♪
ANNOUNCER: The following is
a presentation of HBO Sports.
I'm Jim Lampley.
brings you a thrilling match-up
biggest stars as Miguel Cotto
takes on Sergio Martinez for
Martinez's middleweight title
in New York's
Madison Square Garden.
The Garden has long been
considered Miguel Cotto's home
away from home, as the Puerto
Rican star has racked up
7 wins in 8 fights in that
prestigious venue, including
the most satisfying fight of
his career, a 2011 revenge
bout against
Antonio Margarito.
In 2008,
Cotto had lost their first
match-up after the bloodied
fighter took a knee in the 11th
round for the first
loss of his career.
Just 6 months later, Margarito
was caught with plaster in his
hand wraps before a fight
with Shane Mosley, raising
questions about his career
achievements and most
specifically about his brutal
stoppage of Miguel Cotto.
Ultimately, Margarito received
a one-year suspension for
his actions, but that penalty
didn't deprive Cotto
of the rematch he
so richly deserved.
Let's go back to December 3,
2011, in Madison Square Garden
to see how I called it
with Max Kellerman
and Emanuel Steward.
[Referee speaking Spanish]
Come on, Antonio.
Touch his gloves, Antonio.
Good. Now you go.
Now you go.
[Crowd cheering]
Revenge or repeat?
[Bell rings]
hour in New York.
scheduled for December 3.
on December 4.
Left and right by Cotto.
be immediately apparent
in the first fight.
steps away.
I think Miguel is
intending to fight
fight this way,
changing directions,
slower foot and hand speed
of Margarito.
And staying away from...
preparing to go
rounds if he has to.
entire fight
of the ring,
it significantly different
when Margarito was able
fight to savage him
against the ropes.
advantages, Emanuel?
has the technical
advantage.
better power,
better foot speed,
amateur background
on top of that.
emotional advantage,
Emanuel?
goes on,
fight later on.
with Margarito
himself really does not--
He doesn't have respect
for Miguel at all.
he can break Miguel
down physically
refers to him in doing
interviews
make him cry,
he's still a baby.
Question's gonna be
fight wears on,
smiling and walking
through Cotto's
what happens then?
short with the uppercut,
straight right.
erupt every time Cotto does
for a while, at least,
going on in the fight.
Miguel, and he backs away.
a little
bit more now,
but, Emanuel,
that Cotto's throwing
more authority
in this rematch
so far than he did
first fight?
a lot like he did
the first fight,
to be honest with you.
flashy combinations.
of pressure on still.
is just too--his
foot speed is just too--
I think, and Miguel
is getting away with it,
if he can continue
to do this,
because Margarito
is stepping up
his pace right now.
So so far,
a lot like the
first bout now.
LAMPLEY: Very much like the
first fight,
but it appeared
that Cotto had the
advantages in round one.
[Speaking Spanish]
to keep doing that.
Keep pressing.
Lateral, side to side.
Don't go walking in straight.
Side to side coming in.
build, build.
Pressure.
Risk a little bit.
Pressure.
Want some water?
A little bit.
[Speaking Spanish]
OK, champ, very good.
Water.
same thing that you're doing.
Relax.
Turn him.
Don't stand still.
Middle of the ring.
Turn him.
Don't stand still.
Go. Let's go.
LAMPLEY: CompuBox numbers in
round 1: Cotto 19 out of 48,
Margarito only 8 out of 51,
Cotto with a 10-3 edge
in power shots landed.
and their view of the fight,
advantages in round 1.
saw that, too.
clearly won
the round.
He won the battle.
can he sustain it
and win the war?
Antonio Margarito could do
particularly in the early
cut off the ring--
tell you one thing I've been
He seems to be picking
sharper than I expected.
would have been
much slower than he is,
boxing better.
he's had with Garcia
his boxing skills.
right hand with his left.
and that landed under the eye,
not on it.
are wondering,
right eye
stand up to punishment?
Hard right hand by Cotto.
the right hand well, Emanuel.
Does it lack impact?
operation on his right
shoulder,
months of rest,
hand has improved.
operation
face right now.
southpaw,
who fights from a
conventional stance.
left hand in front.
to throw to the body
like no one else
away from that
in recent years.
hook by Cotto.
4 minutes in,
not touched the ropes.
That's very important.
a very smart fight.
in good condition
go 12 rounds at
this pace, though.
by Cotto.
Crowd is warming up.
uppercut from distance.
That's his best punch.
but to Cotto's chest,
not to his head.
3-punch combination,
continues to move.
fight.
stamina to fight it.
is legendary.
still giving ground,
giving ground
the first fight.
Yes, he is.
same things he did
in the first fight.
more of what Cotto
just did,
Margarito back,
lock him up,
to break his forward
momentum.
as Shane Mosley
the same confidence
to attack Margarito.
is also unusually
physically strong.
[Bell rings]
That's the closest Cotto's
come to the ropes in two
rounds, but it was another
very effective round punching
for Miguel Cotto.
TRANSLATOR: Close your eyes?
No.
letting--Let the right go.
the side, OK?
You're following him.
Cut him off.
Don't stay still.
Turn him.
Turn him, the 5.
The 5 and the 2.
When he comes in, lock him up.
in the middle.
STEWARD: Here we see
two of the best punches
of the fight:
a beautiful right hand
by Miguel Cotto,
and then a few
seconds later,
you're gonna
see him come back,
land
a beautiful left hook.
[Whistle blows]
Both very clean punches,
but I don't think
either one
seriously hurt
Margarito.
LAMPLEY: Margarito says that
Cotto punches "like a girl,"
quote, unquote.
of time insulting each other
and whenever the insults
start to fly,
of hyperbole there.
between rounds saying
chasing him.
Cut off the ring."
chance of tracking Miguel Cotto
he stops chasing
and starts cutting off.
1, 2, 3.
between rounds is,
"Throw your right hand."
got in a body shot
with the right hand to Cotto.
In Cotto's corner,
they want Cotto
when he gets
aggressive,
too aggressive.
ropes, but he got away,
with a left and a right.
a left and a right.
of good jabs.
but the bottom line is
to Cotto,
hurting me.
They're not impacting me."
doing is scoring.
fight,
Margarito--
Margarito's right eye!
and Cotto said
he would target it.
already showing blood.
fight,
landing a lot
body shots
early in the fight.
so far tonight.
the eye which is bleeding
beat to a bloody pulp,
Dr. Crandall in Salt Lake City,
of the question of whether
Margarito would be licensed.
brought blood.
urgency, perhaps sensing that
shortened by his eye.
against the ropes
off the ropes.
because he wants to keep
of that eye.
Margarito chances
on the inside here.
It's a fight.
Good left hook by Cotto.
as though he doesn't
have the same fear
punches in their
first fight.
Jack-o-Lantern as Cotto tries
on his face.
Cotto to do: lock up
and push him back.
and try to force
Margarito back.
he's winning the fight,
confidence is building
as the fight goes on.
has enough power
still,
wraps,
Manny Pacquiao
in the body
in their fight.
Several times.
and locking up
with Margarito
and pushing back at
the end of the round.
But the big moment in that
round was a left hook
from Cotto that has opened up
Antonio Margarito's right eye.
are you feeling?
How's the eye? Good? Good.
OK, you got him now.
That's just 3 rounds.
We're going into the fourth.
Get in.
work the body a lot.
and work the uppercuts.
uppercuts, OK?
Cut the ring.
STEWARD: Here we see
the punch that I think
cut Margarito's eye.
I think it was the
jab right there.
I don't think it
was from a hook.
I think it was
that jab right there
that did the damage...
LAMPLEY: You are correct.
And caused the cut.
[Whistle blows]
What a round.
They both landed
23 power shots.
the round, only landed
at 22% connect rate.
as I mentioned, and Cotto
rate in the round.
have it through 3?
OK, Jim.
Miguel Cotto.
on who's doing more damage,
Cotto is doing more damage.
fight, he circles to the left
all the time.
Margarito's got to do is take
he's got him cut off.
But Margarito doesn't do that.
he doesn't cut off the ring.
3-nothing, Miguel Cotto.
a left hook by Cotto.
sharp in this round.
reaching for him
but hasn't found him.
and effectively so.
him against the ropes.
getting trapped
but getting away again.
develops, a couple of notes:
is known for allowing fights
take punishment, giving them
the chance to come back.
but he will be consulting
the fight.
Athletic Commission has
extra doctor, an eye surgeon,
ringside for the specific
Margarito's right eye.
to look at as Cotto has done
wanted to do early.
you see Cotto just
did something
in the first fight,
leverage as the
shorter fighter
guy back.
uppercuts there, though.
that hurt him so much
the first time around.
left hook.
and firing that uppercut
with the left hand.
a Margarito-style
fight, Emanuel.
The fight is moving
pretty much
pattern of the first fight
for the most part.
great shots,
putting a lot
of pressure on him.
is landing the clean,
effective shots,
Margarito
is mentally stronger
confidence is growing
with each round,
he's losing the fight.
look as though
his punches
the same effect
on Cotto
first fight,
to be having more
of an effect
on Margarito to me.
a better puncher.
if Miguel can land that
powerful left hook,
completely,
punching
and moving away
of his punches
in the first fight.
Tony Margarito
functionally blind
in their fight.
the same thing here.
[Bell rings]
Round 4 was another one
in which Cotto landed
the cleaner punches.
There's Michelle Margarito.
That's 4.
second to breathe, OK?
Let's go, Tony.
and the uppercuts.
2, 3 uppercuts.
LAMPLEY: Melissa Cotto.
Earlier you saw
Michelle Margarito.
Two women who stand
by their men.
Turn him.
He can't handle you.
Turn him around.
You can do it.
You're boxing.
[Whistle blows]
LAMPLEY: CompuBox numbers in
the fourth: Cotto 21 out of 57--
that's 37%--Margarito
22 out of 95.
That's 23%.
These numbers are shaping up
extremely similarly to what
happened in the first fight.
And Margarito
defiantly
in the fight
to his cut eye as
though to say,
you'd make this
the target.
make it a target.
to me."
this point in his career.
interesting is even though
Margarito's eye is cut,
eye is semi-closed
or whatever,
he has full vision
out of that right eye.
Emanuel?
I'm just looking at it.
of closed or whatever.
fully opened as much as
the left eye is.
and easier
his left hand.
is fighting a good fight
continue to be
in good shape
12 rounds at this pace.
clean shots by Cotto.
a way to consistently
cut off the ring.
pivoting,
changing direction,
a very smart fight.
instead of left, which is
in the first fight.
moments ago
good short left
uppercuts
from the first fight
devastating effect,
in the fight.
Well, look.
devastating effect tonight,
say about that afterwards.
all looking for.
Margarito's punches
have on Cotto
tonight?
moving this round.
a 3-punch combination.
which really means he landed.
Margarito back again.
did in the first fight.
And you know what?
the first time to me
a little telltale
that he's been
in a fight.
his facial expression
show a little
distress, also.
Yes.
ground this round.
the cleaner shots.
if you win the round.
the overall psychology
is important.
yelling at Cotto.
straight back
on his toes.
Margarito yelling is
the combinations.
at the speed at
which Margarito's
now coming forward.
forward aggression,
the first fight.
Very much so.
something on them
to stop him.
Margarito has no respect
for Miguel,
is one of the best punchers
I have ever trained.
For whatever reason,
for his punching power.
one of those hooks
to the body
he used to throw,
that, maybe,
Emanuel.
Yes.
[Bell rings]
TRANSLATOR: Breathe, Tony.
Good? Good? Good.
Listen.
off to your right, OK?
You need to block him off.
Now you got him, though.
Look at him. Turn him.
him and you get behind him.
LAMPLEY: Let's take a look
at what has happened to
Tony Margarito's right eye
in the last 3 rounds
from the moment
at which Margarito's
eye began to show blood.
Here are a series of punches
that Cotto has landed trying
to get at
Margarito's right eye.
[Whistle blows]
That hurts.
That hurts.
[Bell rings]
when that eye has been
broken before.
round: Cotto 16 out of 29,
Margarito 15 out of 36.
disagrees with me,
round to Margarito.
see from that last
replay,
Margarito couldn't
see
the right eye,
leading with the right
hand, Emanuel,
he didn't know
where Cotto was.
go to Margarito's
body, Emanuel?
to bend and face
the uppercut?
What is it?
either.
his left hook.
the body or to the head
is tremendous,
but he's moving back
his punches now.
behind on points
closing the gap now as
the fight moves into
the second half.
short Margarito
uppercuts
on the inside.
right eye, though,
by Cotto's left hand.
Cotto's career.
body left hooker in boxing.
to throw that punch.
to the eye.
That one was on the jaw.
of a better punch
to slow a guy down.
you want to give me one weapon
make it a good left hook
to the body.
than any other punch.
Miguel Cotto's skin
in most fights.
with him, he didn't get
but for the most part,
he swells very easy,
also--you got to
look at him
as the fight goes on
beginning to land
some punches.
of holding Tony Margarito's
from Steve Smoger.
with the big power shot
let Margarito go.
blood,
moments ago
devastating
body punches
midsection,
leverage on those
shots,
to the ropes.
on pressure,
any effective punches.
in landing clean blows.
To the head.
To the head.
pretty much.
Miguel burn himself out
for the most part.
of pressure
from Margarito.
coming from his face.
So he'd better pressure.
Look how fast Cotto
has to retreat.
Tony, good?
He's hitting, and he goes.
You've got to block him.
Go in and work.
Work the body a lot
and the uppercuts.
show you, so far in the fight,
in the area of Margarito's
right eye.
side of the head.
15 to the body.
target is for Miguel Cotto.
see more, Tony.
Want to see more.
Let's go, Tony.
numbers through 6.
TRANSLATOR: Did you hear?
1, 2, and finish
up on the top.
LAMPLEY: Cotto 134 out of 333,
Margarito 102 out of 450.
That right eye's
closed, Emanuel.
STEWARD: Yeah.
have it through 6?
Jim, 59-55, 5 rounds to 1,
Miguel Cotto.
who ask, can you win a fight
running away?
is winning this fight running
he's running.
I got to say it.
winning the fight.
effective shots.
Emanuel said, he's not really
effective shots that
Miguel Cotto is.
shots that win rounds.
5 to 1, Miguel Cotto.
where the fight
turned
guys, seventh round.
hand by Margarito.
of shots.
STEWARD: Left uppercut.
night for Margarito.
Same kind of shots--
uppercuts,
hands.
Good left by Cotto.
3-punch combination.
in the area of the eye.
Body shot by Margarito.
moving, this time moving
to his right.
left hand in.
A right and a left.
Blood from Margarito's mouth.
The right eye is closed.
much pressure on Miguel
point where Miguel
of boxing good,
almost making him run,
what Margarito wanted.
Margarito's fast
start to the round,
landing all
the clean punches.
He's definitely winning.
there's no question
about that.
for a guy just because
he's pressuring
the more effective--
down the round,
like this.
against Margarito's eye,
becoming a bloody mask.
in the last fight,
that was starting to break up.
Yes.
been in a fight.
by pushing Margarito
against the ropes.
he needs to do.
He needs to be physical.
Every chance he gets--
A big change from what
he did last time.
And Cotto gets in a right
hand right after the bell,
for which Smoger is
going to go talk to him.
Melissa Cotto liked that.
TRANSLATOR: OK, OK, Tony.
and he's making you miss.
Start at the bottom, Tony.
Start with the bottom punches.
[People talking in Spanish]
STEWARD: Earlier
in the round,
you see
for the first time
Margarito started to land
some effective blows.
The nice right hand
between the gloves here,
and followed
it up with a left uppercut,
which was his most
effective punch
in the first fight.
Later in the round, you saw
him coming in and Miguel
catching him
like he's been doing
for most of the fight
and moving away.
KELLERMAN:
But because
he was moving away,
more of an arm
punch, right,
Emanuel?
full power,
at this stage.
of pressure on him.
out of 48, 50%;
of 79, 23%.
in the round, more than half
shots in the round.
and his accuracy is going up
eye stays closed.
left hook to the body.
doing a better job
uppercuts
in this fight.
of blocking uppercuts.
any stationary position
up for any clean punches.
the whole fight,
which is very good.
he was fighting more
aggressively
to knock Margarito
out, Emanuel.
different time,
situation all the
way around, I think.
best fights of his life,
ring that night
frustrated and confused
as we say,
and without his weapon.
quicker hands than Cotto,
combination puncher,
a different kind of fighter.
also.
buys time for Cotto.
That probably helps him.
Yes.
Take your time.
Time out.
Very good.
Time in. Time in.
hasn't been able to
find Cotto this round.
just the punches--
he landed two punches.
non-intrusive job--
watching the fighters,
to get in their way.
by Cotto,
in the right eye again.
a clear target yet.
but not landing anything,
just applying pressure.
has not exploded
Margarito the first
time.
if Margarito did
wraps against Cotto,
particularly
for a guy like
Margarito.
the qualities
successful--
determination.
load up on some shots,
in that position.
the most effective.
and a right hand
over the top
digging to his body.
was digging to his body.
stalking, stalking.
rips him with a left hook
to the chin!
Although the geography of the
fight is very similar to
not the same fight.
Move your legs.
Make me work.
You're slipping.
Turn him.
Turn him again.
him off the side.
And you go behind him.
this round, Tony, please.
I want more.
As you get in, throw.
uppercut, hooks and undercuts.
combinations.
Look for more.
Cut the ring. Get in.
LAMPLEY: This is a far
different Cotto family scene
than was the case at this
stage of the last fight.
They were cringing
in Las Vegas.
They're celebrating here.
Let him look.
Let him fight.
Let him fight.
Let him fight.
Miguel. Miguel.
[Crowd cheering]
they're gonna fight.
to keep going forward.
it wasn't certain.
Say whatever
you want
about Margarito,
his punches for
some reason
tonight as they were
the first time,
a ton of heart.
And Miguel is moving,
and by this time,
to stay in the ropes
more the first fight.
and changing directions.
a stationary target
to punch at.
willing to sacrifice
his health,
to win a fight.
coming.
in the first fight
want the fight
to be over
couldn't wait
for each round?
changed.
where--This where Miguel
should punch.
get his leverage,
with those wicked
left hooks
and to the head.
I got you, I got you.
Very good. Muy bien.
couple moments in this round,
closed, it seems to be coming
to find the target.
he was willing to
die to win a fight.
"No, I'm not."
of maybe Cotto's
advantages here.
was so damaged
against Pacquiao,
started to hit it,
it started to close.
the same kind
of damage
against Pacquiao
the towel.
Body shots.
upstairs from Cotto!
And another left hook!
fight now than he was fighting
of the first fight,
into the ropes.
fight, right here.
This is a new dynamic.
cannot punch
that effective
this inside to Miguel.
hook for Cotto.
have the same sledgehammer
in Las Vegas.
Good left by Cotto.
the shorter man,
to push Margarito
back.
A brilliant tactic.
their feet as Cotto hammers
left to the eye.
[Bell rings]
We are 3/4 of the way through.
Quickly!
Come on, Tony.
He's mine.
The guy's mine.
Let's go.
a chance.
swelling down.
He's good.
[Speaking Spanish]
DOCTOR:
Can he open the eye?
Yeah. With Pacquiao,
it was worse.
[People talking at once]
It was our round!
It was our round!
That was our best round!
That was
our best round!
That was our best round!
That was
our best round!
[Whistle blows]
One more! One more!
[Bell rings]
[Crowd cheering]
SMOGER: Doctor,
are you stopping it?
Doc?
Doc?
Stop it?
That's it, I got to--He's
telling me to stop it.
He's the doctor.
I wish I could keep it up.
All right.
TRANSLATOR: I'm good!
I'm good!
Stop it, doc?
Is that stop it?
Barry said to stop it?
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Ah!
LAMPLEY: It's over!
It's over, and
revenge is sweet.
[Crowd cheering]
[Music playing]
The thudding impact that took
Miguel Cotto out in Las Vegas
was in no way
apparent tonight.
STEWARD: No, there
was no way--
Margarito couldn't find
a good target at all
in the entire fight.
And even when he did
find the target,
Emanuel, his punches
weren't as hard.
No, it was not as hard.
You know, I think the New York
Commission is very concerned
about the eye injury
going into the fight.
I think if it had been a
normal fight, where the boxer
didn't come in with already
a big injury and so much
publicity surrounding about
that eye, he probably
would have let him
fight with one eye.
But in this case here,
I think they didn't
want to take the risk.
Dr. Barry Jordan
is one of the
most authoritative
medical practitioners
in the sport.
He's the one who gave
Steve Smoger the signal,
which was a hand
across the throat--
in other words,
cut it off.
And that's the end of the
fight, and Miguel Cotto
has the technical knockout
victory which for him
is sweet revenge.
Great, great
performance tonight.
He fought very smart,
moved, stayed out away,
was in good shape.
But at the time of
the stoppage,
Margarito was having
his best round.
Even though I think
he lost,
he was applying a lot
of pressure,
and Miguel was
starting to seem to wilt
a little bit.
But I don't know
if that would
have been enough
still going
down the stretch.
We'll check later
to see what
the scorecards were,
but let's go
to Michael Buffer
for the particulars
on the TKO.
BUFFER: Ladies and gentlemen,
the fight comes to an end.
Referee Steve Smoger calls
a halt, acting on the advice
of the physician at ringside.
It ends after 10 rounds.
still WBA Super Welterweight
champion of the world,
El Boricua de Puerto Rico,
Miguel Angel Cotto!
LAMPLEY: 21,215 New York fans
bought tickets to this fight.
The overwhelming majority
were Puerto Ricans backing
Miguel Cotto.
They wanted revenge for what
happened in Vegas 3 years ago.
And because of the damage to
Antonio Margarito's right eye
provided by Manny Pacquiao,
Miguel Cotto was able to
create the swelling and the
blood early in the fight
that ultimately debilitated
Margarito.
dominated, landing 53 more,
at exactly the same connect
fight, 43%--identical to what
he did in the first fight.
51% of his power shots.
told you over the years,
land more than half
gonna win the fight.
in the jab category.
That's to be expected.
Margarito, whose jab is slow
and somewhat lazy.
them, but mostly as range
find the target.
big number there is 86.
Margarito's right eye,
he won the fight.
by now in the ring
with the winner.
Miguel,
you got your revenge.
How does it feel?
Good. You know,
I made my work.
I won the fight.
the crowd here.
I love you.
[Crowd cheering]
After the fight
was stopped,
you went to
Margarito's corner
and stared at him for what
seemed like quite a while.
Why?
Just to look at him,
you know?
And taste my victory
on him.
What were you saying
to him when you were
trying to get to him
in the corner
moments ago?
I was just trying
to pick my people
from there
and bring
them to my corner.
I'm not saying
anything to him.
You're known as a
very good sportsman.
Usually after fights, we see
you embrace your opponent.
How do you feel about
Antonio Margarito right now
after that fight?
He means nothing
to me.
I'm here with
all my crowd,
with all my people,
and like I told you
before,
he means really
nothing to me.
Miguel, what's next
for you,
having now
defeated Margarito
in a fair fight
in the rematch?
I think I earned
a really good
resting session,
and then
in a few weeks,
in a couple of
weeks,
we can talk
about boxing.
Congratulations, Champ.
Thank you.
Antonio, what were they
telling you in the corner
before they stopped
the fight?
[Speaking Spanish]
We were in the corner,
and they were asking me
about my eye,
but I told them
how many numbers
they had up.
But I knew that
from here on,
they were out
to protect him
because I was
building.
In the first fight,
around the sixth
or seventh round,
your punches seemed
to really hurt him.
It didn't seem that
way in this fight.
How did you feel about--
How did you feel
about the way
the second half of this
fight was going?
I hurt him.
Look at his face.
Look at his face.
saying it again.
That's it. Look at me.
He just touched me.
It was just by a glance.
In the last round,
in the ninth round,
it did seem that
his punches were having
more of an effect on you,
rocking you back
a little bit.
We'd never seen
you fight him
with your back
on the ropes.
He pushed you to
the ropes.
You never felt
the punches?
I never felt
the punches,
and I was never
pulling back.
He was the one
pulling back.
If anything, I would
have gone to the sides,
but that was it.
He's the one.
Thanks for a tough
fight, Antonio.
[Crowd booing]
Doctor,
you're the doctor
who made the decision
to stop the fight.
That's correct, yes.
Why did you make
the decision
to stop the fight?
Well, his eye was gradually
closing throughout the fight.
there was no vision at all
coming out of that eye.
and the lid being closed,
I felt
it was safer for him
to stop the fight.
But he was still
being aggressive.
He was still
throwing punches.
He never seemed
out on his feet.
And we've seen many
fighters fight
with their
vision impaired.
Did your stoppage
have anything to do
with the fact
that coming
into the fight,
there was concern
about that eye?
Well, you always have that
in back of your head.
However, his lid was
closed completely
for almost 3 rounds.
His vision was going down
for the last 3 rounds.
And finally at the end, he
had no vision in that eye,
which means he has no
peripheral vision as well,
and I think it
would have been
dangerous
for him to go back
in the ring without
a visual field.
Is part of your concern
at that moment,
or your thought
process, does it
have anything to do,
is it affected at all,
by the fact that
the conclusion
wouldn't be
as satisfying
for many fans
were you to stop
the fight
because of that?
Well, I didn't stop the
fight because--early.
I mean,
the fight did go on
quite a while,
as you could see.
So I think he did go quite
a bit with the eye impaired.
Thank you, Doctor.
You're welcome.
LAMPLEY: A little while later,
both winner and loser returned
to their respective
dressing rooms.
TRANSLATOR: Be sad, guys.
We got a coward, bitch.
Damn Cotto.
We need another fight.
There has to be a third fight.
The people
aren't happy.
The doctor's waiting.
[Cheering and applause]
That's the way.
[People chanting "Cotto"]
TRANSLATOR: Can you look up?
I'm OK.
The loss to Cotto would be
the last fight of Antonio
Margarito's career,
as he was
forced into retirement due to
complications from the serious
eye injury on vivid display
throughout much of the bout.
As for Miguel Cotto, he was
able to avenge the loss that
had haunted him for 3 1/2
years, and the victory
led to a lucrative and
competitive decision loss
to Floyd Mayweather.
The loss to Mayweather and a
subsequent decision loss to
Austin Trout ultimately led
Cotto to hire Freddie Roach
as his new head trainer, and the
early returns on their union
were spectacular, as Cotto
appeared entirely rejuvenated
last summer in a dominant
third-round knockout
of Delvin Rodriguez.
Next up for Cotto, he
returns to a familiar venue
to challenge a powerful and
experienced middleweight
champion in Sergio Martinez.
Join us June 7, HBO Pay Per View
from Madison Square Garden
to catch all
the action in Cotto
versus Martinez.
I'm Jim Lampley.
Thanks for being with us.
♪
