Mobile Home | Desktop Version




COTTO REMAINS CHAMP AND UNDEFEATED

By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 12 Nov 2007



Miguel Angel Cotto won by unanimous decision over Sugar Shane Mosley, successfully defending his WBA welterweight title. The age factor played a significant role on the victory by the Puerto Rican who was the crowd favorite at the Madison Square Garden.

Cotto declared he sensed that he had the fight in the bag as early as the ninth round. So he decided just to be careful enough not to be caught by a lucky punch from Mosley, outpointing him in the process. He maintained an immaculate record of 31-0-0 with 25 KO wins.

As for his next opponent, he proclaimed he is available for all the big names in boxing, especially the winner of the Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton encounter. Mosley respected Cotto after the bout, citing him as a great warrior. Sugar admitted he is not getting any younger.

Glenn Feldman and Wynn Kintz scored the bout, 115-113, while Peter Trematerra saw it 116-113 all for Cotto. The punch stats also told it as follows: Cotto landed 248 of 675 total punches thrown, while Mosley connected 248 of 774 total punches. Cotto had 98 jabs, while Mosley connected 71 jabs. Mosley though has the advantage in total power punches of 177 compared to Cotto?s 150.

True to its billing, the action was ?fast and furious? in all 12 rounds, with both fighters showing aggressiveness all the way. Mosley was using his effective left uppercut, while Cotto connected with some excellent rights and jabs and landed a few strong hooks to the head to build the advantage.

Cotto was cut by an unintentional head butt in the final minute of the bout. Blood flowed down in his face from a two-inch cut. But this did not cause nuisance for the champion as the fight went on to a close.

Miguel is also a former WBO light welterweight champion and as an amateur he represented Puerto Rico at different international events including the 1999 Pan American Games, the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 1998 Junior World Championships where he finished second.

Cotto was born and raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico in a family where boxing is a way of life, including his father Miguel Cotto Sr., his brother Jose Miguel Cotto, his second cousin Abner Cotto and his uncle and boxing trainer Evangelista Cotto.

In the undercard, Joel Casamayor won a split decision over Jose Armando Santa Cruz for the WBC lightweight title, while Antonio Margarito outclassed Golden Johnson in a first-round technical knockout for the vacant WBO intercontinental welterweight crown.

Top photo: Miguel Cotto, of Puerto Rico, punches Shane Mosley during the 11th round of a WBA World Welterweight Title boxing match Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Cotto won the fight by unanimous decision. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.

Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Crawford to defy odds?
    By Joaquin Henson, Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Clash of Titans: The Final Predictions for Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford
    By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Weigh-In Results: Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev
    Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Inoue and Akhmadaliev Make Weight for Sunday's Battle, Watch it LIVE on Facebook!
    By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • IIEE North Cotabato and Metro Central are the Golden Champion on 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Chess
    By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Sydney Sy Tancontian is Female Awardee of Sports Hero of the Year
    By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford: Size Matters
    By Chris Carlson, Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • BOOTS TALKS SPARRING WITH CANELO IN ‘DAY IN THE LIFE’
    Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • WEIGHTS FROM LAS VEGAS: CANELO - 167.5 LBS., CRAWFORD - 167.5 LBS.
    By Dong Secuya, Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • BELFAST: WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER
    Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • Canoy cancels title fight due to child’s death
    By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • Vietnam’s Pool Revolution: Hanoi Open Pool Championship
    Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • SUNDAY: Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev Undisputed Super Bantamweight Showdown to Stream Exclusively on Top Rank’s Facebook Channel in the U.S. & UK
    Fri, 12 Sep 2025
  • National Shelter Month Run on October 25 in DGT
    By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 12 Sep 2025
  • Canelo-Crawford: Betting Odds Reveal a Battle of Money vs. Public Opinion
    By Dong Secuya, Fri, 12 Sep 2025