Welcome to MG SPORTS TALK’s live blog during the Miguel Cotto vs. Joshua Clottey WBO welterweight title fight from Madison Square Garden. The fight will be televised on HBO at 10:30pm EST/7:30 pm PST.
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Fight preview:
Miguel Cotto (33-1, 27 KO) vs. Joshua Clottey (32-2, 20 KO)
For Friday’s official weigh in, Clottey came in at 147 with Cotto one lb less at 146. This will be the 4th time Cotto is fighting on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day parade at Madison Square Garden. He is 3-0 in past fights. The Puerto Rican native is coming off a win over lesser known Michael Jennings to grab the vacant WBO belt. It is this fight, however, that could redeem his first pro loss, a now controversial KO at the hands of Antonio Margarito last summer. On the other side of the ring, Clottey has given up his IBF title by taking this fight instead of one vs. a mandatory opponent. The Guana native can gain international notoriety with a win tonight. The boxing community sees this as an unlikely outcome for the challenger due to his lack of experience against big name opponents. Look for Clottey to start out slow and use his defense and patience to his advantage while Cotto works his opponent with speed and surprise. Both fighters seek a spot atop the talented welterweight field with a big victory tonight. That could mean a huge payday with a late 2009 fight against Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley, Manny Pacquiao or Andre Berto.
Cov’s Corner: Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey meet tonight in a title fight that will to help clear the jumbled picture at the top of the Welterweight division. I think Cotto wins a close decision.
Vegas Line @ 10pm EST
Miguel Cotto -365
Joshua Clottey +285
10:55 pm - A very pro-Cotto crowd has packed into the Mecca of Sports for what should be an excellent welterweight title prizefight. Boxing is alive in New Yotk. Cotto enters the ring and the crowd has erupted.
Round 1: Besides a hard left hook from Cotto, Clottey landed more hard shots. Both fighters come out fairly aggressive but damn! Clottey hits the canvas with a Cotto left. Cotto 10-8
Cov’s Corner - Clottey is the agressor early in the fight. Cotto is reserved early. Typical Round One for Cotto. Late flash knockdown on a jab by Cotto. Clottey appears unfazed. 10-8 cotto.
Round 2: Clottey looks fine after the knockdown. I give a pretty even round to Cotto. 10-9 Cotto
Cov’s Corner - Clottey still spears to be crisp and Is landing but cotto is connectig better and is starting to warm up. 10-9 cotto
Round 3: Another pretty even round. Cotto suffers a cut above his left eye from a headbutt. Clottey lands a couple good shots but Cotto is more active gets another round. Cotto 10-9
Cotto is much more agressive now. Clottey connected early but he’s not throwing enough to win the round on my scorecard. Cotto got cut at the end of the round via headbutt. Cotto 10-9
Round 4: Best round of the fight so far. Cotto’s cut is effecting his agressiveness. Clottey strikes early in the round with several hard uppercuts but Cotto fires back late in the round with signature combinations. Clottey10-9
Cottos eye bleeding and bothered by the cut. Clottey takes advantage of the cut and goes on the attack. Cotto throws some good combos late but clottey won the round. Clottey 10-9
Round 5: Clottey works the cut and starts showing combinations before Cotto bodyslams him in the corner, or so it looked. The ref gives Clottey 5 min and they finish the round. Clottey 10-9
Covs Corner: Blood continuing to pour from Cotto’s eye. Clotteys ankle might have been hurt during the bodyslam he received with 40 seconds left in the round. That could be an equalizer to the cut. Clottey landed three or four right hand bombs to cottos eye that cotto didn’t even see. Clottey 10-9
Round 6: Cotto has forgotten about the cut and smells blood on Clottey after the injury last round. Cotto pins Clottey in the corner with 1:3o in the round and goes to town. Clottey defends by hammering back, rather than dance out of the corner. He looks like he’s in trouble. Cotto 10-9
Cov’s Corner - Cotto stormed back this round with great combo work throughout. Clottey looks to have been immbilized by am injury sustained in rd5. Clottey cannot stay in the corner and continue to take punishment from cotto. Cotto 10-9
Round 7: The adrenaline may be wearing off for Cotto and the cuts seems to be bothering him now. A low activity round with Clottey coming on strong late. He looks alright after a shaky round 6. Clottey 10-9
Covs Corner - Cotto stormed back this round with great combo work throughout. Clottey looks to have been immbilized by am injury sustained in rd5. Clottey cannot stay in the corner and continue to take punishment from cotto. Cotto 10-9
Round 8: Cotto’s eye is a mess at this point and Clottey seems comfortable. He attacks the Puerto Rican’s cut well, while Cotto remained timid for the most part. The ref asks the doctor to give a good look at Cotto and he gives it the green light. Clottey 10-9
Covs Corner - Clottey won the round on some good flurries and ring generalship throughout. Clottey 10-9
Round 9: Cotto comes on strong mid-r0und using his signiture crouch but I think he’s leaving himself open for a big upper from Clottey. Cotto 10-9
Covs Corner - Clottey dominated the round. Cotto had a nice combo in the corner toward the end of the round but clottey appeared unfazed. Cotto continues to be bothered by the cut. Clottey 10-9
Round 10: Clottey showed more work in a low energy round. This is his fight to lose while Cotto tends to his eye. Clottey 10-9
Cov’s Corner - Cotto squeaker out the round on heart and generalship. Cotto 10-9
Round 11: Clottey agains shows that he’s the aggressor but not by much. Cotto is too timid. He’ll need to throw some punches to win this thing. Clottey 10-9
Cov’s Corner - Cotto won by pacing the round and backing clottey up throughout. 10-9 cotto
Round 12: Clottey takes a nap for most of the round. Cotto bops Clottey on the back of the head, then a low blow. Both times, giving the challenger a short break. Josh feels some urgency late in the round but Cotto does what he needed to win the round. What a fight! Cotto showed real heart standing in all those rounds with a vicious cut over the eye. Cotto’s got the final round 10-9
Cov’s Corner - Cotto finished strong on ring generalship and effective agreesiveness Cotto 10-9 Final: 116-111 cotto
Post fight: Lederman’s scorecard has Cotto 114 - 113. The judges take their time. Winner is COTTO by split decision. And a close one 345-336. The crowd seems to be relieved more than anything. I think they had something to do with the judging. Give it up to Cotto. He fought a hell of a fight and Clottey has to deal with the ugly side of boxing, subjective judging. My final is 115-112 Cotto.
…eh, I’ve had better.
