10.11.07 – By Ted Sares: Once again, the excitement is almost palpable as these two outstanding fighters enter the ring. Everything that needs to be said has been said and the time has come to get it on. It’s Cotto, 30-0 and Mosley, 44-4, in a what was hyped as a “Fast and Furious” match up and that’s exactly what we got.
In the first five rounds, it was give and take with Mosley’s right and fast combos against Cotto’s left hooks and surprisingly effective jabs. But then Cotto also started using his right effectively in the sixth. The seventh round was the first slow one, and going into the eighth, I had Cotto ahead in a close fight..
Cotto left his hands go again in the eighth and I believe won the round by landing the cleaner shots. Though the HBO team did not mention it, I sensed Mosley was tiring going into the ninth. That seemed to be his father’s feelings as he said, “you gotta pick it up.” And Mosley did just that, as something suddenly seemed wrong with Cotto (a cut inside his mouth apparently) though he fought back at the end of a very strange but exciting round..
As the championship rounds began, Mosley became the stalker and pressed the action in a brawling rough and tumble tenth. Another exciting round as Mosley was the pressure fighter.
Round eleven was Cotto’s round as he finished strongly with great body shots. Going into the last round, I had it close with Cotto slightly ahead. Still, the round loomed potentially decisive. A last minute head butt had no impact as the round and fight ended. Now it was in the hands of the judges and based on the second fight of the night, God only knows what the scorecards would read. I had Cotto winning by two rounds, though a draw would not be bad.
And here is what they said: 115-113, 115-113, and 116-113. All for Miguel Cotto.
Shane has been a great fighter over the years and a sure future Hall of Fame inductee. Now Miguel Cotto is the superstar as the torch passes from one to another.