Welcome to “Gloves Off”, where you will read only the truth about boxing here. At least the truth the way I see it and more importantly, the way I hear it from the boxers, the sport’s shotcallers, boxing insiders who go on record and the occasional paying fan who in his own way supports the financial purses at both the big PPV events and the local club scene. Any press release passing as an interview will be duly noted. Any boxing writer, website, or fans’ outpost will be called out for praise or as is sadly often the case, stretching the truth in lieu of THE TRUTH. I spent two years working with Joe Pistone, the real life “Donnie Brasco”, portrayed by Johnny Depp in the film. There I learned the truth has three sides: yours, mine, and the ABSOLUTE TRUTH (and the truth about “Donnie Brasco” was that Al Pacino’s character, Benjamin “Lefty Guns” Ruggerio may have been “whacked” in the film, but was healthy enough in real life to attend the film’s premiere in February, 1997.)

The post Cotto-Cottey rumblings began an hour before the fight when I decided to text a dozen of the sport’s local NYC “players” with my prediction that I would cease writing if Clottey lasted past nine. Obviously, he did and I’m still writing, thus prompting the question who’s the chump here? Me…or the Ghanaian who let the final two rounds slip away, allowing Miguel Cotto to leave Madison Square Garden with his Boricucan pride intact and heading to the nearest hospital. Water cooler emotion had shifted dramatically to Clottey in the 48 hours leading up the fight. I never read betting lines, instead relying on gut instinct as a sports fan or listening to an expert such as the honorable Steve Farhood of Showtime (whom I unfortunately couldn’t connect with pre-fight.)

The best analysis came from a quiet student of the game who resides in Brooklyn. Paulie Malignaggi, thankfully, weighed in prior to the opening bell. The likable Paulie, whose use of the 3rd person in referring to himself has now taken on epic proportions (he needs a “Little Penny (Paulie)”-Chris Rock-3rd person sidekick doll to emphasize his STRONG opinions on EVERYTHING-Paulie and Bundini Brown would have been a great combo; unfortunately, Paulie’s stuck with a two-faced pizza slice owner as a corollary mouthpiece). Anyway, Paulie, an astute student of the game, favored Clottey before the fight and in no uncertain terms, said the fight would go the distance. One Daily News writer sent a text picking Clottey in 6. New Jersey’s boxing barrister, Mike Borao tabbed Clottey, but Borao, although a nice guy at a press conference, picks with his wallet: if it serves his interest, then he’s interested.

My A-list was Paulie+2, but that’s not the point of this column.

The fight went down and Cotto wins. A quartet of things stand out: the brutal cut from the unintentional head butt suffered by Cotto, Clottey’s strong performance in the middle rounds, the WBO champ taking the fight to Clottey in the last six minutes, and the STRONG reaction afterwards: aside from myself, DBE matchmaker Joe Quiambo, a West Coast boxing shotcaller, and Harold Lederman, EVERYONE thought Clottey got robbed.

Malignaggi: “Clottey got robbed. Cotto won the 12th and three other rounds, but if he didn’t score the knockdown he woulda lost the first also. Clottey landed the cleaner punches and combinations.” Quiambo had a different view: “I thought Cotto showed balls and Clottey blew it, especially by not going after him in the final two rounds.” Boxing fan, Bakari Lee, an attorney from Newark, who PAYS TO ATTEND FIGHTS also thought that Clottey deserved the nod.

It may have looked like a gift to Cotto on the eve of New York’s Puerto Rican Day parade. Yet, factor in the head butt early on and we’ll be left guessing what would have really gone down from round 3 forward if Cotto’s eyelid wasn’t sliced open. Some have suggested (HBO’s Kellerman, who once made me wince with some of his over-analysis) that Cotto retire and go the scorecards. Yet, we all know that Cotto’s heart and the heavy Puerto Rican weekend activities would never have allowed this to happen. I enjoyed ref Mercante’s asides to Clottey: “Act like a champ, Joshua” (when Clottey took the punch in the back of the head and the mysterious knee problem—was it a shot to the groin?) The selection of the judges by NYS commissioner Lathan, especially in light of the decisive and fluctuating scores, had many barking. The above mentioned boxing barrister Borao claimed he had 10 text messages from fans who will quit watching the sport because of Saturday night’s decision.

Hey counselor, honesty in boxing flows in selective patterns and is seen through different prisms and with flowing emotions. Bob “Lizard” Arum, who has risen to the top of the game not by honesty, but by having the strongest stable in the sport at the moment, ruled out a rematch, thankfully as this fight will be forgotten. Perhaps Cotto has lost a bit of his zip, perhaps Clottey will close out a fight in his next bout…the game moves forward…as will this column from a creaky, cranky, rusty, rushed start to a space where “Gloves Off” will set the record straight for the fight fan that appreciates the facts and my version of the truth…Finally, hopefully ridiculous dysfunction in the Albany legislature, especially the Puerto Rican state senate tag team of “Buy the Votes” Espapa/“Beat my girlfriend” Monserrate, will continue only to keep MMA from coming to the Empire State.

More to come later this week………… Eric Silverstadt

This column doesn’t necessarily reflect the opinion of ROUND1MAG.com. 

(Photo: REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton)