There is nothing in sports like a great championship boxing match between 2 elite fighters and the Saturday night fight between Miguel Cotto/Antonio Margarito fits that description. I purchased the pay per view event and it was the best 59 bones I had spent in awhile.
Cotto, the undefeated champion, controlled the early rounds of the fight by landing vicious blows. Margarito, nicknamed the "Tijuana Tornado," took the shots relentlessly but did not go down and fired back with his own combinations. The flurry of punches in the 2nd round by both fighters was boxing at its best.The crowd was electric with Margarito's Mexican fans chanting throughout the fight and Cotto's large Puerto Rican contingent responding in cheers.
The momentum of the fight swung towards Margarito in the 6th round and he dominated Cotto in the 7th by landing 29 more power punches. Cotto was visibly stunned and cut with blood gushing.
Cotto fought back in the subsquent rounds and kept tagging Margarito with pin point punches, however, Margarito never was phased. His superior stamina and reach along with his stone chin proved to be the difference. Cotto's legs finally gave way in the 11th and the bloodied, battered champion went down to a knee twice. His corner threw in the towel and Margarito's impressive upset was official.
This improbable outcome now cancels out Cotto'sfuture fight and huge payday with Oscar De Le Hoya.
Cotto has nothing to be ashamed of because he brought his A boxing game and the majority of fighters would have relented to his powerful shots. Margarito did not succumb and he could take a punch better than any boxer that I have ever witnessed.
Be sure to watch this likely fight of the 2008 nominee on HBO replay next weekend.
Props to Yahoo Sports/Getty Images for the pictures.
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