Today the Miguel Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez press tour kicked off on it’s first stop, San Juan, Puerto Rico. They both dedicated the first half hours of the press conference individually with various media members and then literally faced off on stage in front of the public present in the Coliseum of Puerto Rico.
They behaved as perfect gentlemen in front of the crowd, no insults were thrown, much less any physical contact of the sort, that’s just not in them. Yet there was certain instances when the animosity between the two made it’s presence.
In Sergio’s case it was a moment where I witnessed a fan hand over a boxing glove and asked the Argentine champion for his autograph. Sergio gladly accepted and when he noticed a scribbling on the glove he asked the fan what the scribbling was. The puzzled fan replied Cotto’s autograph. Sergio’s facial expression changed as he went on a rant. I’m bilingual so I have a good grasp of both the English and Spanish language but he was so upset that the first few sentences I couldn’t even understand.
But he then apologized to the freaked out fan and explained. Translated, Sergio said, “That’s not his signature, that’s a scribble. It looks as if though he signed that for you and then threw at you. You don’t treat a fan or an admirer that way. This is what you want.”, as he autographed the glove legibly. He then handed it over graciously and took a photo to boot.
As for Cotto, his jab of animosity came just as he was closing his statement at the podium in the conference open to the public. Cotto stated, “I appreciate Sampson’s (referring to Sampson Lewkowicz, Sergio’s promoter) wish of good luck, all I can tell him is to wish and worry about Sergio’s knee, he’ll need it.” This media/press tour may be a prelude to what can turn out to be a possible “Fight Of The Year” for 2014.
By Luis Cadiz Sr. – ww.pound4pound.com
