PREFIGHT
Surprisingly, HBO does not reveal the unoffical weights of both fighters tonight...makes you wonder if they're looking to keep that quiet in anticipation of a potential Pacquiao vs. Cotto clash. Clottey makes his way to the ring first, dancing and all smiles as he looks confident and ready for the challenge at hand. The champion, Miguel Cotto, enters next and the crowd erupts in excitement. Cotto looks focused and intense. "Ladies and gentlemen...let's get ready to rumbleeeeeeeee!"
ROUND 1
Clottey comes out firing a jab. Cotto looks patient. They trade quick jabs. Cotto digs a 1-2 to the body. Jab lands for Clottey. Left to the body lands for Cotto. Clottey lands the jab. They trade hooks. Now they trade left hooks to the body. Quick 1-2 for Clottey is blocked. Cotto digs a 1-2 to the body, but it's blocked by Clottey. Tit for tat so far. clottey lands jab. Uppercut and a left lands for Clottey. Left hand lands for Cotto and Clottey is down. Wow. Flash knockdown from a jab. Clottey is up, but it counts. Round to Cotto.
Cotto 10 Clottey 8
ROUND 2
Right to the body lands for Cotto. They trade jabs. Stiff jab lands for Cotto. Clottey lands an uppercut. Nice left hook to the body lands for Clottey. Another. They trade jabs. Now they trade left hooks. Clottey actually landing the more effective punches. Hard uppercut lands for Clottey. Jab lands for Clottey. Hard right hand lands for Clottey. Cotto looks a little confused. Counter left hook lands for Cotto. Jab lands for Cotto. Now Cotto doubles up on the jab. Again. Good round for Clottey.
Cotto 19 Clottey 18
ROUND 3
Cotto lands a right to the body. 1-2 from Cotto is blocked. Left to the body lands for Cotto. Left hook upstairs from Clottey is partially blocked. Nice left upstairs and a left to the body lands for Clottey. Uppercut lands for Clottey. Cotto lands a jab. Stiff jab lands for Clottey. Hard left hook lands for Clottey. They trade jabs. Left to the body lands for Cotto. Cotto on the retreat a bit. Clottey walking him down. Jab lands for Cotto. Accidental headbutt and Cotto is cut. Very close round, but I gotta give it to Cotto.
Cotto 29 Clottey 27
ROUND 4
Left hook to the body lands for Cotto. Right hand lands for Clottey. Quick 1-2 lands for Cotto. Hard left hook and an uppercut lands for Clottey. Cotto lands a jab. Nice left lands for Cotto. Clottey lands a jab. 1-2 lands for Cotto. Hard uppercut lands for Clottey. Another. Clottey smiles. Right to the body lands for Cotto and Clottey holds on. Quick 1-2 lands for Cotto. Uppercut lands for Clottey. Cotto lands a left. Good action in that round. Round to Cotto.
Cotto 39 Clottey 36
ROUND 5
Quick 1-2 lands for Cotto. Uppercut lands for Clottey. Right to the body lands for Cotto, but Clottey lands an uppercut. They trade lefts. Stiff jab lands for Clottey. HARD right lands for Clottey. Jab lands for Clottey again. Right hand lands for Clottey. Another. Left to the body lands for Cotto. HARD right lands for Clottey. Clottey charges in and Cotto slams him to the ground. Clottey is rolling around on the ground as though he's hurt. Clottey looks seriously hurt. He's limping on his leg."Suck it up, you're a champ," referee Mercante tells him. Jab lands for Clttey. Clottey taking his time to shake it off. He's ready. The action resumes. 1-2 lands for Clottey. Both dig shots to the body. Left hook lands for Clottey. Close round, but this time, I give it to Clottey.
Cotto 48 Clottey 46
ROUND 6
Emanuel Steward seems to think that Cotto is behind on the scorecards. Right to the body lands for Cotto. Clottey lands an uppercut. Nice left hook followed by a right hand lands for Cotto. Clottey looks hurt as he goes on the retreat. Hard left lands for Cotto. Nice left lands for Clottey. Cotto fires away at him in the corner. Left hand lands for Cotto. 1-2 lands for Cotto. Another. Clottey just covers up. Left to the body lands for Cotto. Hard left hook lands for Cotto. All Miguel Cotto right now. Uppercut lands for Cotto. Left hook and a right hand lands for Cotto. Clottey lands an uppercut. Left hook lands for Cotto. Hard right hand lands for Clottey. Round to Cotto.
Cotto 58 Clottey 55
ROUND 7
Right hand lands for Clotte, but he eats a left from Cotto. Uppercut lands fo rCotto. Clottey lands a right. Left to the body lands for Cotto. Nice uppercut lands for Clottey. Cotto backs up. right hand lands for Clottey. Left to the body lands for Clottey. Stiff jab lands for Cotto. Left hand lands for Clottey. cotto up on his toes and circling the ring. 1-2 lands for Clottey. Another. HARD right hand lands for Clottey. Cotto on the retreat. Nice uppercut lands for Clottey. Left to the body lands for Clottey. All Clottey right now. HARD right hand lands for Clottey and Cotto holds on. 1-2 to the body lands for Cotto. Round to Clottey.
Cotto 67 Clottey 65
ROUND 8
Quick 1-2 lands for Clottey. Another quick flurry lands for Clottey. Cotto lands a left hook upstairs. Nice uppercut lands for Clottey. Cotto lands a left to the body. HARD 1-2 lands for Clottey. Another quick three-punch combo lands for Clottey. HARD right hand lands for Clottey. Quick 1-2 to teh body lands for Cotto. That cut is really bothering Cotto as he keeps pawing at it. HARD right hand lands for Clottey. Cotto on the retreat. Shades of Margarito. Cotto lands a quick flurry against the ropes, but Clottey shakes his head unfazed. Left hook lands for Clottey. Again. Round to Clottey.
Cotto 76 Clottey 75
ROUND 9
Cotto on the retreat big time now as Clottey walks him down. Right to the body lands for Cotto. Clottey lands a right. HARD right hand from Clottey snaps the head back of Cotto. Uppercut lands for Clottey. Cotto retreats. Another hard right hand lands for Clottey. Wooooooo....HARD uppercut followed by a left hook lands for Clottey. Cotto lands a quick combo against he ropes that gets the crowd's attention. Right hand from Clottey snaps the head back of Cotto again. Left hook lands for Cotto. Both men trade at the end of the round. Close round, but I give it to Clottey.
Cotto 85 Clottey 85
ROUND 10
Left hand lands for Cotto. They trade jabs. Cotto on the retreat. 1-2 to the body lands for Cotto. Cotto showing a lot of moevement. Clottey not doing much. Cotto lands a body shot. Jab lands for Cotto. Double jab lands for Cotto. Clottey lands a right. Right and a left lands for Clottey. Left to the body lands for Cotto. They trade on the inside. HARD left hook lands for Cotto on the inside. Round to Cotto.
Cotto 95 Clottey 94
ROUND 11
Left hook lands for Cotto. Nice 1-2 lands for Cotto. Clottey might be letting an opportunity slip through his fingers. Uppercut lands for Cotto. Right hand lands for Clottey. They trade right hands. Nice left hook lands for Cotto and he backs away. Clottey lands a 1-2. Left hand down the middle lands for Cotto. Clottey answers with a right. 1-2 lands for Cotto. Left hook lands for Clottey. Right hand lands for Clottey at the end of the round. Round to Cotto though.
Cotto 105 Clottey 103
ROUND 12
Right hand lands for Clottey. Quick 1-2 lands for Cotto. Cotto dancing on his toes. Left hook lands for Cotto. Uppercut lands for Cotto. Left hand lands for Cotto. Cotto hits Clottey in the back of the head and Clottey tries to milk it. The fight resumes. Left hook from Cotto is partially blocked by Clottey. The wrestle along the ropes. Uppercut lands for Cotto. Clottey just not active enough. Right hand lands for Clottey. Cotto lands a left. Round to Cotto.
Cotto 115 Clottey 112
Official judges scorecards: 116-111 Cotto, 114-113 Clottey, 115-112 Cotto
THE WINNER BY SPLIT DECISION...AND STILL WBO WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD...MIGUEL COTTO
COMPUBOX NUMBERS
Cotto total punches: 179/723
Clottey total punches: 222/622
POSTFIGHT
Pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao was in attendance for this fight and in my opinion, he will beat Miguel Cotto no problem at all. "I just tried to keep on fighting, keep on fighting and forget about the blood...I tried to make my people here proud...I just want to rest a little bit and then we can talk with the company," Cotto stated regarding his performance and a possible clash with Manny Pacquiao. "I fought my ass off...I'm chasing him, he's running...I won that fight...as soon as the decision took long, I knew something was going to happen...I want the rematch," stated Clottey.
UNDERCARD RESULTS
- Ivan Calderon DRAW Rodel Mayol
The fight stopped due to an accidental headbutt in round 6 (58-56 Calderon, 58-56 Mayol, 57-57) - Rafael Guzman def. Juan Carlos Martinez via Split Decision (58-56 Martinez, 59-55 Guzman, 58-56 Guzman)
- Glen Tapia def. David Lopez via Unanimous Decision (40-36, 40-36, 39-37)
- Jorge Diaz def. Guadalupe De Leon via Unanimous Decision (58-54, 59-53, 59-53)
- Alberto Cruz def. Rudy Valdez via TKO in round 3
- Jayson Velez def. Jesus Beron via TKO at :33 in round 4
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