Cotto Shines at Yankee Stadium!
Wins Title in 3rd Weight Class...
June 5, 2010 - Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Ringside Report: Matt Richardson and Mariano A. Agmi
Photos: Ed Mulholland
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So much for being washed up.
Former two-division title-holder Miguel Cotto made a triumphant return to the ring on Saturday in his first fight since losing to Manny Pacquiao, when he stopped WBA junior middleweight title-holder Yuri Foreman on a body shot in the ninth round in front of 20,272 mainly Cotto fans at the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York.
In a sometimes exciting, sometimes bizarre but mainly dominating performance, Cotto (35-2, 28 KO's) made his 154-pound debut a success, demonstrating that he still he has more in the tank despite taxing losses to Pacquiao and, before that, Antonio Margarito. Cotto was in charge from the get-go, picking Foreman apart with quick jabs and rights. Foreman (28-1, 8 KO's) fought back courageously but didn't have the firepower or the game plan to mount and maintain a successful offensive attack.
In one of the most bizarre and unheard of scenarios in boxing history, referee Arthur Mercante Jr. made a call in the eighth round that most ringside observers had never witnessed. Foreman had slipped in the seventh and appeared to re-injure an old knee problem. He began limping in the fight and as such, became more open for Cotto's punches. Foreman's nose was bleeding and he looked in trouble. Suddenly, a white towel flew into the center of the ring from the direction of Foreman's corner. Mercante immediately called the fight off. Foreman appeared to be upset but understanding of the fights stoppage. Foreman approached his corner, Cotto came over to congratulate his opponent and the assorted ringside television and commission officials filed into the ring. But shortly afterward, ring announcer Michael Buffer got on to the microphone and asked everyone to clear the ring.
Apparently, Mercante felt the fight did not need to be stopped at that point (only later would accusations fly about who threw the towel into the ring and if they actually had the authority to do so). In a post-fight interview with HBO commentator Max Kellerman, the referee would admit that he thought the fight didn't need to be stopped then and there and decided to overrule the towel being thrown in. It was a bizarre scenario that had fans, media and even Cotto scratching their heads in confusion. The fight was on. Then it was off. And then it was on again. Regardless, the ending (that is, the real ending) was just minutes away. When the fight finally did finish, it was due to a culmination of clever boxing and punching by Cotto that finished Foreman off. The domination began from the first.
Cotto came out quickly, scoring with jabs down the middle in the opening round. Cotto tried an uppercut at the rounds end but couldn't score with it. Foreman, meanwhile, hardly threw any shots. A right by Cotto seemed to stun Foreman slightly in the second. Another quick right by Cotto nailed Foreman. Foreman returned fire with a quick left hook that landed flush but it didn't budge Cotto. Cotto scored to the body in the third. Foreman landed a left hook in the final seconds, but still didn't put together a series of more than one or two punches. Foreman landed more shots in the fourth, fighting and landing more from the outside. Cotto landed a good right hand as Foreman backed up along the ropes. Cotto landed a left hook to the body and head combo in a quieter round.
Cotto caught Foreman coming in with a quick uppercut in the fifth. Foreman seemed to be more aggressive in the second minute of the round as the crowd briefly chanted for him. And neither man did much in the final minute or so. The pace continued in the sixth as Foreman stayed on his bicycle, never electing to stay still long enough to sit and punch. Foreman slipped to the canvas twice in the seventh. After rising from the first slip, he wobbled around precariously; seemingly having injured or re-injured his right knee (Foreman had a brace on it). The two boxers traded leather when the fight resumed, throwing and landing more punches than any other round up to that point.
Controversy erupted in the eighth and when the fight restarted after Mercante's change of mind, both men came charging forward, eager to reengage. Both fighters landed clean punches, but it was Cotto who seemed to have the edge.
When the fight started again in the ninth round, Cotto continued to pound Foreman to the head and body. He backed Foreman up along the ropes, crumpling him to the canvas with a left hook to the mid-section. Foreman attempted to rise but was clearly a beaten fighter and Mercante correctly called a halt, this time for good. Time of the stoppage was 42 seconds of the ninth.
Where Cotto goes from here, no one knows for sure. With new trainer Emanuel Steward in his corner, Cotto looked sharp and accurate and far from the spent force that struggled last year with Joshua Clottey and was stopped by Pacquiao. His options at 154 could include unification fights with the other belt-holders or even big money fights with the duo of Sergio Martinez and/or Paul Williams.
As for Foreman, his career options will be limited until he gets his knee back in working order. He should rehabilitate his injury then look to get back in the mix at junior middleweight. -- Matt Richardson
Cotto vs Foreman Photos
Martirosyan Outlasts Greene in Co-Feature!
24-year-old undefeated contenders battled in the co-feature, with Armenian-born Vanes "The Nightmare" Martirosyan (28-0, 17 KOs) continuing his ascent in the jr. middleweight division with an entertaining ten round unanimous decision win over New York's "Mean" Joe Greene (22-1, 14 KOs).
Greene (151 lbs) came out looking to pressure Martirosyan (153 lbs) in round one, landing hard right jabs and left hands under a tight guard. Martirosyan responded with right hands in close as the undefeated fighters warmed up. A Greene blow to Martirosyan's beltline caused referee Steve Smoger to stop the action for a few seconds as the round came to an end.
The Nightmare went to Greene's body in round two, landing several short left hooks to the body. Greene, intent on not yielding ground, responded with a big left hand. The good two-way action continued in round three, with Greene getting the best of Vanes in the early rounds.
Greene landed another big left hand in round four that caused Martirosyan's left eye to swell. Martirosyan, in an attempt to go to the body, landed a low blow that again halts the action momentarily. The fighters traded combinations as the round came to a close.
The fighters took turns landing big shots in round six, with Martirosyan walking Greene down to the ropes and landing a right hand. Martirosyan credited Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach for providing the insight that can change a fight, including suggesting a right uppercut that Vanes did not think to throw but resulted in bloodying Greene's mouth when it landed.
The difference in experience really began to show in rounds seven and eight, as Vanes Martirosyan began taking over the fight by pounding Greene with right hands and causing Mean Joe's right eye to swell up. While Martirosyan had been tested steadily in the past few years against the likes of Andrey Tsurkan and former champion Kassim Ouma, Greene fought only once in 2009 and had never faced a top opponent.
The Nightmare sealed the victory in the final moments of the bout, landing a right hand behind Greene's head in round ten that was counted as a knockdown. Judges Tom Schrek and Bill Costello scored the bout 96-93 each, while Julie Lederman saw it 98-91 for The Nightmare. After the bout, Martirosyan declared that he was ready for the best in the division, including the night's big winner, Miguel Cotto. -- Mariano A. Agmi
Martirosyan vs Greene Photos
Wolak Decisions Moore!
It was inevitable that Pawel Wolak and James Moore would fight one another.
They were both local fighters (Moore from New York, Wolak from Mount Arlington, New Jersey). They both fought at or around junior middleweight. And they had both done a relatively good job of beating up on the lower echelon of their weight class.
So it made sense for them to get together. And together they finally came on the Foreman-Cotto under card. In a predictably competitive (and sometimes exciting) affair, Wolak won a 10-round unanimous decision against Moore. The scores were 97-93 and 96-94 (twice).
Wolak was in command from the start, although he did have to work to win every round. He seemed to hurt Moore towards the end of the first, albeit temporarily, and had fleeting moments when he hurt Moore later in the fight. Moore, with former title challenger Lennox Blackmoore as his trainer, continued to try to land. But he was outworked and outfought and looked like a spent force at the end of 10 rounds.
Wolak, whose only loss was to former "Contender" Ishe Smith, see his ledger improve to 27-1 with 17 KO's. Moore loses his third professional fight for an overall record of 17-3 with 10. -- Matt Richardson
Wolak vs Moore Photos
Baterbaugh Upsets Rainone!
In a minor upset, local welterweight Tommy Rainone lost a lopsided six-round unanimous decision to Terry Baterbaugh. Judges scores read 60-54 and 59-55 (twice) for Baterbaugh. There were no knockdowns. Baterbaugh simply outworked and outhustled Rainone as the latter backpedaled around the ring. By the mid-point of the bout Rainone was gasping for air; frequently looking at the screen ringside to catch a glimpse of how much time remained in the frame. Rainone is now 12-4 with three KO wins. Baterbaugh improves to 6-3-1 with three. -- Matt Richardson
Rainone vs Baterbaugh Photos
Other Results!
Bayamon, Puerto Rico's Juan "El Puma" Gonzalez (8-0, 7 KOs) was extended the distance for the first time in his career, winning a unanimous 4 round decision over formerly unbeaten Texan Juan Lucio (4-1-1, 2 KOs) in a lightweight contest.
Gonzalez proved to be too rangy and powerful for his shorter opponent, as the dictated the pace of the fight digging right hands to Lucio's head and body behind a stiff jab. Judges Matt Ruggiero and Larry Hazzard Jr. scored the bout 39-37, while Pete Santiago saw it 40-36 for the Puerto Rican prospect.
Gonzalez vs Lucio Photos
The night included a family affair as Miguel Cotto's cousin, Abner "Pin" Cotto (8-0, 4 KOs), won a workmanlike 6 round unanimous decision over tough Texan Edgar Portillo (6-5-1, 4 KOs) in a lightweight contest.
Cotto was too accurate for Portillo, advancing behind a left jab and using a shoulder roll defense to avoid most of Portillo's offense. Judges Luis Rivera and Larry Hazzard Jr. scored the bout 59-55 each, while judge Matt Ruggiero saw it 58-56 for the fighter from Caguas, Puerto Rico.
Cotto vs Portillo Photos
In a featherweight clash, unbeaten Jorge Diaz made the trek over from New Jersey to easily beat Jae Sung Lee, knocking him down in the first before violently finishing him off in the sixth and final scheduled round. There were only 66 seconds remaining in the fight. Diaz (14-0, 9 KO's) dropped Lee in the first and had his way with him in the ensuing rounds. He repeatedly snapped Lee's head back in the sixth before referee Sparkle Lee stepped in and called a halt. Lee sees his record drop to 10-3-1 with seven wins inside the distance. Diaz, from New Brunswick, New Jersey, looks ready to step up to the next level at 126 pounds. -- Matt Richardson
Diaz vs Lee Photos
In a battle of local talent, Christian Martinez knocked Jonathan Cuba down once in round three and twice in round four, prompting referee Sparkle Lee to call a halt to the bout at 1:18 of the fourth and final round.
A Martinez left hook buckled Cuba's legs in the opening round, following up his attack in round two with right hand, left hook combinations that continuously stunned the shorter fighter. Cuba finally began making a fight of it in round three, winging wild punches as he bled from his left eye and nose. A Martinez left hook during an exchange dropped Cuba, who rose by the count of eight and after the bell sounded to end the round. Referee Lee had a rough outing, as she did not hear the bell and allowed Martinez to land several follow-up shots to his hurt opponent's head before realizing that the round should have been over.
Martinez finished the job in the next round, landing a right hand that dropped Cuba and a powerful left hook that caused Lee to halt the bout. With the win, Martinez improves to 4-0 (4 KOs) while Jonathan Cuba falls to 2-2 (2 KOs).
Martinez vs Cuba Photos
Random Ring Shots
