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Cotto
Wins 2nd World Title; Margarito makes 7th title defense
By: Ralph Rimpell @ringside
December 5, 2006
On Saturday night, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey,
Miguel Cotto made a grand entrance into the 147lb pound division by
defeating fellow undefeated welterweight foe Carlos Quintana for the
vacant WBA welterweight title.
The week before the fight, Quintana
ridiculed Cotto, a former world junior welterweight champion, for not
being a natural welterweight like him. But it was Cotto who physically
looked like the welterweight and Quintana who looked like the junior
welterweight at the end of the fight. Cotto who now has a claim to ¼ of
the world welterweight title no doubt caught the attention of the three
other world welterweight champions (Margarito, Mayweather, and Cintron).
Getting more support from the Puerto Ricans in attendance than his
fellow countryman Quintana, Cotto came out in the first round looking to
press the action. Quintana stood his ground, but used more lateral
movement and boxing ability to keep the stronger Cotto’s punches away.
More of the same action was seen in the second round.
By the third round, Quintana surprisingly
boxed less and stood toe to toe with Cotto and got the better of the
exchanges and won the round. By round five Cotto re-establishes control
of the fight. Quintana’s face was swollen and red. Cotto batters and
knocks him down with a body shot. Quintana, who appeared really hurt,
beats the count and elects to continue.
Cotto, smelling blood, swarms his
opponent and scores a second knockdown with another body shot. Quintana
appeared to be more hurt from the second knockdown, but showed
tremendous heart by getting up and finishing the round. The referee
stopped the bout after the fifth round at the suggestion of the ringside
physician. Cotto wins his second world title in as many weight classes
improving his record to 28-0, 23 KO’s, while Quintana dropped to 23-1,
18 KO’s.
At the post fight press conference Cotto said he would fight any fighter
his promotion matched him against. Regarding his stable mate WBO
welterweight champion Antonio Margarito, he praised him as a good
champion but said he would beat Margarito if the two were to meet in the
ring.
Before a unification match is set up
between the two champions, Promoter Bob Arum said he would like to first
bring Cotto back in March for his mandatory defense of his new WBA
welterweight title against Oktay Urkal and Margarito has a mandatory
defense against WBO #1 contender Paul Williams. Then talks for a
unification bout could take place.
In the co-feature bout, WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito took
on the tough Joshua Clottey. The first round was a feeling out process
for both fighters. Margarito stalked Clottey who was content to remain
on the defensive mode. In the second round, Clottey use good
counterpunching and was effective with the left hook. This led to toe to
toe action.
Clottey and Margarito pick up were they
leave off with more toe to toe action with Clottey getting the better of
the exchanges. At this point Clottey won rounds 2 and 3, according to
WBAN. By round four, Margarito re-establishes control of the fight by
outworking Clottey. More of the same action took place in rounds five
through eight.
In round nine it appeared that Margarito
would finally crack this difficult nut as he battered Clottey in the
corner and came close to stopping him, but Clottey was able to survive
the round. In round ten and eleven Clottey got on his bicycle and tried
to box, much to the dismay of the fans, who began to boo. In round
twelve Margarito picked his shots nicely and finished the fight as the
aggressor. Margarito wins via unanimous decision. Final scores were
118-109 twice, and 116-112. It was Margarito 7th title defense improving
his record to 34-5, 24 KO’S, while Clottey dropped to 30-2, 20 KO’s.
Margarito did not attend the post fight press conference due to leaving
for the hospital due to a swollen left cheek. Clottey was in attendance.
He said he hurt his hand in the fourth round and was not able to press
the action, but he did not want to quit. He praised Margarito by saying,
“He is a good champion, but I didn’t feel any extraordinary power.”
Regarding where Margarito ranks among leading welterweights, “I think
Mayweather is the best. So I think they (Margarito and Mayweather) need
to fight.”
In other bouts, Alex Perez improved his record to 7-0, 5 KO’s by
defeating Troy Wilson 6-5-1, 3 KO’s in a four round welterweight bout.
Scores were 39-37 twice and 40-36.
Jesus Rojas scored and impressive second round TKO over Ubaldo Olivencia
(5-10-2, 3KO’s) in a four round super Bantamweight bout. Rojas improves
his record to 5-0, 5 KO’s.
Chuck Mussachio (8-0, 4 KO’s) battered Tony Pope (15-13-1, 11 KO’s) for
two rounds until it was mercifully stopped in 53 seconds into the third
round after the second knockdown in a 6 round light heavyweight bout.
Wayne Johnson (14-1, 8 KO’s) upset the previously unbeaten Delray Raines
(8-1, 5 KO’s) via a unanimous decision in a six round middleweight bout.
All three judges scored the fight 60-54.
Yuri Foreman (22-0, 8 KO’s) earned a unanimous decision win over Donny
McCrary (20-5-2, 12 KO’s) in a 10 round junior middleweight bout. Judges
scores were 99-90, 98-91 and 100-89.
Contact Ralph Rimpell:
Rluvsboxing@aol.com |
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