Miguel Cotto made a strong case that he's the best welterweight in boxing Saturday night, thoroughly dominating an overmatched Michael Jennings with a fifth-round technical knockout victory at Madison Square Garden.Cotto controlled the pace of the fight throughout. He calmly backed Jennings off with his jab in the first three rounds, and then knocked Jennings down twice in the fourth round. Although Jennings valiantly tried to keep fighting in the fifth round, Cotto knocked him down again again, and even though Jennings got up after the knockdown in the fifth round, he was wobbly, and the ref wisely stopped the fight.
It was Cotto's first fight since he lost to Antonio Margarito in July. That loss, an 11th-round TKO in which Cotto simply couldn't handle Margarito's punching power, has become controversial after Margarito was caught trying to put a hard substance in his hand wraps last month. Although there's no evidence that Margarito did the same thing against Cotto, many boxing observers suspect that he did. Saturday night, Cotto looked like he's looked in every fight of his career except the one against Margarito: Like a great boxer.
Cotto said afterward that he'd be happy to fight either Shane Mosley or the winner of the May bout between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton next. There are a lot of interesting matchups available for Cotto, who's one of the best in the world.
The Puerto Rican Cotto improved his record to 33-1. The British Jennings fell to 34-2.
Cotto vs. Jennings Photos
Miguel Cotto reacts after a fifth round TKO against Michael Jennings, of England, in a WBO World Welterweight title fight Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009 in New York. Cotto won the fight with a TKO in the fifth round. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP
Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico (L) has his arm lifted by his opponent Michael Jennings of England after Cotto scored a technical knockout win during the fifth round of their WBO World Welterweight Title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York, February 21, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Miguel Cotto, left, of Puerto Rico, reacts after beating Michael Jennings in their WBO World Welterweight title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP
Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico celebrates after defeating Michael Jennings of England on a technical knockout during the fifth round of their WBO World Welterweight Title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York, February 21, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Miguel Cotto, left, of Puerto Rico, ducks a punch from Michael Jennings, of England, during the fourth round of their WBO World Welterweight title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. Cotto won the fight with a TKO in the fifth round. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP
Michael Jennings, of England, gathers himself as the referee counts after he was knocked down during the fourth round of a WBO World Welterweight title fight against Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden in New York, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. Cotto won the fight with a TKO in the fifth round. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP
Michael Jennings, of England, takes a left from Miguel Cotto, right, of Puerto Rico, during the fourth round of their WBO World Welterweight title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. Cotto won the fight with a TKO in the fifth round. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP
NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 21: Michael Jennings (L) and Miguel Cotto exchange punches during their WBO World Welterweight title bout at Madison Square Garden on February 21, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Jennings;Miguel Cotto
Getty Images
NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 21: Michael Jennings (L) and Miguel Cotto exchange punches during their WBO World Welterweight title bout at Madison Square Garden on February 21, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Jennings;Miguel Cotto
Getty Images
NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 21: Michael Jennings (R) and Miguel Cotto (L) exchange punches during their WBO World Welterweight title bout at Madison Square Garden on February 21, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Jennings;Miguel Cotto
Getty Images
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-21-2009 @ 11:36PM
FRANK said...
I told yu so;
Cotto is looking for redemption
no problem bro but take your time
no rush there is only a few boxers
in history that end up undefeated
and the one with Margarito I will
ruled " no contest".
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 12:52AM
rl7194 said...
Check the margarito fight out at the end of the 3rd round listen to margarito corner in spanish 1 of the trainers ask margarito como esta la pegada wich means in english how is your punch plain and simple margarito cheated in that fight .
2-22-2009 @ 10:06AM
Mike said...
No one will ever know if Margarito cheated in that fight. He had won many other big fights prior and did not always have Lewis in his corner. It will NEVER be ruled "no contest" nor just because one is asked in his corner "how is your punch" suggests anything. When I fought I was always asked how my punch felt.
Jennings was a bum who had a great record against no bodies. No REAL experience against top line fighters.
I am neither pro or con on Cotto. He is a very good fighter for certain, but the loss to Margarito can never be known for sure if he cheated. That is the commission and refs fault if so.
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 11:11AM
Kid924 said...
lots of fans gave cotto thier backs one loss legit or not is no big deal hope margarito comes back then wii see
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2-22-2009 @ 12:56PM
rl7194 said...
YEA MIKE YOUR RIGHT ABOUT ASKING HOW IS YOUR PUNCH ITS NORMAL ACOURDING TO YOU BUT ITS FUNNY HOW IT WAS NEVER ASK TO MARGARITO IN THE MOSLEY FIGHT NOT ONLY IT WAS ASK IN THE COTTO FIGHT JUST LOOK CLOSE AT THE END OF ROUND 4 THE CORNER GUY ASK HIM IN A DOWN LOW VOICE IT WAS ONLY MENT FOR MARGARITO TO HEAR THE QUESTION I WILL TELL YOU THIS COTTO WILL DESTROY ANY 147 IN THE DIVISION NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 5:25PM
Nector Stargazer said...
The fact is simple if Margarito tride to cheat against Mosley you know he was going to cheat against Cotto because at the time Cotto was the biggest fight of his career !!! You could see the difference in how Mosley broke Margarito down so easily and his punches in no way affected Mosley the way they affected Cotto you could see he lost an advantage. In my opinion Cotto is still undefeated !!!!
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2-22-2009 @ 5:36PM
MomsieAdaLJ2 said...
Margaito cheated but it can't be proven! However, let him try to fight Cotto now without his his Paris plaster in his gloves! Mosley proved that Margarito has no punch without his Paris! Puerco! That's what Margarito is! Cotto I can't wait for you to be able to Kick Margarito's A--! Boricua here! mama of 6!
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2-24-2009 @ 12:43AM
wats good said...
yea cotto is the best boxer the and yes he is still undefeated no matter what anybody says and margharito is a dirty cheat
Reply
2-28-2009 @ 9:39AM
retrojoke said...
Yeh, we all know Cotto beat Margafag. How do you absolutly punish a guy for 5 rounds and then take a knee because your body is in excruciating pain.
Margafag couldnt even knock Cotto out. Cotto was trying to fight but his body had recieved enough anvils that he was bowing down. Im only glad that he did not recieve permanent damage from that son of a bitch.
Reply
3-05-2009 @ 1:54AM
jspratts0323 said...
Miguel Cotto is a good boxer and that fight i know Margarito cheated of course that was a major fight for him everybody was going for Cotto except your typical mexicans who knows he had to cheat to beat the Boricua power and of course i am Puerto Rican and not over the fence.
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