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Bad blood in Martinez-Cotto matchup

By WTOP Staff

NEW YORK (AP) — The upcoming fight between Miguel Cotto and Sergio Martinez does not need hype.

These fighters don’t like each other and the prefight banter this week is just stirring up the bad blood between them.

Cotto and Martinez held conference calls Thursday to discuss their June 7 world middleweight championship fight at Madison Square Garden.

“The judges are not going to have to do that much work on (that night) because this fight is definitely not going the distance,” said Martinez, the WBC champion.

Due to an injury, Martinez (51-2-2) hasn’t fought since defeating Martin Murray on April 27, 2013. Through an interpreter, Martinez said he “hasn’t felt this good in a long time.”

That’s physically. Emotionally, he holds plenty of animosity for Cotto (39-4).

According to promoter Lou DiBella, the Martinez camp had to make “concessions” to Cotto in order to get the fight signed.

“This was not an easy negotiation,” DiBella said. “We had to swallow some stuff we didn’t want to swallow.”

According to DiBella, those concessions included the fight being contested at 159 pounds; having to surrender top billing; and the photo placement of Martinez on the fight poster.

DiBella noted that Cotto was in the room when the demands were made, and believes the fighter was the driving force behind the “annoying” allowances. DiBella then stressed that Martinez is “fixated on giving Cotto a beating at Madison Square Garden.”

“The reality is this is a huge fight,” DiBella said. “This is in the biggest arena, the most famous arena in the world. It’s against the most proven pay-per-view fighter he’s ever fought, the biggest name fighter he’s ever fought. So in terms of Sergio’s legacy, I’m not going to pretend: This fight is huge.”

Not solely for Martinez. Should Cotto win, he will become a world champion in four weight classes. Previously, Cotto was the WBA super welterweight champion, the WBO welterweight belt holder, and the WBO light welterweight champ.

“We’re going to win this fight,” Cotto said. “I know what I’m capable of June 7.”

And what is that, exactly? Implementation of a power game.

Cotto and trainer Freddie Roach concede Martinez is taller at 5-foot-10 — Cotto is 5-7 –but think they’ll be able to get inside on the WBC champion.

“I don’t worry about his style. I worry about myself,” Cotto said. “I train for 12 rounds. I train for 12 hard rounds. I train for war.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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