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Posted 06/14/2009 at 12:37 AM
Thanks for joining. With Joshua Clottey closing the window as a $2.85 'dog (I initially had it Clottey as the $2.85 favoirte in the heat of battle so I do appoligize for that mistake), Miguel Cotto is expected to take this fight with ease. But will we see the underdog cash in big? Here's a round-by-round blog of how the fight will end up in the history books.
Ring Entrance
Joshua Clottey enters looking relaxed and ready to fight, but it's the crowd that's gearing up for their man, Miguel Cotto. The official introduction is being read by who other then, Mr. Buffer. Cotto looks rock solid as usual and ready for war, pacing around the ring fired up! The WBO belt is just shinning in the backround. And here we go...
ROUND 1
Both men boxing, feeling each other out. Cotto, solid right-hand. Emotions are simmering as Cotto goes to the body and reaching out with the right-hand. Clottey trying to lossen up Cotto's guard with inside uppercut. Clottey blocking body shots using the elbows. Cotto still trying to find the range with the jab, then following up with combos. Left-jab FLOORS Clottey, landing on the button, damn!!! Looked close to an even round until the slick knockdown by Cotto. 10-8 Cotto
ROUND 2
Clottey grazing uppercuts again, not clean. Cotto stepping up his energy, if that's even possible. Clottey making contact on time, but looks like he doens't have all the musturd on the right-hand, just clean shots to Cotto's chop. Cotto looks to be waiting for another ambush shot but not without Clottey capitalizing point wise as the accuracy rating for Joshua is rising. Clottey finishes up being the busier puncher. 10-9 Clottey; good way to show that the knockdown wasn't too damaging heading into Round 2.
ROUND 3
Cotto just wants to land sucessive body shots, but Clottey is showing off that effective defense that was expected. Cotto is in that low crouch, looking for the counter shot. But what we're seeing here is Cotto being fustrated just a bit. Bad news for Cotto, bleeding profussily from the left eye. Cotto got the worst of an accidental head but. 10-9 Clottey
ROUND 4
Clottey speeding up his pace big time, taking advantage of the blood. Clottey making noise while Cotto is feeling the pressure. Clottey to the body left, right, scores nicely. Clottey is just magnificant in the shell, using the hands and elbows to block superbly. Max Kellerman on HBO said it perfect, "Cotto can't see the right-hand coming because of the blood in his eye". Cotto takes the round with some solid shots despite Clottey continuing to use the defense to near perfection. Cotto 10-9
ROUND 5
I can see how some say Clottey slaps at times or just takes off power on some very open shots. Cotto continues to attempt to loosen up that insane defense. Cotto got stung by a clean right then left-hand. The right could end up being Cotto's worst enemy here. Here's a development; looked like a body slam as Clottey took a hefty spill. That lanky body had rag doll physics at Clottey hit the deck from what appeared to be a shoulder roll into the body of the Ghanaian native. Clottey's knee or maybe the ankle looked to have twiseted awkwardly. That's a move I can't remember seeing in a match recently. Clottey's knee is hurting badley as he discussed the fall in his corner. Cotto 10-9
ROUND 6
It's easy sitting here in my chair watching this one from many miles away, but Cotto could easily score to the center of the body. Cotto is turning it up big time, scoring in bunches and Clottey isn't responding. Clottey is defending many of the Cotto shots but this is just domination at this point. Clottey is trying to get room and get off the ropes but to no evail. Cotto teeing off with some big shots and Clottey is finding the occasional right-hand here and there. Cotto truely took Round 6 into his hand, closing off any of Clottey's chances to score. This was a huge round for Cotto, although his punching output was off the charts. Watch for the energy level in Cotto come Round 7. Cotto 10-9
ROUND 7
Harold Lederman said it best that the paint in the center of the ring is like an ice skating ring as we've seen many times before, but it hasn't played much of a negative role here (just a thought). Clottey slowed the pace down after Cotto came on like gang busters in the last round. Clottey squeezed in two, three excellent head ringing rights, shaking Clotto up. Cotto went from stalker to stalked in just a minute-plus of time. Excellent come back for Clottey after almost looking lost in Round 6. Clottey 10-9
ROUND 8
Clottey is definiely popping off some nice inside shots although a heavier hand would work better in those combos. Cotto continues to fight off the blood inside his eye. And there's the slipping factor in center ring by Cotto. This fight might not go too much longer with that eye. They need to save that eye before big problems develop. Cotto turns Clottey into the corner, shooting from the hip and scoring. Clottey shakes his head like, "that didn't hurt me". Clottey 10-9
ROUND 9
Cotto is moving around the ring a lot trying to offset the right-hand that he just can't see coming. This could work heavily in Clottey's favor. Cotto works the body on the ropes but just looks like that eye is hampering his efforts. Clottey is picking his spots, landing the left then right text books style. Cotto and Clottey both exchange barrages but none landing flush for much of an edge. Clottey takes this one by a slither. Clottey 10-9
ROUND 10
Cotto's eye is a car wreck coming out of his corner. Courage and heart are playing a tremendous effort in Cotto's favor but all of that early throwing looks to have sapped a lot of initial energy. Clottey is slowing the pace big time which could work against him given his opponent's profuse bleeding problems. Cotto is moving on a bycle, doing everything to avoid that right-hand. This is truely a fight of three or more stories; the flopping of Clottey, the knockdown in the first and Cotto's eye. And to add one more for good measure, Cotto just ceased the moment, landing two solid right-hands in succession. Cotto 10-9
ROUND 11
Clottey almost slips again on the logo at center ring. A lot of vasaline hanging in and out of Cotto's left-eye but it quickly fell off after a shake of the head. Cotto is just a warrior, most fighters would have lost at least half their heart with an injury like that. Cotto rips off a four-shot combo, landing at least two quality shots. Clottey landed a solid left-hook just before. Cotto continues wisking away the blood from that eye but lunges foward anyway and lands. Excellent fight. Cotto 10-9
ROUND 12
Final round, expect a great ending here. Cotto lands another two shots in two seperate exchanges. Tape is hanging from Clottey's glove, Cotto has the vasaline hanging and the blood flowing. Time resumes after the ref ordered cutting of Clottey's tape. As the HBO crew are commenting, Clottey isn't throwing enough. Cotto hits a major shot behind Clottey's head in mid-turn, no points deducted, avoiding disaster around the water cooler on Monday. The fight is getting a bit ugly, low shot from Clottey but Cotto is manning up, taking a shot or two and dishing out as well. Cotto looks possessed and fending off shots on the ropes. Clottey ended the round with some dirty tactics after the accidental behind the head shot but this was adrenaline fed. The final bell rings and this one comes to a close. Cotto 10-9
RESULT
I have this one scored in favor of Cotto by three points, 115-112. And here's the official: Split decission win for Miguel Cotto. One judge had it 116-111, Cotto while the other etched it in the books at 114-113, Clottey. The third and final judge scored it 115-112 Cotto. This was an excellent fight that needs time to be dissected further, but from a live broadcasted perspective, Cotto set the standard after downing Clottey in the opening round. That meant that Clottey had to reinvent himself from the very beginning and he did this well. But in the final two rounds or so, Clottey just didn't throw enough, and the shots that he did land were physically eaten by Cotto. Miguel's ability to press on no matter what adversity he's faced with makes him a very special fighter. Before I continue rambling let's take this fight to bed thinking about what we just witnessed.
Look for a breakdown to follow in the coming days. Thanks for joining me in this blog and enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Joshua Jacobs can be reached at jacobs@vegasinsider.com.
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