Champ Miguel Cotto in only New York appearance Monday for Boardwalk Brawls
Boardwalk Brawls
WBO Super Lightweight champ Miguel Cotto will make his only New York City media appearance on Monday, September 19, at Crunch Fitness at 1:00 PM prior to his upcoming title defense. The highly anticipated "Boardwalk Brawl" event on September 24, featuring the Samuel Peter vs. Wladimir Klitschko heavyweight elimination bout and the Atlantic City debut of WBO Super Lightweight king Miguel Cotto, has gotten even more exciting now that undefeated Colombian knockout artist Ricardo Torres has been named as Cotto's new opponent.
When originally slated foe Gianluca Branco suffered a hand injury last week, the search was on for a suitable substitute. "This is exciting news for fight fans," says promoter Dino Duva, president of Duva Boxing. "Branco was going to be a tough opponent, but Torres is a knockout artist and the mandatory number one contenders, so this takes the fight to another level. Fight fans should be very excited that the card has now gotten even better."
In addition to being Cotto's #1 ranked contender, "Mochuelo" Torres sports an outstanding record of 28-0 with 26 of his victories coming by knockout. While Branco proved himself an outstanding boxer in his valiant loss to Arturo Gatti, the addition of Torres means Cotto's fight will now also be a "bombs away" affair.
"Now both of the main fights have the same style matchup," added Duva. "Cotto vs. Torres is going to be a perfect complement to Peter vs. Klitschko. It'll be power vs. power in both fights and fans in Atlantic City and around the world will be the big winners."
Tickets for the September 24 "Boardwalk Brawl" at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey are available at TicketMaster. They are priced between $50 and $400. The event is presented by Duva Boxing, K-2 Promotions, and Top Rank; in association with Caesars Atlantic City.
MIGUEL COTTO
Age: 24 (10-29-80)
Residence: Caguas, Puerto Rico
Birthplace: Caguas, Puerto Rico
Record: 24-0, 20 KOs
Height: 5'8"
Reach: 67"
Trainer: Evangelista Cotto (uncle)
MIGUEL COTTO (24-0, 20 KOs)…
" World championship fights - 4-0…
" WBO jr. welterweight world champion, three successful defenses…
" Puerto Rico Fighter of the Year 2004…
" Former WBC International super lightweight champion, five successful defenses…
" 2000 Olympian representing Puerto Rico, 139 pounds…
" 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 Puerto Rican National amateur champion, 132 pounds…
Only 24 years old, Miguel is one of boxing's top young talents. He won the WBO jr. welterweight world title in September, 2004, and has made three successful defenses.
Miguel headlined at Madison Square Garden in his last fight on June 11, and the event drew an attendance of 10,231. Miguel gave a sensational performance and stopped 2000 Olympic gold medalist Muhammad Abdulaev in the ninth round.
At the post-fight press conference, promoter Bob Arum said, "Believe me, this is just the start. He's a consummate professional. We are convinced now, particularly by this performance, that Miguel can fight anybody at this weight class."
Miguel was named "Puerto Rico Fighter of the Year 2004" at the Banquet of Champions hosted by the Puerto Rico Boxing Commission in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, on December 22. At the banquet, Miguel said, "We worked hard for many years to get to this level, and I'm very proud to receive this honor."
After Miguel's first world title defense on December 11, a sixth-round TKO against former WBO jr. welterweight world champion Randall Bailey, Steve Kim of MaxBoxing.com reported, "It's clear that Miguel Cotto is now one of the elite junior welterweights in the world. He was ultra-impressive in chopping down the dangerous, hard-punching Randall Bailey…"
Miguel won the world title on September 11 with a sixth-round TKO against previously undefeated Kelson Pinto. After the fight, HBO boxing analyst Jim Lampley said, "There's a new superstar in Puerto Rico."
Lampley's colleague, Larry Merchant, commented, "He is a serious fighter with destruction on his mind, and he will be a big name in this sport…"
Miguel had taken significant steps up in class of opposition in two fights earlier in 2004, and scored impressive wins against contenders Victoriano Sosa and Lovemore Ndou.
Before the Ndou fight in May, Kevin Iole of the Las Vegas Review-Journal wrote, "Cotto is one of the game's rare talents…"
Miguel's webpage address is www.miguelcotto.com.
Fight by Fight - 2005 - 3RD WBO JW WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - in his last fight on 6-11-05 in New York, NY, he TKO'd Muhammad Abdulaev (15-1): the fight headlined at Madison Square Garden, and drew an announced crowd of 10,231; it was the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade, and fans waved Puerto Rican flags and chanted Miguel's name; Abdulaev, who had beaten Miguel in his first fight at the 2000 Olympics and went on to win the gold medal, gave a strong effort and relentlessly pressed forward, but Miguel boxed and moved effectively, consistently outworked him, and dominated the early rounds - Miguel won the first five rounds on all three scorecards; Miguel caused a swelling over Abdulaev's right eye in the 6th, but Abdulaev stepped up his pace and won the 6th round on one scorecard and the 8th on all three; Miguel continued to score with sharp combinations, and Abdulaev, with his right eye completely shut, signalled the referee to stop the fight at 0:57 of the 9th round; after eight rounds, Miguel led by scores of 79-73, 79-73, 78-74; after the fight, Miguel said, "He still had the same style from when I fought him in the Olympics. He was strong and came forward through the fight, just as he did in the Olympics, but tonight I worked him well. He's a great athlete, but he was hurt and he knew his body couldn't go on any longer."; Miguel rode in the parade the next day as Grand Marshall…
2ND WBO JW WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 2-26-05 in Bayamon, PR, he TKO'd former WBO jr. welterweight world champion DeMarcus Corley (29-3-1): the event drew a capacity crowd to the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez and it was an exciting fight, fast-paced from the opening bell - Miguel scored a knockdown with a left hook in the opening minute of the 1st round, and staggered Corley later in the round, but Corley rallied late in the 2nd; Corley staggered Miguel early in the 3rd with a right hook to the temple, but Miguel weathered the storm, recovered, and outworked Corley in the 4th; Miguel rocked Corley midway through the 5th, then scored a knockdown with a left hook to the body; Corley got, but Miguel pressured him, Corley went to one knee, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:45; after the fight, Miguel said, "The fight was difficult, more difficult than I had planned, but fortunately, we were able to get the win. I came out strong and I wanted to be aggressive. In the first round, I knocked him down and he was shaky. I kept on pressuring him, but he's a solid fighter. It was the first time that someone hit me twice with some good, solid shots in one round. I respect Corley, and I salute him."…
2004 - 1ST WBO JW WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 12-11-04 in Las Vegas, NV, he TKO'd former WBO jr. welterweight worlrd champion Randall Bailey (28-4): Bailey started fast and landed two hard right hands in the 1st round, but Miguel dominated the rest of the fight; he scored one knockdown in the 2nd round and another in the 3rd, and cut Bailey over the left eye; Miguel wore down Bailey with a steady body attack, and the referee stopped the fight on Bailey's cut at 1:39 of the 6th; after the fight, Miguel said, "I got him real good with the right hand, but the body work was the plan. I knew if I could get to the body I would win the fight."…
WON VACANT WBO JW WORLD TITLE - on 9-11-04 in San Juan, PR, he TKO'd previously undefeated Kelson Pinto (20-0): the fight was the main event at the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot, and drew 12,200 fans; Pinto is a tall, dangerous puncher and had beaten Miguel two times as an amateur; it was an exciting battle, but Miguel dominated - he staggered Pinto in the 1st round and scored a knockdown in the 2nd, but Pinto kept coming back and there were some fierce exchanges; Miguel staggered him again in the 3rd and 4th round, and scored a knockdown in the 5th; Miguel scored another knockdown in the 6th, and Pinto's corner threw in the towel to stop the fight at 2:28; Miguel wore trunks on which were sewn the names of all of Puerto Rico's world champions; after the fight, he said through an interpreter, "Today, there's one more. I've got to be honest, I was very nervous. But you know, when you look at my record and you look at his, and the progress that I've made, I knew I would win. We knew that he was hurt in the previous round. My corner said, 'Jump on him,' and that's what we did. I was in front of my people, I couldn't let them down. I know that with my determination and the good work, I can beat anybody."…
5TH WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE DEFENSE - on 5-8-04 in Las Vegas he won a 12 round unanimous decision against former world title challenger Lovemore Ndou (38-6-1): it was the co-featured bout on the fight card headlined by Juan Manuel Marquez vs Manny Pacquiao, and an exciting, hard-fought battle; Miguel gave a sensational performance and pressed the action in the early rounds - he outworked Ndou, consistently landed the harder punches, and buckled Ndou's knees in the 6th; Ndou gave a tremendous effort, kept fighting hard, and rallied in the late rounds, but Miguel boxed and moved effectively and won by scores of 117-111, 116-112, 115-113; after the fight Miguel said, "He was a tough guy. He has a lot of experience. It was a tough fight, but these are the kind of opponents I need. This is what I need if I am going to step up to that next level."…
4TH WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE DEFENSE - on 2-28-04 in Las Vegas he TKO'd former two-time world title challenger Victoriano Sosa (37-3-2): Sosa gave a strong effort and rocked Miguel late in the 2nd round, but Miguel gave a sensational performance and it was a devastating TKO; he bloodied Sosa'a lip and staggered him with a left uppercut in the 3rd round; Miguel scored three knockdowns in the 3rd - the first with a left uppercut to the chin, the second with a left hook to the head, and the third was with a left hook to the body - and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 2:51; after the fight, Miguel said, "Sosa'a a good fighter, as he showed against Mayweather and Spadafora. He's the best I've fought. But my team thought he would be a good fight for me, and I won. I'm just trying to get better every time I go into the gym. I'm glad people think that I have."…
2003 - 3RD WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE DEFENSE - on 12-6-03 in Bayamon he TKO'd previously undefeated Carlos Maussa (16-0): Miguel headlined the fight card at Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez, which drew a reported crowd of 10,000, and gave a sensational performance; Maussa is tall, awkward and very determined, and was coming off an impressive TKO win against unbeaten prospect Jeffrey Resto, but Miguel dominated the fight; he scored a knockdown in the 3rd round and steadily wore down Maussa; Miguel staggered him in the 8th round, and Maussa's corner stopped the fight at 2:02; after the fight, Miguel said, "The fights are won in the ring, not by talking or at the press conferences. He was tall and had long arms, and that's why it was difficult to attack his body. But little by little, I wore him down."; Maussa recently won the WBA super lightweight world title…
2ND WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE DEFENSE - WBA WORLD TITLE ELIMINATOR - on 9-13-03 in Las Vegas he TKO'd former world title challenger Demetrio Ceballos (26-4): Ceballos gave a good effort and pressed forward, but Miguel dominated the fight; he boxed and moved effectively, consistently outworked Ceballos and landed the harder punches, then switched to the lefthanded stance in the 6th round and rocked Ceballos several times; he rocked Ceballos with a series of punches in the 7th and Ceballos's corner stopped the fight at 2:28; after six rounds, Miguel led by scores of 60-54, 60-54, 60-55; after the fight, Miguel said, "It's a great win. He's the most experienced fighter I've ever faced in the ring."…
1ST WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE DEFENSE - on 6-28-03 in Bayamon he knocked out former three-time world title challenger Rocky Martinez (38-8-1): Miguel headlined and drew an announced 15,000 fans at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez; he was very impressive - Miguel cut Martinez over the right eye in the 1st round, scored a knockdown with a left hook to the body in the 2nd round and Martinez was counted out at 2:42…
On 4-19-03 in Fresno,CA, he knocked out former world title challenger Joel Perez (34-5-2): Miguel was busier and sharper, scored a knockdown with a left hook to the body in the 4th round and Perez was counted out at 1:29; after the fight, Miguel said, "As the rounds went on I felt better. I decided to pressure him more in the third round."…
WON WBC INTERNATIONAL SL TITLE - on 2-1-03 in Las Vegas he TKO'd former WBC lightweight world champion Cesar Bazan (39-5-1): it was a step up in class for Miguel and his most impressive win; he dominated the fight - Miguel scored a knockdown in the 1st round and bloodied Bazan's nose in the 2nd; Miguel consistently kept a busier pace, landed the sharper punches, and wore him down; Bazan kept fighting back hard, but his right eye gradually swelled shut from repeated left hooks; Miguel rocked him in the 11th round, and the referee stopped the fight at 0:16; after 10 rounds, Miguel led by scores of 99-90, 99-90, 100-89; after the fight, he said, "I expected a tough fight and got one. I never lost my composure..I never thought I was ever in any kind of danger."…
2002 - on 11-22-02 in Caguas, PR, he TKO'd Ubaldo Hernandez (18-9-2): Hernandez gave a good effort, but Miguel steadily wore him down - he bloodied his nose in the 2nd round, rocked him a couple of times and cut him under the right eye in the 4th; Miguel hurt Hernandez with a body punch in the 7th round, then scored a knockdown and Hernandez was counted out at 1:31…
On 9-14-02 in Las Vegas he won a 10 round unanimous decision against former four-time world title challenger John Brown (23-9): it was a step up in class of opposition for Miguel, the first time he went 10 full rounds, and he dominated the fight; he scored a knockdown in the 2nd round, staggered Brown in the 8th, and won by scores of 100-88, 100-89, 100-89; after the fight, Miguel said, "You can't knock everybody out. Sometimes you have to go the distance. He had a difficult style and I had go to the southpaw stance to try to confuse him."…
On 7-30-02 in Concho, OK, he TKO'd Carlos Ramirez (19-5): Miguel gave an impressive performance; he scored a knockdown in the 3rd round - Miguel rocked Ramirez with a series of punches that he finished with a left hook to the body; Ramirez got up but was unsteady, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:34…
On 6-22-02 in Las Vegas he TKO'd former world title challenger Justin Juuko (36-6-1): Miguel was very sharp, and scored knockdowns in the 3rd and 4th rounds; he staggered Juuko in the 5th, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:44; after the fight, Miguel said through an interpreter, "I fought a very experienced fighter, I knew that. More than I had fought before. But we looked good and we did what we were supposed to do. The plan was to be a counterpuncher, to capitalize on his mistakes, and that's what we did."…
On 5-3-02 in Las Vegas he TKO'd former WBC Continental Americas champion Juan Macias (26-16-2): Miguel dominated the fight and shut out Macias on the scorecards; Macias was cut over the right eye by a clash of heads in the 2nd round, and Miguel rocked him with hard combinations throughout the fight; the referee stopped the fight at 1:54 of the 7th round; after the fight, Miguel said, "I never look for the knockout. The knockout came. I only fight. I was feeling better and better. I was prepared. I didn't have any difficulty. The guy was strong. I knew he had a lot of fights. I was making ten rounds in training in Puerto Rico."…
On 3-1-02 in Carolina, PR, he TKO'd Sammy Sparkman (14-8-1): Miguel staggered Sparkman in the 2nd round, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:49…
On 1-11-02 in Caguas he TKO'd Joshua Smith (16-5): there was a wildly enthusiastic standing-room-only crowd of 8,000 in the arena, and they roared, danced and sang thoughout the fight card; Miguel stunned Smith in the 1st round and dominated the 2nd until Smith's cornerman climbed onto the ring apron to stop the fight at 1:37; after the fight, Miguel said, "The arm felt OK. I just didn't throw the hand often enough because I have to get that scary feeling off my mind. But when I threw it, I did throw it hard and it felt OK. It's great to be home. The people of Caguas have followed my career since I started and have always been be very supportive."…
He debuted at the age of 20 on 2-23-01 in Austin, TX, and TKO'd Jason Doucet: Miguel scored two knockdowns and stopped Doucet at 2:12 of the 1st round; after the fight, Miguel said, "I was just happy to get the first win under my belt. He had a lot of courage and was very strong."…
AMATEUR, PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Miguel started boxing at the age of 11 in the Bairoa gym in Caguas; he said, "I was very heavy at eleven years old. I started boxing just to lose weight, but I got hooked on it."…
2000 Olympian for Puerto Rico, 139 pounds - in his first bout on 9-20-00 in Sydney, Australia, he lost a 17-7 decision against Muhammad Abdullaev of Uzbekistan, who went on to win the gold medal; looking back, Miguel said, "I felt that I did the best I could at the Olympics. Unfortunately, some judges don't see it that way. But I was very happy with my performance, and I felt that I won that fight."…
1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 Puerto Rican National amateur champion, 132 pounds…Miguel has been called, "the greatest amateur boxer ever from Puerto Rico"…
He reportedly had 118 amateur bouts (95-23)…Miguel won gold and silver medals in several international competitions, as well…
He fought several other top amateurs: Miguel was 2-1 in three fights against Panchito Bojado of Mexico; Miguel said, 'My wins were decisive. One was five to zero and the other was eight to seven. The one that I lost was six to seven."…
2000 USA-Puerto Rico Dual Meet - on 8-15-00 in Tacoma, WA, Miguel won a 28-22 decision against Ricardo Williams Jr.…
Miguel's older brother, Jose Miguel, his cousin, Jose Juan, and friend Ivan Calderon are accomplished professional boxers; Miguel said, "I am very comfortable in Puerto Rico. It's my home. My city, Caguas, where I am from, is like any big city. I don't feel I'm missing out on anything here. I never go out. I am with my brother, or I am with Ivan or I am at home with my family. Or I am at the gym."…
Miguel returned to the ring in January, 2002, for the first time since a car accident on August 18 - while driving to a 5:30 A.M. workout, he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a concrete wall; he said, "It was a very serious accident. I broke my arm and shoulder in four different places. I think being in the shape I am in really helped."…in addition to a scar on his right shoulder, he has a six-inch titanium rod in his right arm that can trigger the metal detectors when he goes though airport security; Miguel, however, found a positive side to the accident; he said, "This kind of helped me. It made me think more about my family and be more focused on my career, because I almost didn't have one."…
Miguel and his wife Melissa have three children…
STRENGTHS: Has exceptional skills, handspeed, and punching power…is poised and polished in the ring…is versatile, can fight aggressively, or box and move effectively…sets up his attack with the jab, and punches in accurate combinations to the head and body…can switch effectively to the left-handed stance…is always in top condition…had a strong amateur background…
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 24 fights…126 total rounds…26 world championship rounds…
AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 5.25 rounds…
KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 83 %…
DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds - 1 (1-0)…11 rounds - 1 (1-0)…10 rounds - 1 (1-0)…
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