Cotto/Margo: The Time Is Now

We’re getting to the end of this slugfest of a last undercard fight↵here in Vegas. Both Cacnchila and Segura are bruised and battered. This↵throwdown has definitely set the tone for what is to come - lots of↵body-punching, an astonishing work-rate and utter relentlessness from↵both men. Violence is in the air, the place is packed, and when this↵thing ends the chaos will be unleashed.
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↵I’ve talked to two people ringside who are of note - first of all,↵Kenny Bayless, who will referee the fight. He’s no stranger to the big↵stage by any means - off the top of my head, he reffed the↵Pacquiao/Marquez II bout earlier this year, and last year he was the↵third man in the ring for the Oscar/Floyd bonanza. We chatted for a↵second and then an old Mexican cigar-chomper stepped in and tried to↵get Kenny to admit that Marquez beat Pacquiao in their second fight.↵Ever impartial, Kenny admitted it was close.
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↵I also ran into the Voice of New York herself, Angie Martinez, much↵beloved HOt 97 DJ. Angie’s a proud Puerto Rican from the Bronx and↵predictably she’s a big Cotto fan.
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↵The flags are in the ring now and the tension is high. We are ever so↵close to the gettin-it-on. Lamps, Manny Steward and Max Kellerman are↵just to my right doing their stand-up on-camera to set up the bout. The↵crowd is on its feet - the chants alternate between “Puerto RI-co” and↵“Meh-ee-CO.” I can barely hear myself think up in here. The national anthems have been sung and the time is upon us. When next I write, there will be a winner - look for my recap post right here and then some news from the presser. Here comes Margo...↵