Like the previous Margarito-Santos fight, the
Miguel Cotto-Kelson Pinto match-up was all that boxing fans could have
wanted. Two big punchers trading big shots the whole fight. Cotto was the better
and more accurate puncher; Pinto never had an answer for Cotto's left hook,
which Cotto landed on a consistent basis throughout the fight.
The action began with Cotto establishing what would be his best punch of the
night, the left hook. He stunned Pinto with left hooks and right hands. Pinto
was trying to trade with Cotto, but his punches were too wide, and Cotto was
able to counter beautifully. Pinto was able to land some good shots that never
bothered Cotto. Late in the round, Cotto caught Pinto with a strong right hand
on the jaw, dropping him with a left cross to the head.
Pinto continued to eat Cotto's left hook, and never could find an answer for it,
and he was again wobbled with a left hook late in the round. Pinto started round
four well, he got away from throwing wide punches. Pinto started to box and
throw more accurate shots, and had his best round of the fight. Pinto came out
in round five looking good, continuing to box and stay away from Cotto's left
hand, but late in the round, he got knocked down again. Pinto showed a lot of
courage as he beat the count, and continued to try and go at Cotto.
Round six would be the end for Pinto. Cotto cornered Pinto at the start of the
round, and began to wail away. Cotto had Pinto reeling, and knocked him down
with a left hook to the body. Pinto showing courage again beat the count, but
the fight was stopped by referee Robert Ramirez. Cotto won by TKO at 2:28 of
round Six.
Cotto improved to 21-0 with 17KOs, while Pinto fell to 20-1. Cotto made an even
bigger name for himself with an impressive win over a very good prospect. The
Puerto Rican crowd seemed very impressed with Cotto, and with more performances
like this he may get the treatment Felix Trinidad once got from his Puerto Rican
faithful. Cotto showed that Pinto's two victories in the amateur ranks over
Cotto meant nothing. This fight, along with the Margarito-Santos championship
match, more than lived up to its expectations.
