Miguel Cotto wears the scowl of a man with a passion for punching.
The Puerto Rican welterweight world champion bears a permanent frown befitting his understated but undoubtedly supreme and ferocious skills.
Perhaps this lack of charisma and refusal to spout typical boxing soundbites has contributed to his position as the forgotten man of the 'pound-for-pound' rankings.
Only a couple of years ago many expected the light-welterweight to top those ratings after his steady but sure rise to prominence, combining excellent defence and counter-punching with power and skilful shot selection.
He wobbled briefly in 2005 when he was exposed by DeMarcus Corley and little-known Ricardo Torres but he came through both of those fights with his unbeaten record intact.
Since then he has produced the biggest wins of his career - including victories against Paul Malignaggi, Zab Judah and Shane Mosley - and maintained an impressive record of at least three fights a year.
Yet despite the step up in quality - not to mention his ascent to the welterweight division, in which he currently reigns as WBA champion - he is still some way short of being regarded as the world's best boxer.
Floyd Mayweather, for years regarded as the most talented, has similarly stepped up to prove himself and still tops every list. Joe Calzaghe and Manny Pacquiao have also propelled themselves ahead of Cotto in the public's eyes.
So why has Cotto, despite his stellar recent record, seemingly failed to match the lofty expectations many of us had for him?
It could be argued he hasn't. But his profile remains lower than it should be for a fighter of his pedigree, perhaps partly because he's in it for the sport and the honour but, unlike Mayweather, not the glamour and stardom.
And he has never been in a classic fight. When he has been asked questions and forced to dig deep, it has usually been in situations he should never have found himself in. Torres, for example, troubled him more than he should have. Mosley too.
He has never been in a war, the type for which Pacquiao is famous.
Nor has he ever outboxed another top fighter in the way Mayweather humiliated Arturo Gatti or Calzaghe took Jeff Lacy to school.
He's never triumphed as an underdog a la Ricky Hatton against Kostya Tszyu.
July's clash with the always-entertaining Antonio Margarito is another marquee fight, a credible addition to his CV. Against a puncher like Margarito, he is likely to retreat into his shell and box rather than brawl.
Not that he's willing to admit that in the early promotional build-up.
"It's going to be an exciting and really tough fight for both of us," said the 27-year-old, a fanatical supporter of Argentinian football giant River Plate.
"I think the guy who comes to it in the best shape and who trusts in himself better will win. And this guy is Miguel Cotto.
"I'm going to take advantage of the mistakes he's going to make during the fight. I'm going to do all the things I have to do to win this fight. I'm going for it round for round, and if I hit him pretty good, then I'm going for him. I'm 100% confident in myself."
An eye-catching win over Margarito will serve to endorse his reputation as one of the world's best across all of the divisions.
But the fact remains Cotto is better equipped than any other fighter on the planet to dethrone top man Mayweather and sit atop the pound-for-pound rankings.
He must do whatever it takes to finally secure a shot at the Michigan motormouth if he wants to earn the recognition his talent deserves.
More news from SportingLife.com
