By Sam Gregory: Last night on HBO boxing, live from Madison Square Garden, Miguel Cotto defended his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey in a scheduled 12 round bout in the welterweight division.
Round 1 started as a feeling out round, both men were throwing beautifully timed jabs, Clottey goes to the body trying to penetrate Cotto’s defense. In the last 10 seconds Cotto landed a solid left jab that dropped Clottey to make it a 10-8 round for Cotto
Round 2 both men were using very tight defenses; Clottey was fighting with his hands held very high which blocked most of Cotto’s punches. Cotto was landing more punches through the round.
Round 3 both men were more cautious with their punches in this round, fewer punches were thrown, Cotto kept going to the body but again most punches were blocked by Clottey. Cotto suffered a cut above his left eye due to an accidental head butt.
Round 4 blood was streaming from Cotto’s cut, Clottey landed a great combination to the body, Cotto was using mostly his jab, Clottey landed a hard right hand which Cotto was not able to see coming. Due to the cut, Cotto was having trouble picking up the right hand of Clottey who landed very hard accurate punches.
Round 5 both men fought in close with their hands held high, Clottey was snapping his jab and landing combinations. Clottey was thrown down toward the end of the round and stayed down for over a minute. The ref gave Clottey 5 minutes to walk it off. It was the left knee of Clottey that was injured.
Between rounds Clottey told his corner he was in pain from the knee.
Round 6 Cotto had Clottey backed in the corner throwing a lot of punches most of which were blocked. After nearly a full minute Cotto lets Clottey out of the corner but backs him against the ropes again. It was a very big round for Cotto.
4 rounds to 2 for Cotto on the unofficial scorecard
Round 7 there was a shift in momentum as Clottey became the aggressor, Clottey was giving Cotto a beating a won a very one-sided round. Clottey doubled his output of punches.
Round 8 Clottey briefly backed against the ropes but quickly punched his way out. It was obvious Cotto wasn’t able to see out of his left eye. Clottey was landing hard right hands that Cotto was unable to see coming.
After this round commentators and the ring doctors were talking about stopping the fight because of the cut above Cotto’s left eye.
Round 9 Clottey was pushing Cotto around the ring, Clottey had all the momentum in his favor; Clottey was throwing and landing punches, Cotto was mainly on the defense. Cotto tried to rally in the last minute of the round.
Between rounds the fight was all even on the unofficial card
Round 10 Cotto was able to throw and land some punches and move out of harm’s way, Cotto switched to southpaw and was moving and blocking punches effectively, Cotto landed a big left hook in the last seconds of the round which way have won him the round.
Round 11 Cotto lands another big left hook; Clottey appeared not to be effected by Cotto’s punches, Cotto throws a combination and lands another big left hook. In the last few seconds of the round Cotto lands a big left hook to close out the round.
Compubox said the last round was dead even
Round 12 Cotto is moving around the ring not throwing many punches with blood streaming down his face. Clottey wasn’t throwing many punches either. Cotto hit Clottey in the back of the head and gets warned for that and to keep his punches up. Cotto has his back against the ropes and ties up, he punches out to end the round and the fight.
The fight goes to the judge’s scorecards: 116-111, Cotto, 114-113 Clottey 115-112 for Cotto who is the winner by split decision.
This ended up being a very close split decision for Miguel Cotto who if not for the flash knockdown in the first round would have been fortunate to be awarded a draw for his efforts.
Miguel Cotto improves his record to 34 wins with 1 loss, 27 of the wins coming by way of a knockout.
Joshua Clottey fell to 35-3, 20 of his wins coming by way of a knockout.
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