Roughing Up a Tough Division: Miguel Cotto vs. Joshua Clottey

of Puerto Rican circles, but Cotto is likable precisely because he is willing to adapt as a fighter and I'm hoping this is something his team have worked on.

- Defense, defense, defense. Much has been made, rightly, of Clottey's excellent defensive capabilities. Using his long arms, he can comfortably shield his face and torso from attack with great effectiveness. This will require the ultra-accurate Cotto to take extra risks in teasing Clottey's defense open—most likely by launching the excursions on the inside I suggested above. Also look for the latter to feint frequently in an effort to get around Clottey's high hands with his devastating left hooks.

Cotto is not as water-tight defensively as his opponent, but I think some commentators have made a bigger deal of his chin than is necessary. In fact if they were to re-examine the Mosley match, they would see that Cotto can take a solid punch from top contenders. What really gets him in trouble are his oft-times poor balance and an unwillingness to hold when in trouble. Furthermore, Clottey has pointed out that Cotto is a sucker for one of the strongest weapons in his own arsenal...

- The bodyshot. This is where we'll see the real magic in this fight. Cotto and Clottey are equally famed for their body work, brutalising their opponents with well placed kidney, liver and rib shots. As Clottey recently said: "The body shots are going to affect both of us because I am going to hit the body a lot. If he is going to feel the body shots then he’s got a problem. If I feel the body shots, then I’ve got a problem.’’ Enough said.

The outcome: Both fighters are big, strong, pliable welterweights, but I see Cotto carrying this by a close points decision. Jim Lampley once commented, "Cotto is a killer of spirit," and while I don't think he'll knock the larger Clottey out, I think he'll be able to use his superior speed and aggression to frustrate the Ghanaian and gradually outpoint him.

And what for the future?

A win for either Cotto or Clottey, as I see it, would mean a date with Shane Mosley later in the year. See it as an eliminator fight for the winner of Pacquiao-Mayweather (should Mayweather get by Marquez and agree to an equal or lower purse).

But it's best not to get ahead of ourselves. Saturday is, after all, going to be that rare occasion when fight fans can savour seeing two of the world's top welterweights face one another in a good, honest battle.

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