411's Cotto vs. Margarito Report 07.26.08

Posted by Ramon Aranda on 07.26.2008

Antonio Margarito defeats Miguel Cotto!


Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito: "The Battle"

Welcome back everyone and I'm glad you can join us as I'll be providing the live round by round blog of tonight's mega-fight between WBA welterweight champ Miguel Cotto and former two-time welterweight champ Antonio Margarito in "The Battle", promoted by Top Rank, here at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

Our live coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT along with the telecast which is available on HBO PPV.

The card looks like this:

Miguel Cotto vs Antonio Margarito (WBA welterweight championship)
Bernabe Concepcion vs Adam Carrera (super bantamweight)
Giovanni Segura vs Cesar Canchila (junior flyweight)
Michael Alvarado vs Cesar Bazan (junior welterweight)


[We will provide updated results of the undercards fights followed up by a live round by round update of the main event.]
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We are live from the MGM Grand....enjoy the fights!!

Adam Carrera (19-3, 8 KOs) vs. Bernabe Concepcion(25-1-1, 14 KOs
10 Rounds Super Bantamweight Bout

After two evenly matched first rounds, Bernabe Concepcion began to find his target in the third. Concepcion was able to land clean, hard shots to the head and body while Carrera began to get wild with his punches. Midway through, Carrera missed with a left hook and Concepcion came over the top with a beautiful right cross that sent Carrera down to one knee with after a delayed reaction. Concepcion then went in for the kill but Carrera seemed to have weathered the storm. Moments later a nasty right uppercut landed right on the button and Carrera went down. Shaking his head as he struggled to get up, referee Joe Cortez wisely stopped the contest giving Concepcion a 3rd round TKO. Concepcion improved to (26-1-1, 15 KOs).

6:22 p.m. - We now await the next fight between Mike Alvarado and Cesar Bazan. The arena is slowly beginning to fill as both Mexican and Puerto Rican fans wave their flags and create their own chants. Miguel Cotto is shown on the live monitors to a chorus of boos. Now there's something different!

6:25 p.m. - Antonio Margarito is shown making his way into the dressing room and the crowd erupts. It's an overwhelming Margarito crowd so far tonight. We'll see what it sounds like closer to the main event which should take place roughly around 8 p.m. PT.

Mike Alvarado (21-0, 14 KOs) vs. Cesar Bazan (48-10-1, 31 KOs)
10 Rounds Super Lightweight Bout

The fight only lasted four rounds but they were four rounds of absolute warfare. Both Bazan and Alvarado went right after each other from the opening bell letting their hands go while throwing defense out the window. Alvarado was able to land hard right hands while Bazan worked to the body and mixed in an unhealthy dose of uppercuts. Alvarado was able to hurt Bazan on a few occasions but as soon as he would let up, Bazan answered right back with combinations to the body. In the fourth round, after going toe to toe, Alvarado trapped Bazan along the ropes and unleashed a combination that was punctuated by a right hand to the chin that sent Bazan slowly slumping to the canvas where he was counted out.

Giovanni Segura (19-0-1, 5 KOs) vs. Cesar Canchila (26-1, 21 KOs)
12 Rounds Interim WBA Junior Flyweight Championship

Giovanni Segura and Cesar Canchila provided yet another entertaining fight to finish off the undercard bouts. We had toe to toe action from the opening bell. Segura had his best moments early on, stunning Canchila in the first round and then catching him with a looping right hand to send him to the canvas. By the middle of the fight however, Segura seemed to be slowing down and the fresher Canchila continued applying pressure. By the 8th round, Segura appeared winded and Canchila never let up. As the fight wore down, Canchila was catching Segura with combinations to the head and Segura had nothing left. Canchila would be awarded a unanimous decision with scores of 117-110, 115-112, and 117-110.

7:56 p.m. - Ok it's time for the main event of the evening. We will now begin our live round by round coverage.

8:12 p.m. - The national anthems have been sung and now Margarito is making his way up to the ring to a standing ovation. The crowd is giving him one helluva reception.

8:14 p.m. - Miguel Cotto has made his way out and is inside the ring. Madison Square Garden this ain't as the crowd jeers him with chants of "Margarito, Margarito".

8:17 p.m. - "LLLLLLLLLET'S GET RRRRREADY TO RUMBLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEE" - Michael Buffer is now announcing the two fighters.

Enjoy the main event guys!!!!

Antonio Margarito (36-5, 26 KOs) vs. Miguel Cotto (32-0, 26 KOs)
12 Rounds WBA Welterweight Championship

Round 1: Miguel Cotto comes otu with the left jab and a pair of body shots. Margarito stays on the outside and begins to trade with the left jab as well. Cotto lands a quick left hook and then circles around M. Margarito now coems in with a jab and an uppercut. Cotto lands to the head and the Puerto Rican fans erupt. It seems like the fans are 50/50 now as both fighters get cheered feverishly. A hard right from Cotto and Margarito corners him momentarily as they trade. The fans are going bananas. Cotto lands a combination and now Margarito eats a few body shots. A left hook goes low for Cotto and is warned by referee Kenny Bayless. Antonio eats a jab and the round is over. Excellent first round!

Round 2: Here we go with round 2. Cotto nails Antonio with a hard left hook and backs away. Cotto partially lands a combination but Margarito responds with body shots to back him off. Antonio lands a big right cross but Cotto comes back with a pair of jabs and they trade in the corner. Now against the ropes, they trade again and Margarito lands a big rigiht hand. Cotto comes rigiht back and now Margarito is teeing off to the body. Another hard rigiht hand from Margarito! Cotto is fighting off the ropes and he lands a big uppercut followed by a left hook. Margarito comes back with punishing body shots and Cotto answers back WOW what action!!! Cotto lands a flush left hook then a jab. Another left hook by Cotto and Margarito goes to the uppercut.Again they trade along the ropes and the crowd is loving the action. Cotto snaps Margarito's head back with a left and Margarito connects with a right to end the round. Unbelievable stuff. Cotto now with a bloody nose in the corner.

Round 3: Cotto comes out firing here in the 3rd. Now he backs away and begins to box using his leflt jab. He's moving to hisleft and avoids some big left hooks. Margarito is coming forward as the fans cheer him on but now Cotto lands another combination and backs away. Better start here for Cotto who is boxing. Now Margarito gets him along the ropes and they exchange punches. A pair of hooks to the body from Cotto and Margarito keeps coming forward. They clinch for a split second and Cotto breaks it up with two rights to the body. Margarito lands a left hook but takes three punches in returnCotto is bending his knees to aviod some punches upstairs. Now they trade and cotto is bleedign from the nose again. Ooh and a big left hook from Cotto and again he moves to the side. Margarito lands a low punch to the hips and Cotto complains...a warning for Margarito. Another solid, action packed round.

I've got it 29-28 for Cotto through three rounds.

Round 4: Seems like every round starts with a quick exchange and this one is no different. Margarito tries to jab his way in and backs up Miguel Cotto. Chants of "Mexico, Mexico, Mexico" echo through the arena. An uppercut lands for Margarito and Cotto then lands his own. Antonio is still using the jab here and he eats a left to the body before landing an uppercut. Cotto is trying to use the ring here and he lands an uppercut now too. Another left by Cotto and another jab. Good combination from Cotto and he slips a big uppercut. Margarito stakls Cotto and eats a left hook. Good solid boxing from Cotto in this round so far. A furious exchange in the corner that is won by Cotto. End of the round.

Round 5: They begin by jabbing away at one another. Cotto is really on his toes right now and he's making it tough for Margarito to land cleanly. It's a jabbing contest and a nice right hand lands for Margarito. Cotto is blocking pretety good though as he has his gloves up high. Margarito looks to cut off the ring and now we hear chants of "Cotto, Cotto, Cotto!" A three pnch combo lands for Cotto but Margarito keeps coming. Cotto slips a right and jabs his way out of the corner. Margarito is having some problems landing as Cotto's movement is proving problematic. A right hand lands for Cotto again and Margarito traps him in the corner; lands a body shot then eats an uppercut. Margarito lands a combination and abig right hand. End of round....these are two elite fighters giving a great performance. Margarito needs to cut the ring off a little better though.

Round 6: Cotto comes out jabbing and with his gloves up high. He's moving side to side and he peppers Margarito with a left hand. Margarito lands an uppercut to the body and now one to the chin. Another body shot from Margarito and he lands a low one. No warning from the ref and Cotto didn't react. Cotto now lands hiw own uppercut and backs away. A sizzling left hook by Cotto and then a three punch combination. Margarito corners Cotto but isnt' able to land anything of note. Cotto is bleeding again from the nose after a rigiht hand. Another upercut lands for Cotto and he's looking good. You can see that he's easily quicker than Margarito at this juncture. A pair of uppercuts land for Margarito as the round is over.

Round 7: Margarito starts out aggressively throwing combinations but Cotto blocks most of it. Now they exchange again and Margarito lands a stiff rigiht hand. They exchange left hooks and two uppercuts land for Margarito and they a left hook lands for both men. Cotto lands a right hand now and Margarito tries to come back with uppercuts. Now Margarito hurts Cotto with an uppercut but Cotto comes back.. WOW!!!! Cotto is retreating and a right hand lands for Margarito. Cotto is hurt!!!! Another upercut lands for Margarito and then a right hand..it's all antonio Margarito in the 7th! Unbelievable exchanges. Cotoo now lnds a left hook and Margarito comes back with body shots and anaother uppercut. Cotto lands a hard left and goes back to the ropes where Margarito tees off. OHHH a big right hand lands for Margarito and Cotto is bleeding again. Cotto lands a quick one-two but Margarito is unphased. Margarito lands another hook and the round is over!!!! What a change in momentum!

I have it 68-65 for Cotto through 7 rounds

Round 8: Cotto comes out and lands a quick left and then a right. Now a stiff jab lands for Cotto. An uppercut just misses for Margarito but he keeps coming forward. They trade against the ropes and we finally see the first real clinch. Cotto misses an uppercut and they clash heads...they seem ok and they touch gloves. Good jab from Margarito and Cotto spins away. A combination misses for Cotto but he lands thejab and a left hook. good left by Cotto and he moves away again. An uppercut lands for Margarito and they go toe to toe again. Two good lefts from Cotto and an uppercut lands for Margarito. What action! Another uppercut lands for Margarito though not with the same power. Now a big left and a right land for cotto and Margarito answers back with a left of his own. Round over.

Round 9: Cotto is back to boxing as he lands combinations and moves away. Margarito again goes to the body and now rips uppercuts. A body shot lands and then another series of uppercuts. Cotto stops punchingi then comes back with a left and a right uppercut. Cotto lands a body shot and backs away. Cotto lands a right and moves to his left but eats a sharp left hook. ow a body shot and more body shots from Margarito but Cotto fires back with a left and a right. ohhh big hook from Margarito. Cott's face is bruised and bloody but he's finding away to score points. Margarito just keeps coming like a starved lion.

Round 10:Margarito continues coming forward while Cotto moves side to side and uses his jab. Cotto's nose may be broken as he's bleeding from the nose continuously now. A left uppercut lands for Margarito but Cotto lands a left hook. A sharp left lands for Cotto and Margarito corners him; Cotto clinches. A right hand lands flush on the cheek of Antonio Margarito but he still comes forward. Good left hand by cotto and they get tied up along the ropes. Miguel Cotto is being very smart in using the ring to move around and avoid many exchanges. A left and a right land for Margarito now a left uppercut and Cotto hangs on!! Antonio smells blood and the sound of the bell ends the round. Cotto looks beaten badly....from his face anyway. Good round for Margarito who has Cotto extremely tired.

Round 11: Championship rounds! Margarito goes right after Cotto but Cotto isn't a stationary target. Now Margarito forces Cotto to trade with him and things look even. A right hand lands for Margarito and now a sizzling three punch combination land for the champion Cotto. A right hand lands to the temple of Cotto who is backpedaling. Cotto nearly falls though the middle rope and is eating a lot of leather. ...A HUGE FLURRY OF PUNCHES AND DOWN GOES MIGUEL COTTO!!!! He beats the count but Margarito is going for the knockout. ........Cotto is DONE...he's not punching...DOWN GOES MIGUEL COTTO AGAIN AND ITS OVER!!!!!!!!!! MIGUEL COTTO'S CORNER STOPS THE FIGHT AND WE HAVE A NEW WBA WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION....ANTONIO MARGARITO...and the mariachi begins to play!!!

UNBELIEVABLE!

This was one of the greatest fights I've ever seen and what a remarkable ending and both men should be applauded for a sensational fight!!

Thanks again everyone for tuning in...I hope you all enjoyed this brutal and beautiful fight that no fight fan will soon forget.

We will be headed straight to the post-fight press conference and we'll have updates throughout the night. Photos will accompany the coverage as well courtesy of our own Laura De La Torre.

WHAT A FIGHT!!

9:10 p.m. - The fans are still here and they're still celebrating!