Mayorga, Cotto is looking at facing Margarito in a rematch.
The tension between the two was clear at the after-fight press conference where Margarito, a spectator at the contest, came to the podium and offered his hand to Cotto only to be turned away with an icy glare.
If the fight goes ahead - with July suggested for the rematch to take place - this would be a chance for Cotto to move on from the dark clouds of that fight once and for all. Cotto may or may not have lost a bit of bounce since then but he still has the quality to beat most contenders out there.
Margarito has looked jaded since Mosley starched him but he's still got a sting in the tail. Cotto - who showed focus and purpose against Mayorga, keeping his emotions in check - will need the same approach if he's to overcome his nemesis.
Mayorga put up a spirited display but the ice-cool focus and undoubtedly better boxing skills of Cotto shone through, marking something of a resurgence for a fighter who had looked dispirited with the sport since losing to Antonio Margarito in 2008.
Bringing in respected trainer Emanuel Steward appears to have helped Cotto rediscover his zest for boxing. Margarito, on the other hand, is coming off the back of a brutal beatdown to Manny Pacquiao in which he absorbed 12 rounds of punishment.
Rewind to the night in July 2008 after Cotto and Margarito fought and their prospects were very different.
Julio Cesar Chavez entered the ring to cogratulate Margarito on his 11th round stoppage of Cotto after a thrilling fight in which Cotto had boxed well to take charge in the first half before Margarito's relentless pressure caught up with the back-pedalling Puerto Rican.
At that stage Margarito was king of the welterweights and looking ahead to fortune and fame but a downward slide was to follow after Margarito was found to have had tampered handwraps before taking on Shane Mosley. That night he was taken apart in nine rounds and his reputation and legacy were called into question.
People asked: Was the win over Cotto legitimate?
The roles have reversed and after beating Mayorga, Cotto is looking at facing Margarito in a rematch.
The tension between the two was clear at the after-fight press conference where Margarito, a spectator at the contest, came to the podium and offered his hand to Cotto only to be turned away with an icy glare.
If the fight goes ahead - with July suggested for the rematch to take place - this would be a chance for Cotto to move on from the dark clouds of that fight once and for all. Cotto may or may not have lost a bit of bounce since then but he still has the quality to beat most contenders out there.
Margarito has looked jaded since Mosley starched him but he's still got a sting in the tail. Cotto - who showed focus and purpose against Mayorga, keeping his emotions in check - will need the same approach if he's to overcome his nemesis.
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