COTTO AVENGES MARGARITO LOSS, MARES PROVES WORTHY CHAMPION
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 04 Dec 2011
Two grudge rematches were settled decisively on Sunday, Manila Time, when Miguel Cotto retained his WBA super welterweight title against Antonio Margarito who had won a questionable 11th round TKO in their first meeting while bantamweight champion Abner Mares retained his IBF title with a convincing win over Ghana?s Joseph Agbeko who was a victim of countless low blows in their first fight which Mares won.
Filipino fight fans followed the action in the Mares-Agbeko fight card over AKTV IBC 13 at noon and will be able to catch the Cotto-Maragrito telecast on ABS-CBN Studio 23 at 7 p.m.
It was clear that Margarito was suffering from the battering he took at the hands of Ring Magazine?s pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao last November when his right eye was ripped apart which, despite the pleas of Pacquiao, referee Laurence Cole refused to stop.
Despite the lopsided mauling by Cotto, the game Margarito who was nailed with several big shots simply smiled them off but by the end of round seven his right eye, the same one closed shut by Pacquiao, was once again a total mess that even the huge pro-Cotto crowd of Puerto Ricans looked stunned by the sight.
One-eyed Margarito continued to fight gamely hoping for one devastating punch that could save the day for him but half blind it never came.
Ring doctor Anthony Curreri stopped the fight and said later ?It came to the point there was no vision at all from the eye. It would have been dangerous for him to go out there without any visual field. He did go quite a bit with the eye impaired.?
Margarito underwent surgery after the Pacquiao beating to repair a fractured orbital bone and the New York State Athletic Commission refused to license Margarito until he passed an eye examination conducted by Dr. Goldstein on November 22 when the Commission cleared the ?Tijuana Tornado? to fight. But it was Cotto who stormed through, aiming for the eye which was badly swollen and shut by the end of round seven.
Just as Cotto brutally avenged his loss to Margarito who he suspected of using loaded hand-wraps in a bloody beating he suffered in their first encounter, Abner Mares put to rest all doubts about his low-blow infested controversial win over Agbeko with a classy unanimous decision in their grudge rematch at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
The undefeated Mares won by a wide 118-110 margin on the scorecards of all three judges? to maintain his streak at 23-0-1 with 13 knockouts although most boxing writers scored the fight much closer.
In the co-main event, Panama?s Anselmo Moreno who at one time last year was being considered as an opponent for WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire, retained his WBA bantamweight title in his US debut in a battle of southpaws.
Moreno completely out-boxed Darchinyan who vainly tried to connect with one big shot most of the time but couldn?t catch the skilful Panamanian champion.
Moreno, who has a 32-1-1 record, with 11 knockouts hopes to fight Mares next in a unification bout.
Photo: Abner Mares (R) connects with a right to the head of Joseph Agbeko during their title fight at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Gladiator Management Fighters In Action This Fall
Thu, 06 Nov 2025NBA Daily: Doncic Shines as Lakers Topple Wembanyama and the Spurs 118-116
By Reylan Loberternos, Thu, 06 Nov 2025Jellie Ann Magro wins 6 straight, Quezon City down Isabela in PCAP
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 06 Nov 2025Carlos De Leon Castro Stays Perfect with Explosive TKO Win in Orlando on DAZN
Thu, 06 Nov 2025Donaire in historic bid
By Joaquin Henson, Thu, 06 Nov 2025BROADCAST DETAILS ANNOUNCED FOR CMH2: BADOU JACK VS. NOEL MIKAELIAN
Thu, 06 Nov 2025Top prospect Marco Romero A victim of dramatic changes in Today’s professional boxing world
Thu, 06 Nov 2025Closing of registration on Nov. 15 for SDSPPO TWG-PAGPTD Run in Tandag
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 06 Nov 2025Rafael Espinoza-Arnold Khegai & Tenshin Nasukawa-Takuma Inoue Blockbuster Cards to Stream LIVE on Top Rank Classics FAST Channel
Thu, 06 Nov 2025JUSTIN LACEY-PIERCE OUTLASTS COURTNEY PENNINGTON IN DETROIT
Wed, 05 Nov 2025The José Sulaimán Boxers’ Fund continues supporting fighters worldwide
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 05 Nov 2025NBA Daily: Sans Injured Young, Hawks Still Dominate Magic 127-112
By Reylan Loberternos, Wed, 05 Nov 2025Kamatyas FIDE Rapid chess on Nov 8
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 05 Nov 2025WBC lifts the suspension imposed on Ryan Garcia
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 05 Nov 2025Siargao pug bags silver in Batang Pinoy
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 05 Nov 2025