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Cotto uses skill, guts to win tough fight
Posted Jun. 13, 2009 at 10:53pm
By Michael Rosenthal
Buzz up!
The fact Miguel Cotto was able to fight 12 rounds with this cut Saturday night in New York City was impressive enough. The fact he was able to beat a fighter like Joshua Clottey in spite of it was remarkable. Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
NEW YORK -- Miguel Cotto didn’t beat Joshua Clottey convincingly Saturday night at a Madison Square Garden packed with his loud, boisterous fans. Many of those at ringside scored the fight for the Ghanaian. And his performance probably didn’t satisfy boxing fans who crave nonstop action.
Yet the Puerto Rican star proved a great deal.
One, he made it clear for the first time that he has recovered from the brutal beating he took from Antonio Margarito last July by surviving a taxing 12-round fight against a very strong, tough opponent with a good chance to win.
Two, he proved how resilient he can be by fighting most of the final nine rounds with blood in his left eye, the result of an accidental head butt in the third. Imagine Clottey, with his ripped body, formidable skills and homicidal look in his eyes, stalking you relentlessly and you can only see clearly out of one eye.
And, three, he figured out a way to win in that dangerous environment, although the result was debatable.
Judge Don Trella scored it 116-111 for Cotto, which didn’t reflect reality. John McKaie had it 115-112 for Cotto, which was possible. And Tom Miller had Clottey winning 114-113, which was reasonable. I had it 114-113 for Cotto, the difference being a flash first-round knockdown of Clottey.
Thus, Cotto retains his title and could be looking toward a fight with Manny Pacquiao before the end of the year.
That prospect is amazing when you consider that it was only two fights and less than a year ago that Cotto took that beating from Margarito before he was finally –- and mercifully -– knocked out in the 11th round.
Many now speculate in the wake of recent events that Margarito’s hand wraps were doctored, giving him an unfair advantage. Still, Cotto took the beating and his ability to come back 100 percent was in question. And his fifth-round KO of journeyman Michael Jennings in February proved little.
The fight Saturday was different.
Cotto (34-1, 27 knockouts) seemed to be winning as the end of the third round approached when -- BAM! –- the fighters’ heads collided violently and Cotto was cut deeply on his left eyebrow. It was one of those long, wide, gruesome-looking cuts that have ended many fights in the past yet Cotto was allowed to fight on.
From then on, it was an extremely difficult for him. His cut man seemed to prevent the blood from gushing but it still dripped into his eye, causing him to paw it many times and opening him up to hard, straight rights from Clottey that he apparently couldn’t see coming.
Those punches seemed to turn the tide in the challenger’s favor in the middle rounds, making Cotto’s fans nervous. Then their favorite son took charge the only way he could: He moved and he boxed, frustrating Clottey for the final rounds of the fight and pulling out the victory.
“Toward the end, I had to box him,” Cotto said. “With all the stuff going into my eye, I couldn’t see.”
To be sure, Cotto’s performance wasn’t memorable. It certainly won’t go down as one of the greatest in a career that will probably lead him into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Again, though, it said a lot about him. About his determination to fight on after the Margarito disaster, for which he still refuses to make excuses. And about his considerable toughness. He won the fight as a result of both his superior skill and raw courage.
In other words, he gutted out a fine victory to prove that he remains a force in boxing. He should be admired for that.
Michael Rosenthal can be reached at RingTVeditor@yahoo.com
Posted Jun. 13, 2009 at 10:53pm
By Michael Rosenthal
Buzz up!
The fact Miguel Cotto was able to fight 12 rounds with this cut Saturday night in New York City was impressive enough. The fact he was able to beat a fighter like Joshua Clottey in spite of it was remarkable. Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
NEW YORK -- Miguel Cotto didn’t beat Joshua Clottey convincingly Saturday night at a Madison Square Garden packed with his loud, boisterous fans. Many of those at ringside scored the fight for the Ghanaian. And his performance probably didn’t satisfy boxing fans who crave nonstop action.
Yet the Puerto Rican star proved a great deal.
One, he made it clear for the first time that he has recovered from the brutal beating he took from Antonio Margarito last July by surviving a taxing 12-round fight against a very strong, tough opponent with a good chance to win.
Two, he proved how resilient he can be by fighting most of the final nine rounds with blood in his left eye, the result of an accidental head butt in the third. Imagine Clottey, with his ripped body, formidable skills and homicidal look in his eyes, stalking you relentlessly and you can only see clearly out of one eye.
And, three, he figured out a way to win in that dangerous environment, although the result was debatable.
Judge Don Trella scored it 116-111 for Cotto, which didn’t reflect reality. John McKaie had it 115-112 for Cotto, which was possible. And Tom Miller had Clottey winning 114-113, which was reasonable. I had it 114-113 for Cotto, the difference being a flash first-round knockdown of Clottey.
Thus, Cotto retains his title and could be looking toward a fight with Manny Pacquiao before the end of the year.
That prospect is amazing when you consider that it was only two fights and less than a year ago that Cotto took that beating from Margarito before he was finally –- and mercifully -– knocked out in the 11th round.
Many now speculate in the wake of recent events that Margarito’s hand wraps were doctored, giving him an unfair advantage. Still, Cotto took the beating and his ability to come back 100 percent was in question. And his fifth-round KO of journeyman Michael Jennings in February proved little.
The fight Saturday was different.
Cotto (34-1, 27 knockouts) seemed to be winning as the end of the third round approached when -- BAM! –- the fighters’ heads collided violently and Cotto was cut deeply on his left eyebrow. It was one of those long, wide, gruesome-looking cuts that have ended many fights in the past yet Cotto was allowed to fight on.
From then on, it was an extremely difficult for him. His cut man seemed to prevent the blood from gushing but it still dripped into his eye, causing him to paw it many times and opening him up to hard, straight rights from Clottey that he apparently couldn’t see coming.
Those punches seemed to turn the tide in the challenger’s favor in the middle rounds, making Cotto’s fans nervous. Then their favorite son took charge the only way he could: He moved and he boxed, frustrating Clottey for the final rounds of the fight and pulling out the victory.
“Toward the end, I had to box him,” Cotto said. “With all the stuff going into my eye, I couldn’t see.”
To be sure, Cotto’s performance wasn’t memorable. It certainly won’t go down as one of the greatest in a career that will probably lead him into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Again, though, it said a lot about him. About his determination to fight on after the Margarito disaster, for which he still refuses to make excuses. And about his considerable toughness. He won the fight as a result of both his superior skill and raw courage.
In other words, he gutted out a fine victory to prove that he remains a force in boxing. He should be admired for that.
Michael Rosenthal can be reached at RingTVeditor@yahoo.com
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