Pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao solidified his status as an all-time great with an impressive and dominant 12th round TKO victory over WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto, becoming the firster boxer to ever win world titles in 7 different divisions. Pacquiao's performance was a masterpiece against Cotto, a man that many considered to be a legitimate threat to defeat him.
PREFIGHT
Celebrities in attendance include Magic Johnson, Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Derek Jeter and P. Diddy. La Diva sings a wonderful rendition of the National anthem of the Philippines. Ednita Nazario sings the National anthem of Puerto Rico. Ramiele, a former American Idol contestant, sings the US National anthem. No mention of how much both fighters unofficially weigh tonight. Pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao begins to make his way to the ring while they show a great video of the legends of the sport. Suddenly, AC/DC's Thunderstruck begins to play,. perhaps an homage to the late great warrior Arturo Gatti. Oh...and then the music switches to Survivor's Eye of the Tiger. Pacquiao's truly doing it up with this entrance. Wow. The crowd erupts as he smiles and steps into the ring. Not to be outdone, WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto makes his way to the ring to the sounds of Kanye West's Stronger. He looks intense and focused. Then the song switches to some spanish rap that I don't recognize, but it's fitting for the scowl he's wearing on his face. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
ROUND 1
Cotto comes out firing his jab. STIFF jab from Cotto snaps the head back of Pacquiao. Pacquiao lands a quick jab of his own. Another stiff jab lands for Cotto. Cotto looks quick and strong in there. Pacquiao misses with a right hook. Left hand down the middle partially blocked by Cotto. Jab from Cotto is pushing Pacquiao back. Left hook to the body lands or Cotto. Pacquiao shakes his head to say it didn't hurt. Left to the body lands for Cotto. Pacquiao misses with a quick left. Left lands for Pacquiao to the body. Cotto digs to the body. Good round. Cotto looks fast. Round to Cotto.
Cotto 10 Pacquiao 9
ROUND 2
Pacquiao falling short with his punches. Right hand lands for Pacquiao. Cotto lands a jab. Pacquiao lands a left. Cotto answers with a right. HARD left down the middle lands for Pacquiao. Cotto lands a stiff jab. Two HARD uppercuts land for Pacquiao. Right hand lands for Pacqiuao. Left hand lands for Pacquiao. Pacquiao getting off now. BIG left hook lands for Cotto. Pacquiao covers up. HARD left hand from Pacquiao rips through the guard of Cotto. pacquiao digs to the body. Another HARD body shot. Three-punch combo lands for Pacquiao. Left hand lands for Pacquiao. Cotto covers up. 1-2 lands for Cotto. WOOOOOOOO...BLISTERING combination lands for Pacquiao. WOW. What a round! What a round! Mayweather could've stayed retired. Round to Pacquiao.
Cotto 19 Pacquiao 19
ROUND 3
Cotto lands a left hand. WOOOOOOOOO....HARD right hook lands for Pacquiao and Cotto is down. WOW! He's up. Pacquiao lands a blistering combination. Cotto lands a right hand upstairs. Pacquiao just eats it and smiles. Left hand lands upstairs for Pacquaio. Cotto digs a 1-2 to the body. Pacquiao says bring it. HARD left hand down the middle lands for Pacquiao. Cotto lands a left hook counter. Pacquiao all over the place landing punches. Cotto lands a left hook. HARD uppercut from Cotto snaps the head back of Pacquiao. Round to Pacquiao.
Cotto 27 Pacquiao 29
ROUND 4
Cotto continues to press forward working the body. Pacquiao on his toes dancing away. A flurry of combinations land for Pacquiao. Cotto takes it and digs to the body. Pacquioa up against the ropes covering up. Cotto starting to wear on him perhaps. Uppercut lands for Pacquiao. Cotto lands a right. Nice right hand lands for Pacquiao and he dances away. Now Pacquiao lets his hands go and WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BIG left hand hookercut lands for Pacquiao and Cotto is down. WOW! WOW! He's up again, but he looks shaky. Right hand lands for Pacquiao again. Wow! Round to Pacquiao.
Cotto 35 Pacquiao 39
ROUND 5
Pacquiao lands a couple quick jabs. Cotto lands a left hook upstairs that pushes Pacquiao back. HARD 1-2 lands for Pacquiao and Cotto holds on. Quick right hand lands for Pacquiao. Cotto lands a jab and a right to the body. Pacquiao covers up to take a break. Left hand lands for Pacquiao upstairs. Cotto digs a left to the body. The pace has slowed a bit in this round. Cotto lands a 1-2 to the body. Uppercut from Cotto snaps the head back of Pacquiao. Left hook from Cotto backs Pacquiao up. Pacquiao digs a hard left hook to the body to end the round. Round to Cotto.
Cotto 45 Pacquiao 48
ROUND 6
Cotto looks a little worse for wear in there...legs look a little shaky. HARD right hook from Pacquiao snaps the head of Cotto. Quick 1- 2 lands for Pacquiao. Right hook land sor Pacquiao. Again. Cotto backs up to the ropes. I don't think it's going to be too much longer. Cotto lands a left hook. Left hand down the middle lands for Pacquiao. Uppercut lands for Pacquiao. Left to the body lands for Pacquiao. Now a HARD right to the body. Cotto taking a lot of damage in there. Jab lands for Cotto, who's on his toes and boxing more. 1-2 lands for Pacquiao. WOOOOOOO...BIG left hand lands for Pacquiao and Cotto's wobbled again. Wow. Round to Pacquiao.
Cotto 54 Pacquaio 58
ROUND 7
Right hook and an uppercut lands for Pacquiao. Cotto covers up. 1-2 lands for Pacquiao. WOOOOOOOOO...HUGE left hand lands for Pacquiao. Cotto rakes him with a left hook, but Pacquiao fires back with a left and a right. Left hand lands for Pacquiao. Uppercut lands for Pacquiao. Wow. Right hand and another uppercut lands for Pacquiao. Cotto is getting chopped down. It won't be long. Right hand lands for Pacquaio. Cotto doesn't have much on his punches, but he lands a left. Left hand down the middle lands for Pacquiao. Right hook lands for Pacquiao. All Manny Pacquiao. Cotto retreats. Round to Pacquiao.
Cotto 63 Pacquiao 68
ROUND 8
HARD left to the body from Pacquiao has Cotto doubling over. Left hand upstairs lands for Pacquiao. Cotto on his toes firing his jab. 1-2 lands for Cotto. Pacquiao smiles and presses forward. STIFF jab from Cotto snaps the head back of Pacquiao. STIFF jab from Pacquiao stops Cotto in his tracks. Left and a right lands for Pacquiao. Another. Cotto backs up to the corner. HARD right hand lands for Pacquiao. Cotto just retreats...shades of the Margarito fight. Cotto not throwing anything...he looks ready to quit. Slapping right hand from Cotto lands and he dances away. HARD 1-2 lands for Pacquiao. Cotto looks hurt. Another quick flurry lands for Pacquiao. Right hand from Pacquiao wobbles Cotto right at the bell. Round to Pacquiao.
Cotto 72 Pacquiao 78
ROUND 9
WOOOOO...FAST 1-2 lands for Pacquiao. Cotto digs a 1-2 to the body. Jab lands for Cotto. Pacquiao just walking him down. 1-2 lands for Cotto and he dances away. Jab lands for Cotto. HARD right to the body and a HARD uppercut lands for Pacquiao. Cotto backs up to the corner and Pacquiao unloads a flurry of punches. Cotto taking a lot of damage against the ropes. HARD uppercut lands for Pacquiao again. Cotto's face busted up. WOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....BIG right hand from Pacquiao BLASTS Cotto. Another left hand against the ropes lands for Pacquiao. They should stop this. Cotto lands a left and Pacquiao just eats it. Cotto holds on. Pacquiao looks like he's toying with Cotto. HARD right hand lands for Pacquiao. Round to Pacquiao.
Cotto 81 Pacquiao 88
ROUND 10
"I'm going to give you one more [round]. I'm going to give you one more," Cotto is told in the corner. Cotto lands a left hook upstairs. Right hand lands for Cotto. Pacquiao just walking him down. Pacquiao just standing in front of Cotto, daring him to hit him. Cotto lands a jab. Left hand down the middle lands for Pacquiao. Another. Right cross lands for Pacquiao. Cotto lands a left. Pacquiao literally just stands in the middle of the ring motioning as if he's tired of chasing Cotto, who's clearly in survival mode. Quick 1-2 from Pacquiao lands to end the round. Ugly round to score as Pacquiao appeared to be taking a breather, but one that Cotto probably deserved just for landing a coupld more jabs.
Cotto 91 Pacquiao 97
ROUND 11
"He's done, let's finish him," Roach tell Pacquiao in the corner. Cotto continues to run. HARD left hand lands for Pacquiao. Right hook lands for Pacquiao. They trade jabs. Cotto on his bike. HARD eight-punch combo lands or Pacquiao. HARD 1-2 lands for Pacquiao. Cotto lands a couple of jabs. Cotto lands a 1-2 to the body and Pacquiao just beats his stomach to mock him. Cotto on his bike. HARD left hand lands for Pacquiao. Pacquiao rakes him with a four-punch combo in the corner. Right hand lands for Pacquiao. WOW...Pacquiao just stopped in the center of the ring again and watched Cotto run from him. Wow! Left hand lands for Pacquiao. The crowd boos Cotto as he continues to run on his bike. Pacquiao just smiles and laughs at him.
Cotto 100 Pacquiao 107
ROUND 12
HARD 1-2 lands for Pacquiao to start the round and referee Kenny Bayless already looks like he's ready to jump in to stop it. Cotto just retreats. Right hand lands for Pacquiao. HARD left hand lands for Pacquiao again and Bayless calls a halt to it.
THE WINNER BY TKO AT :55 OF ROUND 12....AND NEW WBO WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION...MANNY PACQUIAO
COMPUBOX
Pacquiao total punches: 336/780
Cotto total punches: 172/597
Pacquiao power punches: 276/560
Cotto power punches: 93/300
POSTFIGHT
"Our plan and strategy for the fight was not to hurry; take time because we know his strategy, he's going to counter...we were very careful in the early rounds because we don't know what will happen....I tried to test his power in the early rounds, that's why I wanted to get hit in the body and the head. When I control the fight, I got aggressive in the fight and make him pressure...in the early rounds, I was looking for a knockout shot, that's why I didn't throw too many punches...I heard that he was bigger than me and stronger than me...I just wanted to try his power...I kept pressuring him, but I was very careful for his counter...we tried our best that last round to try to knock him out...in the 11th round, I thought they were going to stop the fight. I was surprised he continued," stated Pacquiao about his performance. "My job is to fight in the ring and it depends on my promoter Arum to negotiate the fight...for now, I don't know. Like what I said, I'm going to take a vacation and spend time with my family," he added when talks of a fight with Mayweather were brought up. "I'm pretty sure the Filipino fans are going to be screaming today and they're very happy for the victory I gave to them...to all my countrymen, thank you very much," he closed. "I thought we were going to break him down, which we did...early in the fight, he kind of was testing Miguel's power and laying on the ropes too much...Manny had to make the adjustments and once Manny used his feints and his movements, it was too much for him," staed Roach on Pacquiao's performance. "Well, the whole world wants to see Mayweather, so I want Mayweather," he added. "I tried to bring all I can for all these fans and I'm pretty proud with what I did in the ring...I didn't see where the punch was coming to me and I didn't protect myself well...I fought everybody, you know...Manny is one of the best boxers of all time," stated Miguel Cotto as he shared his thoughts on the performance. "I will continue fighting," he added.
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