Tijuana Tornado Takes Title By Storm

By Francisco Guzman
Photos: Bret "The Threat" Newton

The Tijuana Tornado Antonio Margarito (37-5-27 KO’s) took the WBA title away from Miguel Cotto (32-1-26 KO’s) by storm this Saturday night at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. This was supposed to be Miguel’s fifth title defense.  Margarito did to Cotto what Cotto is used to doing to his opponents. Like Teddy Atlas usually says “pressure bust pipes”. Margarito’s relentless pressure and punch output busted up the champion.

Cotto looked sharp from the opening bell counterpunching and sticking his jab in Margarito’s face while moving to his left. While Margarito kept coming forward throwing all caution to wind and applying constant pressure.  Even though Margarito bloodied Cotto’s nose in the second Cotto was still fighting effectively while moving for the next couple of rounds. In the fifth round Cotto seemed to frustrate Antonio by putting his hand down and making him miss by moving his head.

Margarito was not discouraged he kept marching forward and whenever he got close he would throw a barrage of body punches. In the seventh round he cornered Cotto hitting Cotto with triple left hooks hurting Cotto against the ropes. By then the tide began to change directions. Cotto kept trying to box but Margarito would corner Cotto into the ropes and would hit him with uppercuts and right hands.

Margarito continued to out work Cotto in close quarters in the eight and ninth rounds. In the 10^th round Cotto seemed to be getting back into the fight out boxing Antonio most of the round but was caught with a left uppercut at the end of the round that seriously hurt him. Miguel kept trying to box but Antonio’s pressure was too much. After being hurt again from a combinations of punches from Margarito Cotto for the first time in his pro career took a knee. Cotto got up and tried to fight on but on weary legs and was now bleeding from the nose and mouth profusely. Margarito immediately jump right on Cotto with hard uppercuts and right hands making Cotto take another knee before his uncle Evangelista Cotto climbed up to the apron to throw in the towel.

This is a huge win for Margarito who was a slight underdog in this fight. He becomes the man at the welterweight division. Now we know why he was the most avoided man in boxing. I don’t believe the Mayweather wants to come back from retirement after seeing what went down this Saturday night.

For Miguel Cotto where does he go from here? He needed this win to put him in line with the other great Puerto Rican champions from the past. It’s what he does from here that will make him great. Cotto fought a great fight showing he was the better boxer but Margarito showed that he was just too big too strong for him. Cotto was never able to hurt Margarito even thought he was rocking Margarito head back from his sharp punching. Antonio walked right threw anything Cotto dished out. This fight will go down as one of the great Puerto Rican vs Mexican rivalries of all time.