By Amy Green

The long awaited clash between the unbeaten Miguel Cotto (32-1) and the dangerous, long avoided Antonio Margarito (38-5) was hyped as relentless warriors on a collision course to welterweight supremacy. Setting the stage for their showdown was a refreshing lack of pre-fight trash talking, disrespect and slurs on either the Mexican or Puerto Rican heritages. Instead, Cotto and Margarito’s careers, records, skills and abilities fueled the editorial buzz, and will continue to do so after this fights’ epic conclusion.

 

Cotto entered their match the favorite, with Margarito seeking to gain the status that eluded him for the majority of his career.

 

Through eleven classic rounds of boxing, Miguel Cotto was the precise boxer, outlanding his foe, employing footwork and countering to avoid the determined, rugged offense of the relentless Antonio Margarito. Cotto was able to successfully negate a lot of Margarito’s pressure with movement and solid jabs. Round-six signaled the effect of Margarito’s work. Cotto struggled to escape Margarito’s 130-punch assault in round-seven, then regained his composure in the eighth, rallying to maintain his boxing/countering action and not allow himself to be trapped near the ropes. From rounds nine through eleven, Cotto’s punches were slowing in volume, with Margarito never stopping in his pursuit.

With eight-seconds left in round-ten, Cotto is stunned but managed to make it to his corner for a little time to try and recover. The eleventh round Margarito battered Cotto into submission, with Cotto bloody at the mouth, nose and eye, taking a knee at 1:32 into the round, but attempting to continue as referee Kenny Bayless asked if he could go on. Seconds later, his uncle Evangelista Cotto threw in the towel, and Antonio Margarito emerged the winner by TKO, gaining the WBA welterweight title.

 

Eleven-rounds between Cotto and Margarito was as much a battle of wills as skills. Cotto boxed and used all he had in his arsenal and was effective, precise and fought a tough fight, but Margarito was not to be denied in this battle, constantly and doggedly pressuring Cotto mentally and physically to hand him his first defeat since his Olympic career.

 

Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather both have reportedly  refused millions to face Margarito and it’s wise Oscar De La Hoya stick to promoting and writing books instead of being brutally retired at the hands of the Tijuana Tornado. He doesn’t need the money or the beating.

 

 

AFTER THE BELL……

 

Top marks to Bruce Trampler, the Top Rank matchmaker for an undercard that didn’t suck, that entertained and showcased some promising fighters. From the 108-pound twelve round slugfest between Giovanni Segura (19-1-1, 5 KO) and Cesar Canchila (27-1, 21 KO) for the WBA Interim light fly title, which Canchila won after surviving a knockdown; the fourth round victory knockout for unbeaten super light weight prospect Mike Alvarado (22-0) over former world champ Cesar Bazan, (48-11-1, 31 KO); and super bantam Filipino Bernabe Concepcion (26-1-1, 15 KO) who sent Adam Carrera (19-4, 8 KO) to the canvas twice for a third round knockout.

 

Seeing Mike Tyson in the audience with his two young sons, being a dad, graciously posing for photos and signing autographs was a nice shot from the HBO cameras.

 

Boos to the HBO commentating crew for their post fight remarks after the Cotto/Margarito main event. Referring to Miguel Cotto as the "vanquished Puerto Rican champion" was beyond bad taste. Had Cotto fought poorly, disgraced his country or his sport, then the silver tongues sitting at ringside could have dispatched him with such disdain.

 

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