Antonio Margarito v Miguel Cotto
Antonio Margarito v Miguel Cotto
The Tijuana Tornado’s relentless pressure finally told on the vaunted Cotto as he went down to the first defeat of his career after a superb bout fought at a searing pace in the MGM Grand.
Cotto, 32-0 coming in, looked sharp and confident in the first half of the fight as he scored freely with classy combinations.
But Margarito stalked his prey relentlessly and gradually took the upper hand as the pace told on his tiring opponent.
And midway through the 11th Cotto took a knee as Margarito yet again pinned him on the ropes with a frenzied assault.
Miguel did rise after an eight count but was soon down after another Margarito attack, and this time it brought the end with 55 seconds remaining in the round.
The fight – tagged “The Battle” and tipped as a Fight of the Year contender by most pundits – lived up to expectations right from the first bell to add to the storied ring rivalry between Puerto Rico and Mexico.
Round one set the pattern for the first half of the bout with Margarito coming forward relentlessly, but being caught at will by crisp combinations from Cotto.
The Puerto Rican’s jab and left hand were particularly prolific as he moved well and fired precise counters in a bid to halt Margarito’s march forward.
But maybe the first sign of what was to come came in the second, as Margarito’s attacks brought blood from Cotto’s nose and took a thrilling session.
Cotto recovered well though to take control again in the third, and followed it up by boxing superbly in the fourth and fifth.
As the bout reached halfway though Margarito began to force his will on Cotto as his relentless pressure started to wear down the champion.
The Mexican’s attacks were becoming more fruitful now as uppercuts and frenzied flurries broke down a tiring Cotto, who was constantly spitting blood.
A big seventh round for Margarito, in which he threw 130 punches and landed 48, showed if proof were needed that the tide had well and truly turned.
Margarito was again the boss in rounds eight and nine, and in the 10th came the moment he may have broken Cotto’s will for good.
Early in the session the Puerto Rican landed two shots flush on Margarito’s jaw but, just as in the previous nine rounds, the punches just bounced off his opponent rather than hurting him.
Cotto started the 11th with a lovely combination, but by now these were few and far between and that fast start was a distant and fading memory.
Margarito steamed forward undeterred and suddenly, midway through the session, Cotto’s hands fell to his side and he took a knee as Margarito blazed away with another non-stop flurry of shots.
Cotto rose after taking the eight count from referee Kenny Bayless, but by now only heart was keeping him upright on wobbly legs.
And with just under a minute remaining Margarito pinned him on the ropes and forced the champion to go down again.
This time there was to be no recovery and for Cotto – billed as the iron man on the brink of becoming the sport’s next superstar – the bubble was well and truly burst.
Afterwards Margarito – fittingly joined in the ring by another Mexican great and his boyhood idol in Julio Cesar Chavez – said: “Nobody gave me a chance I was aware of that but I believed in myself. I prepared hard and I took my opportunity.
“I trusted my preparation coming into the fight. Obviously Cotto is a great fighter but slowly the tornado rumbled and I told my corner I was going to knock him out – and I did.”
“It’s great to be next to a legend. As a kid I always had pictures of Chavez on my wall and now he is celebrating with me.”
A beaming Chavez meanwhile said: “Margarito is among the legends of Mexican boxing. He did something that nobody was able to do – he beat a great unbeaten Puerto Rican fighter. I lived this fight.”
A stunned Cotto told ESPN: “I am very proud and very happy I was able to give the fans a great fight. Life continues. It’s not over for me. I’m going to take a long rest, decide what to do next.
“This night was Margarito’s night. He’s an excellent fighter. He did his job better than I did.”
Two judges had Margarito ahead by a score of 96-94 at the time of the stoppage, while the third scored the fight even. Cotto did hold a 280-267 advantage in punches landed.
