Miguel Cotto lands a vicious left hook to the body of Joshua Clottey during their bloody encounter at Madison Square Garden on June 13. AP Photo/Peter Morgan

By Brian Rodriguez

brian@pugilismandthepen.com

More ruminatin’ and ramblin’ from this week:

Cotto – Clottey Fight: The Bard, William Shakespeare (certainly not to be confused with your not-so-humble boxing bard), wrote:  “Expectation is the root of all heartache.”  Not in this case, Bill.  Miguel Cotto vs. Joshua Clottey from Madison Square Garden lived up to expectation and then some.  This was a true fight fans fight; anybody who seriously follows the sport got what they expected…a brutal, bloody, battle of will.

The Strength of the Will: At the elite level of prizefighting, of which both Cotto and Clottey are residents, the will to win is often the determining factor in victory or defeat.  Miguel Cotto willed himself to victory on June 13.  After sustaining a brutal gash over his left eye in the third round – the result of the seemingly obligatory Clottey head butt – the man from Caguas, Puerto Rico fought heroically with blood obstructing his vision.  He battled in the tradition of the gladiatorial warrior, and his willingness to do so was the deciding factor in a give-and-take struggle.

Most Avoided Fighter: I have a feeling this handle will soon be affixed upon Joshua Clottey.  Even in a sport built around the ideals of toughness and strength, the business of boxing sometimes dictates that a fighter can be too tough and too strong; especially when said fighter doesn’t bring much in the way of monetary drawing power.  Clottey has a rock hard chin, is always in superb fighting condition, and always comes prepared for a bruising affair.  What top welterweight would want to fight him?

Clottey:  “Always the bride’s maid…”: Jim Lampley dubbed Clottey “the hardest luck fighter in the welterweight division.”  Clottey did not lose because he was unlucky; we all make our own luck.  The Ghanaian lost because he simply did not throw enough punches in the final two rounds of the fight.  Just like the perpetual bride’s maid, there usually is a reason for one’s lot in life.  In each of Clottey’s losses (Carlos Baldomir, Antonio Margarito, and Miguel Cotto), he did just enough to manage to lose the fight.

Pugilism & The Pen Issues Verdict on United States Supreme Court Nominee, Judge Sonia Sotomayor: True to the word of P&TP’s proclamation in the last edition of “Ruminations & Ramblings” (which can be found at http://pugilismandthepen.com/?p=338), the editorial board has decided to withhold support for Judge Sotomayor’s nomination to SCOTUS.

“If you’ve got the money, honey, I’ve got the time”: Merle Haggard had it right.  In that spirit, instead of Oscar De La Hoya calling Dan Rafael at ESPN.com to try and get Shane Mosley a fight with Pacquiao, why not just bring Pacquiao $1 million in a suitcase and see if he bites?

President Barack Obama in Attendance for Mayweather – Marquez?: Both “Money” Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez have invited their respective country’s Presidents to their bout, which was recently postponed (due to a rib cartilage injury sustained by Mayweather).  Assuming that the bout does come off in September or October, I highly doubt we can expect President Obama to attend.  Given recent events, one can only deduce that he would not want to “meddle” in the fight.  I, personally,  hope Mr. Obama will be ringside…there would be no better publicity for the Sweet Science.  But, if he misses this Mayweather fight, maybe Mr. Obama’s motive is to hold out for the prospect of a primo seat at a Mayweather – Pacquiao superfight.