Margarito Stuns Miguel

By Kishan Nundloll 27-07-08

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Mexico’s Antonio Margarito delivered a message to the world of boxing by stopping the undefeated Miguel Cotto in the 11th round of their WBA Welterweight battle at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

Few had predicted that the ‘Tijuana Tornado’, could beat the Puerto Rican, and Cotto looked to have control of the fight. He boxed a clever fight allowing Margarito to keep pressing him but landing counter combination punches.

Cotto’s cute punches were matched by Margarito’s aggression and at times it seemed the Mexican was stalking his opponent, never letting Cotto settle, and forcing him to fight off the back foot. Cotto seemed happy to oblige, but couldn’t withstand the Margarito attack.

At the end of the fifth Cotto’s face told the story of the fight. His nose dripping with blood, and a small cut above his eye, but still looking confident, but he was continually spiting blood during the fight. His breathing made harder by the body shots that Margarito was landing.

Margarito was relentless in his pursuit of Cotto. The seventh round was the defining moment of the fight. Margarito still absorbing the snappier punches, but now was moving forward with purpose. His straight right was making more of an impact. At the start of the fight Cotto was able to avoid those punches, but his leg work became static and he was now taking some hard punches. Margarito landed three solid left hand uppercuts which had Cotto stunned, he was forced to grab hold of Margarito and now blood was pouring out from most of his face. His eyes barely visible.

Cotto was able to regroup and used the much of the eighth round to avoid too many punches, instead putting together some neat combinations, but with a minute to go in the round allowed himself to get caught on the ropes and Margarito went to work on his body and caught him with a left jab, which again made an impact on Cotto.

As the fight entered the eleventh round, Margarito was leading it on my scorecard by one, and two judges at ringside had him winning by two rounds, one judge had it level. The round started tentatively with Margarito still taking punches, but looking impenetrable. His jaw seemed unnerved by anything Cotto could throw at it.

Cotto seemed dejected and tired, Margarito controlled the first part of the round and unleashed a barrage of punches on the helpless Cotto, who was forced to take the count. Cotto simply could not handle any more punishment and decided to take the count. Kenny Baylisss initiated an eight count and allowed him to his feet.

It was obvious that Cotto’s legs were shaking and he could no longer fight. He was forced onto the ropes and took another eight count, by this time his corner had seen enough and threw in the towel with just under a minute of the round remaining.

Antonio Margarito becomes a three time Welterweight champion, and celebrated the win in the ring with another Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez Snr, who called this the greatest achievement for Mexico.

‘Tonight he [Margarito] did something no Mexican has done before, he beat an undefeated Puerto Rican fighter, this makes him a legend, and a hero.’

Antonio Margarito wants to fight again by the end of the year with a rematch looking a possibility, but there has been talk of a unification battle with either Zab Judah or Joshua Clottey.

Oscar De La Hoya was awaiting the outcome of this fight, and was hoping to fight Miguel Cotto, after this defeat he may decide to fight Manny Pacquiao instead. Margarito remains an option to him, but he may feel he stands more of a chance against ‘The Pacman’

Antonio Margarito wasn’t considered a headliner before this fight, only because he like other dangerous fighters became a boxer that was avoided; fighters knew that on his day (which is more often than not) he could be the most dangerous fighter in the world.

Miguel Cotto found this out the hard way, but like a true champion he fought the toughest man out there, never avoiding the fight. His dream showdown with De La Hoya or Mayweather will have to be put on ice for the time being as he decides what his next move will be.

A rematch would please the majority, and this defeat doesn’t mean the end, he will learn so much about himself from this and has all the attributes to reign again.

His time will come again, but right now there is a new man to fear the ‘Tijuana Tornado’ is moving at a rapid pace and is looking for his next opponent to blow over.