MIGUEL COTTO THE LAST FIGHT
ON Saturday, December 2, 2017, at 7:15 PM, Miguel Cotto walked into a dressing room at Madison Square Garden preparatory to fighting for the last time.
In recent decades, there has been a premium in boxing on trash-talking and glitz. That was never Cotto’s way. He’s soft-spoken and polite with an aura of dignity about him. His low monotonal voice doesn’t travel far and can be reassuring, grave, even gentle, depending on the moment. As his ring career progressed, he conducted interviews with the English-speaking media without an interpreter but was more expressive when speaking in Spanish. Often, one had to lean close to hear him speak.
Hard work has been a constant in Cotto’s life. So have the themes of dignity and respect. His creed was always, “Work hard, don’t cut corners, and do the best you can.” A soldier going to war would want Miguel fighting beside him.
There’s an aura of solemnity about Cotto. The gravity of what he once did for a living is etched on his face. He doesn’t smile often in public and gives the impression of being on guard at all times. One might describe him as “stoic” (a person who endures hardship and pain without complaint and rarely shows his true feelings). But he has expressive eyes that, depending on the moment, can be soft, hard, thoughtful, happy, lonely. His smile is genuine and
