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The "0" had to go. Under the unrelenting pressure of Antonio Margarito, a seemingly in-control Miguel Cotto crumbled in the 11th round, taking a knee two times -- on the second, his uncle and trainer, Evangelista Cotto, threw in the towel. A worn-out, exhausted, bloodied, and beaten Miguel Cotto was done on this night.
I had Cotto up 97-93; I thought his boxing skill and gameplan was just scoring enough to beat Margarito. But you could see it coming, too. Margarito worked hard, pounded on Cotto, and even in losing rounds did a big amount of damage.
Margarito is the best welterweight in the world. Bar none.
Hey, Floyd -- want to come back? Hey, Oscar -- want a piece of Margarito?
It was everything we thought it would be as a fight, too. Brutal, grueling, a war. Maybe the best fight of the year. Just a true battle of two world-class, great, tough fighters that beat each other down. Margarito was just too big, too relentless, too strong, too hard to hurt.
On the undercard, Cesar Canchila upset Giovanni Segura in another outstanding, grueling fight, and Bernabe Concepcion and Mike Alvarado scored predictable knockouts.
We'll have much more tomorrow on this big, big changing of the guard, Cotto's first loss, and the full rise to greatness of Antonio Margarito.
Thanks to everyone who joined us tonight. What a fight, huh?