5 Intriguing Questions Heading into Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito Rematch

It's going to be nearly three-and-a-half years since they last fought when Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto enter the ring on Dec. 3rd.

Since their brutal fight in 2008, which resulted in Cotto losing by knockout in Round 11, both boxers have had career-defining moments that have positively and negatively affected their careers forever.

Cotto (36-2, 29 KO) most recently moved into the junior middleweight division to challenge Ricardo Mayorga and Yuri Foreman, defeating both by TKO.

Before that, the Puerto Rican boxer suffered losses inside and outside the ring, including the loss of his father, Miguel Cotto Sr., as well as a 2009 bout versus pound-for-pound star Manny Pacquiao.

Margarito (38-7, 27 KO) has become the villain of boxing since being caught with loaded hand wraps before his 2009 loss to Shane Mosley. Mentally defeated before even entering the ring and knowing the circumstances that were to come, he got pounded for eight rounds before being stopped in the ninth.

After a year-long suspension, Margarito returned to beat an overmatched opponent and was destroyed by Pacquiao over 12 rounds at the end of 2010.

Now, both are set to rematch, and it will go down as one of the most intriguing matchups of the year.

No. 5: Which Boxer Has More Left in Them After Brutal Beatings Versus Pacquiao?

Both were originally supposed to fight in September but due to Margarito not being medically approved to fight, they were forced to push it back to Dec. 3rd.

In Margarito's fight with Pacquiao, he suffered severe damage to his eyes and was beaten down over 12 rounds. In the bout, Pacquiao landed 474 punches, including 411 power shots.

That alone is enough to change a boxer's career but when you add on the loss to Shane Mosley, it makes you question just how much Margarito has left in the tank.

Cotto has gone 4-1 since the loss and has taken considerable damage in two of those bouts. In fights with Joshua Clottey and Manny Pacquiao, Cotto was bloodied and bruised for 12 rounds in both. A brutal 12-round bout with Ricardo Mayorga in his latest fight doesn't help much either.

The question of who has more left will be answered come fight night.

No. 4: We Will Get Answers as to Whether Or Not Margarito Cheated in First Fight

Ever since Margarito was caught with plaster in his wraps prior to his fight with Mosley, there has been a question mark put over his career on whether or not he cheated in any of his other fights.

Since the fight with Cotto was the one before he fought Mosley, many fans point to him having loaded gloves in that fight as well. It's a question we will never have answers to, but the rematch should give us an idea of whether or not he did cheat in the first fight.

Margarito hasn't looked like the same fighter in any of his three bouts since defeating Cotto. Known for his pressure and extensive work rate, he wore down Cotto over 10 rounds to earn an 11th round knockout. Cotto's face was a bloody mess and went down voluntarily from the punishment he was taking.

If Margarito applies the same type of game plan he had in their first fight, look for the effects to show on Cotto when the fight gets into the later rounds. If it doesn't, maybe he really did have something extra in his wraps the first time around.

No. 3: Does Margarito Know Something the Fans Don't About the First Bout?

Something tells me Margarito would have never accepted this rematch had he cheated in the first fight and known about it. If he says he didn't, we have to take his word for it.

He also said he didn't know about his loaded wraps in the Mosley fight, which is surprising.

If he didn't cheat, he should have a considerable advantage mentally knowing he beat Cotto with just his fists and his will.

On the other hand, if he did cheat and knows he did, he knows the type of damage that has been done to Cotto and believes he can capitalize on that. He also seen what Pacquiao did to him and knows he made it the distance against the man who Cotto couldn't make it the distance with.

If the fight with Pacquiao was any indication, it's hard to deny Margarito's heart. He has the ability to beat anyone and has every plan of proving this to himself and the fans.

No. 2: Fight of the Year Candidate 2011?

Both need this win bad and for different reasons. Cotto needs it because it will mean redemption for his first career loss in a fight that ultimately affected his career in more ways than one. He took considerable damage over the bout in what was a candidate for 2008's fight of the year.

Cotto's only loss since than has been to Pacquiao, and he has had a short resurgence in his career with wins over Foreman and Mayorga. Some even rank him among the top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

Margarito hasn't had much success since his career-defining win in the first bout. He dropped two losses to Mosley and Pacquiao with his only win coming against Roberto Garcia.

I expect this fight to play out much like the first bout. Many are expecting Cotto to outbox Margarito for the 12-round distance, but Margarito's will can never be denied. He wants this win bad and knows he beat him before on his will alone.

No. 1: Who Has the Pscyhological Advantage Going Into the Fight?

Cotto's trainer insists he is over the loss to Margarito, but what if he finds himself in the same situation he was in the first fight? Will he become overwhelmed with the pressure Margarito puts on him and realize there is no way for him to beat this guy or will he fight his way through it?

He also knows he outboxed Margarito for the majority of the first fight and knows he can do it again. Margarito will be expecting this and knows what he is capable of doing.

The main question that comes up a lot is does Cotto believe Margarito cheated? If he does and finds himself in the same situation he was in during the first fight, it will be a test for him to overcome his own beliefs and use his skills to defeat the bigger man.

My guess is that even if he does believe Margarito cheated, it doesn't matter to him. He should be able to beat any fighter no matter what the circumstances are. This is what makes him a true fighter at heart, and that's where the fight will be won or lost on Dec. 3rd.