Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Cotto muduku akapinda mumakwikwi akawanda enyika dzakawanda, aya anosanganisira: 1998 Junior World Championships yakaitika muBuenos Aires, kwaakapedza ari panzvimbo yechipiri achikwikwidza muchikamu cheLightweight. Kukunda kwake katatu pano kwaive nemapoinzi, mhedzisiro yaive: Andrey Kolevin weUkraine nemapoinzi 15<unk>3, Dana Laframboise weCanada nemapoinzi 6<unk>1, uye Darius Jasevicius anomiririra Lithuania 9<unk>5. Kurasikirwa kwake bedzi kwakanga kuri kuna Anton Solopov weRussia nemapoinzi ane mamakisi e8<unk>9. Muna 1999, Cotto akakwikwidza muPan American Games yakaitwa muWinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Akarwa kamwe chete mukurasikirwa naDana Laframboise weCanada nemapoinzi aine zvibodzwa zvekupedzisira zve 2<unk>5. Zvichitevera kutora kwake rutivi mumutambo wePan American, Cotto akanga ari rutivi rwe
Makwikwi Enyika Okubhokisi muHouston, Texas. Akarasikirwa nehondo yake bedzi nemapoinzi kuna Robertas Nomeikas. Mumakwikwi ake ekupedzisira eamateur, Cotto akamiririra Puerto Rico seChiedza Welterweight pa2000 Sydney Olimpiki Mitambo kwaakarasikirwa naMahamadkadir Abdullayev weUzbekistan nemapoinzi. Cotto akasarudza kutendeukira kune unyanzvi mushure mekurasikirwa naAbdulaev, achigumisa basa rake rekuzvipira nehuwandu hwe 125 <unk> 23.