As the negotiations between camps for Miguel Cotto and Sergio Martinez dragged on, there was talk of Martinez's dislike for the Puerto Rican superstar. It turns out that dislike was actually a festering hatred, that "Maravilla" is exposing for the world.
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"I not only have dislike for him," Martinez said, "Because of the disrespect I have received from him in all of the negotiations, I will beat the [heck] out of him, and before the ninth round, I will knock him out."
Throughout the process Martinez has made it clear that he finds Cotto to be disrespectful of him. "From monetary to personal, him calling me the "B" side when I'm the deserved champion, this is not right," Martinez said. "In a way, he's a very nasty person."
The entire situation is bizarre, as both men are consistently lauded for their class. Martinez is generally a happy person, while Cotto is stoic, but revered in most circles. Even Floyd Mayweather Jr., at the height of his "Money" Mayweather excess, spoke of Cotto without his typical brashness.
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Martinez's accusations seem to confuse the Puerto Rican, whose risen to a level of stardom approaching Mayweather's when he fights at Madison Square Garden. "I've never had a falling out with him, that is not true," Cotto said in February. "We had no falling out of any kind. I would never do anything like that, I have always been a gentleman."
Martinez tells a different story, comparing Cotto to brutal dictator Hugo Chavez. It's like Chavez in Venezuela, [Fidel] Castro or [Vladimir] Putin, there are people who like him and many others who dislike him," Martinez said. "I think the majority of people for this fight will like Martinez and dislike Cotto. ... The way he treats people, the press ... I love to help people."
These two will settle their differences at Madison Square Garden on June 7.
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