Cotto vs. Margarito 2: Why Convincing Win Is Needed for Rest of Cotto's Career

Antonio Margarito's story is well documented. We know that he got busted for plastering his hands. Since that fight with Shane Mosley (which Margarito lost anyway), he's only 1-1. That puts the legitimacy of the rest of his career in doubt.

Michael J. Fensom of the Newark Star-Ledger covered the press conference for Margarito's fight with Miguel Angel Cotto. As Fensom detailed, Cotto alleged that Margarito cheated in the first fight between the two men, which was won by Margarito.

Given that it was Margarito's last fight before the Mosley fight, it's not an entirely baseless claim. So, Margarito really needs a win here. It wouldn't prove that the rest of his career was clean, but it would help eliminate some doubt. 

But lost in theory is that Cotto also needs this win.

If Margarito goes out and wins Saturday's fight, Cotto's claims about the previous fight lose a lot of their base. Heck, even if he can prove that Margarito was cheating in that first one, it wouldn't exactly be believable that Margarito wouldn't have won anyway.

No, that wouldn't justify it, but the bitterness from Cotto would be far less relevant. 

He needs this win. The only other loss Cotto has suffered in a stellar career was to Manny Pacquiao. Otherwise, he's perfect. 

If Cotto wins, he avenges the first loss and only raises doubts about how clean the fight was. It's as simple as that.

But if Margarito wins, then Cotto is perceived as a good fighter who could never do anything against the top fighters of the time. Margarito's career is at least somewhat rehabilitated, and the complaining about the first fight becomes far less relevant.

Cotto has to find a way to win this fight.

Fortunately, this sets up well for him to do just that. I like him to go out and attack Margarito early, looking for a quick knockout. He'll get it.

Prediction: Cotto by fifth-round knockout.