By Mark Vester
Before 12,000 screaming fans at New York's Madison Square Garden, Miguel Cotto (33-1, 27KOs) stopped Michael Jennings (34-2, 16KOs) in five rounds to capture the vacant WBO welterweight title. Cotto ends a 208-day layoff, returning for the first time since a knockout loss to Antonio Margarito last July.
The fight started slow with both fighters feeling each other out by throwing their jabs. Cotto started to land the left hook in the second. Jennings appeared a bit tentative as he stayed on the move and used every inch of the large ring to stay away from Cotto's power punches. In the third, Jennings continued to move away and tied Cotto up when the Puerto Rican fighter got close. Cotto had a tight defense that made it very hard for Jennings to land much of anything.
The nose of Jennings began to bleed in the fourth. In the final minute, a hard left hook to the head and some body shots sent Jennings down for the first time. A few seconds later some more body shots sent Jennings down for the second time. Cotto trapped him in the corner and battered him with combination as the clock ran out and Jennings survived to the next round.
Jennings came out in survival mode in the fifth. Cotto would trap Jennings against the ropes and landing some vicious body shots to send him down for the third time. Jennings made it to his feet but was in no condition to continue and the ref stopped the fight.
Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingvester@gmail.com
