By Matt Richardson and Andreas Hale at ringside from FightNews
WBO welterweight world champion Miguel Cotto (33-1, 27 KOs) won a twelve round split decision over Joshua Clottey (35-2, 21 KOs) to keep his world title on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Cotto dropped Clottey with a jab at the end of the first round, but suffered a bad cut over the left eye from an accidental head butt in round three. Cotto’s face was a bloody mask in the fourth, but he still outworked Clottey in the fourth round. Clottey landed some good rights in the fifth, but suffered an injury to his left knee when pushed off by Cotto. Cotto had a big round six punishing Clottey in the corner. Clottey turned the tables in rounds seven and eight as Cotto had difficulty seeing the right hand. The rest of the fight was close as Cotto boxed from the outside. Scores were 115-112, 116-111 for Cotto, 114-113 for Clottey.
Photos by Al Bello/Getty Images
WBO mini flyweight champion Ivan Calderon (32-0-1, 6 KOs) and challenger Rodel Mayol (25-3-1, 19 KOs) fought to a six round technical draw. The fight was stopped due to a cut from an accidental headbutt in the sixth round. Judges scored the fight 58-56 Calderon, 58-56 Mayol, 57-57. Earlier, an accidental clash of heads in round four opened up a cut on Calderon’s forehead. Two more headbutts in the fifth worsened the cut. In the sixth round the cut reopened from either a punch or another butt (unclear) and doctors advised to stop the fight at 1:50 in the sixth round. Under WBO rules the fight goes to the scorecards (including the sixth round).
lol tired of cotto running i guess you never watched him fight before. cotto deserved the fight hands down. to criticize a man that fought 9rounds with a gash over his eye and stay up, not get knocked down, and not quit is called a warrior. look closely at the fight where clottey was a defensive punching bag while cottos eye was opened. clottey is a great defensive fighter but you dont win fights that way. you also need offense. cotto a true warrior like it or not!!!!!!!!!
ahahahahah nice vid edgar
mayweather scared to pacman
to cotto clottey
i think clottey win their fight
I saw the fight as a draw and although its true that Cotto didn’t look like his old self. He did show alot of heart fighting with a big gash over his eye. That gash took alot out of him and it says alot when he could still box against a fighter like Clottley.
no way in hell did Cotto win that fight. someone remind Cotto what sport he’s dealing with, he’s not sure if its track and field or cycling .
it was a financial decision in the end, a Cotto win equals big money fight against Manny. the decision was made even before the fight started. another black eye for the sport of boxing, this kind of shit is now expected.
this fight, if you choose to call it that, was NOT even close. Clottey beat the shit outta Cotto decisively.
Not a problem Edgar!
thanks TijuanaBoxing for the link. I have publish the video
Cotto is probably on the last leg of his career. It is apparent that he is not the same guy he was before the Margs beating. It took too much out of him and now he can not hang with the big boys at this weight. He needs to pick and chose his next opponents very carefully and Manny may end his career. Make some money and retire Miguel, you do not have the punch to dominate this division and you can not take punches in return.
Watch this, I agree 250% with Teddy Atlas on his take of the fight: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4257215
I also had it a draw in the in the begining of the 12, Clottey was not the one with nasty cut in survival mode and yet he didn’t throw shit in the 12, Cotto did a wonderful job trying to stay alive in the fight still counter punching and taking it to Clottey at times all this with half vision, others would have quit or just run and move with out fighting.
The title of this blog needs to be, Clottey could have won!, he lost the 12, and in my card because of that he lost the fight, much closer than the judges had it, but he still lost, a true champion doesn’t go do all that drama and acting to try to win against an opponent who is almost fighting with one eye, you go out there and finish the man who can’t see the punches coming from one side, he could have done more, hell Margarito (plaster o no plaster) put way more pressure on Cotto, the whole fight he never stop throwing punches, that is what Clottey should have done, specially with a half blinded Cotto, he didn’t do that, he couldn’t do that..whatever..he lost a very close and entertaining fight.
Couldn’t say it any better than TijuanaB– so I’ll just agree with his take on the fight 100%.
I’m not going to characterize a guy fighting half blind for 75% of the fight as “running and backing up” Edgar, especially when he won a good number of those rounds. (plus was up at least 2 or maybe even 3 points prior to the cut). Give the man his due– I thought he was eventually going to be stopped after Rounds 7 and 8, but what he showed in those final rounds was something else.
Cotto was running and backing up the last 5 rounds, Clottey’s percent was 36 % accurancy Cotto’s was 24. Clottey landed more punches.
I would of been happy with a DRAW.
Even Laroldman had the fight 114-114 at the begining of the 12.
Hey Tijuana I agree buddy…..LOL…what in the hell was Clottey doing.
He was like a drama queen. Don’t get me wrong that was a hell of a fight.
Clottey needs to learn some balance he kept slipping all over the ring, and what was that stupid referee doing during the later rounds…..LOL
Cotto fought too survive and that what he did too win the fight. He won the last round. I had it almost even that fight until coming on to the later round towards the end. I don’t know whats going on in boxing, why can’t these fighters use the one most important punch in boxing is your Daam Jab use it for Christ Sakes!!….LOL. Jab Jab Jab…its like no one wants too use it anymore…come on……If you don’t use your Jab in boxing your going too loose the fight period, and I don’t care who you are.
All I can say is this, Migul Cotto will never ever fight Clottey again.
This fight really exposed him much more. Too be honest I really truly believe Manny would put Migul Cotto too bed, by knocking him out.
If I where Migul I wouldn’t want too fight Manny.
That was great fight……………….
Robbery. Clottey beats the hell out of him and Cotto was RUNNING like a f…n’ loser.
I tired of Cotto running and still winning.
Cotto, please go back to gay club when you’re trains for the fight.
Pussy.
Are you kidding me? Cotto won that fight with pure heart, Clottey should go make a movie or something, come on man, he looked worst than whinning soccer player complaining and acting out everything he could, Cotto despite the cut and half blinded forced his way to a well earn victory.
I do think the fight was much closer than what the judges had it, good fight for both, good action and very entertaining, I think Manny likes what he sees, he had a good view of what Cotto was doing and I think a fight between the two is imminent .
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