WBA super welterweight champ Miguel Cotto scored a tenth round TKO over Antonio Margarito in a long-awaited grudge match before a sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In 2008, Margarito busted up Cotto's face with what were in all likelihood loaded gloves. This time it was Cotto who delivered the beating, utilizing movement and fast hands to land clean shots to Margarito's face and chin in each and every round. Cotto never hurt or discouraged Margarito, who pursued Cotto throughout the fight with a manic grin on his face, but he was able to gradually close Margarito's previously damaged right eye. The eye was cut in round three and swollen shut by round seven. The fight was almost stopped prior to round nine and then was stopped - amid much confusion - prior to round ten due to concern that Margarito could not see out of his right eye.
Margarito, who has embraced the bad guy role, wanted to continue and should have been allowed to continue. Cotto was satisfied with the win but the fact that Margarito was still on his feet at the end made it still feel somewhat incomplete.
Scoring: Through nine complete rounds, Cotto was ahead 89-82 on all three official scorecards.
Punch Stats: Total Punches: Cotto - 210 of 493 (43%); Margarito - 157 of 700 (22%). Total Jabs: Cotto - 62 of 200 (31%); Margarito - 26 of 306 (8%). Total Power Punches: Cotto - 148 of 293 (51%); Margarito - 131 of 394 (33%).
Cotto earned $5 million for the fight, while Margarito was paid $2.75 million.
Margarito should have been banned for life after being caught with loaded gloves prior to his fight with Shane Mosley. However, he sells tickets so he will continue to get licensed for as long as he wants to fight ... but he's done as an elite fighter.
Cotto is not what he used to be but he's still the man to beat at 154 pounds. Potential opponents at supper middleweight include Saul Alvarez, James Kirkland and Cornelius Bundrage, with Sergio Martinez (160), Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (160) or even Floyd Mayweather Jr. (147) as less likely but bigger money options as well.
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